Moo-cow headshot - caliber?

[Moserkr]

Thanks for the diagram haha. X marks the spot!! Yes this will be my first moo-cow I put down. Getting up close shouldnt be a problem, its a friendly cow. It will be "contained" in a grain-out pen thats around 60x60' but Im really really hoping to not need the space from a bad shot. Im sure a pissed off scared and wounded cow could go through a fence though.

 

[44hunter45]

Dad used a .22LR. Grandpa used a ball peen hammer.

 

[44hunter45]

I’ve literally done thousands…my uncle had a custom slaughter side to his wild game processing n I was the kill guy….22lr works just fine…straight on, between the eyes left to right, up and down depends on the angle; your actually aiming for the “foramen magnum” the hole in the back of the head where the brain stem n spinal column are. After I would split em, I would usually find the 22 slug in the spinal column. Make sure not to use hollow points!!!! Drops em like a sack of potatoes

This.

I started to write this but have energy deficit today. Small caliber works fine if you hit the magic spot. If you miss it things can get horrifying.

 

[Lota lota]

Ive been offered a moo-cow by my relatives if my friend and I do the hard work of processing it. What caliber would everyone recommend to put it down?

Backstory: Cow has lumpy jaw and isnt maintaining weight now so its got to go. Relatives are splitting a good portion of the meat to my friend and I for the work. We have done elk before so I figure the gutless method on a cow should work, then grab the loins, heart, and liver. 95% of the meat will go to ground as this cow has not been grained and was supposed to be a breeder.

Thank you all for the help and Id appreciate any other tips for killing or butchering the cow.

.22 mag will do the trick. Right behind the eye. We've butchered several and that's all our butcher uses.

 

[kodiakisland]

I use a 45 colt. Usually a 325gr LBT.
The farmer that has me shoot them always offers his 22lr. I like to test bullets.

 

[Ought Six]

7PRC and try to get close, like 950 to 1200 yards type range

 

[noharleyyet]

Staysharp would have been in heaven with this thread.

He’d have made a set of luggage from the hide.

 

[buckbull]

I only ever had to put one dairy cow down. Shot one between the eyes and it went down. Renderer came to pick it up and came back to say the cow was still alive. Drove back to her and sure enough she was upright looking around with a hole in her head. Shot her 2 more times. Based on the pic in this thread I shot low. Felt bad. #33 was my all time favorite cow. Super gentle, udder was easy to milk.

 

[JV842]

Based on the pic in this thread I shot low.

Don’t be so sure. The picture is deceptive. Like I n others have said….all about the angle of the beef’s head and ur firearm….just like punching someone or shooting any animal….ur actually aiming for WHERE the bullet will end up, not where it enters.
I’ve seen WAY too many times where some “well meaning” father brought a kid with his/her show cow/steer to the shop and going to either “show em how it’s done” or “make them a man” and not listening, shoot the poor animal “between the eyes” and then we were in for a damn rodeo….

 

[Outlaw99]

I’ve done plenty over the years. My top pick for a fail safe is 30-30. After that, .44mag or .357 do nice as well. I’ve killed em with everything else in between but the margin for air goes up. I was in a pinch with a big old bull one day; you’d be surprised how NOT good 240 grain hydro shocks do not do at 15 yards out of a 1911. I was glad I had 8 rounds….