Are there any dimensions associated with those photos? I practice on a 10" round target and make sure I can hit that reliably. Elk vitals are certainly larger than that but I like to aim small, miss small. As fas as neck shots, I've hit an elk and an antelope in the neck by accident and they went down and died immediately. Not a shot I will ever plan on taking, but my experience tells me it is deadly.
The shot: Elk Anatomy
- Thread starter Sytes
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elkduds
Well-known member
An elk measures around 24" from top of back to bottom of chest. Unless it is bigger, or smaller. 24" is the suggested dimension for calculating range by comparing elk size to crosshair spacing.
Laelkhunter
Well-known member
What about a shot (with a rifle) at an Elk that is standing straight-on, looking at you at a range of about 100 yards? I have read somewhere to shoot at the neck where the Elk's "Adam's apple" would be if he had one. Or would you aim lower in the chest/heart area?
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From my perspective, it depends on the angle of the shot. I favor the neck, personally.
Not a fan of running a partition the full length of the animal.
A friend "still" hunts through the thick crap and has a notably greater success rate than I. I don't understand the impulse shot from the hip ability to tag those select vital spots though he's successful. I study the animal too long before my shot, to my detriment unfortunately.
I'm curious, many authors of published materials share value for the neck with rifle though oppose the same for archery. I've never shot an animal in the neck with an arrow nor do I plan to as my impression is the arrow may deflect off the bone protection on the elk's nerve highway... Is this the basis for the difference between the arrow and bullet?
Laelkhunter
Well-known member
The main difference as far as I can tell, is the archery kill relies on hemorrhage (blood loss), and the rifle bullet delivers hydro-static shock to the organs to kill the animal. Also blood loss results with the rifle bullet, so it is a double whammy effect.
Cerebral Stalker
Active member
If you would have read my whole post, you would have seen where I said I have never killed an elk yet but many, many, whitetails with neck shots. In episode 1 season 1 of On Your Own Adventures, Uncle Larry shoots a bull in the neck (a good bit off center too), and it doesn't run for miles. In addition, it takes some doing to shoot any animal in the neck, and not hit any vitals except the esophagus. I've put way too much meat in the freezer with necks shots to not trust them in appropriate situations.
