Elk Reactions to the Shot.....

[Horn Seeker]

So, many of you have killed way more elk than I... I am curious if you've noticed this...

I've shot 1 cow and 2 bulls at close range in heavy timber, meaning, about 50-75 yards. All the rest, a few more bulls and a few more cows, have been in the 100-200 yard range and in more, semi open timber or even mostly open country....

The ones at 100+ yards always have taken off running like the devil grabbed hold their tail (well..except for those spine shot).... But this years bull and one previous cow that were close range, in thick timber... just stood there like nothing happened... they actually stood there, completely unalert looking. The cow slowly walked behind some smaller trees and fell on her nose... this years bull just stood there, acting no different than if I never would have shot. I plugged him again in the same spot and he stood there about 1 second, then calmly took a couple steps forward, then did the wobble/nose dive...

What the hell are they thinking?? My 06' at 50 yards is obviously loud and they must have felt somethign associated with the noise... how could they just stand there??

My theory is...they recognized that there was something crazy going on, but they weren't sure what, why and where...so they were just frozen with fear?? trying to figure out which way to go???

Whats your thoughts??? Ifn I was them, Id be running like hell the instant I heard the boom....

 

[belly-deep]

I don't know if the timber has anything to do with it or not. I think your part about them not knowing which way to go could be correct though. I've only had one of the last 4 run and that one was the only elk that was aware of my presence. The other three stood around dying and none of them had knew where I was at that point.

 

[noharleyyet]

I watched and heard mine do the dead bull dash this year...about 75 yards crashing thru everything in it's path. Last year's bull just slowly turned after a right side vitals hit and offered a quartering opposite side shot, took another hit behind the left shoulder, teetered a few seconds and lost his front right footing as the bullet had broken the shoulder joint. Tuff son-of-a-gun...was walking dead from the first hit.

 

[T Bone]

I've never dropped an elk on the spot. All have taken off fast at the shot.

The shortest recovery was a cow, archery. Broadhead went through the top of the heart and she went maybe 5 yards. All other archery elk went down within 100 yards.

Shortest rifle recovery was a heart shot spike bull. He went about 20 yards. Most rifle shot elk went about 100-150 yards.

 

[cowboy]

Elk's reaction to the shot

The elk shot at very close range definetly heard the shot and felt the reaction. What I think you are seeing is the performance of the bullet at very close range - I would bet that you are shooting a bullet that is pencil holeing straight through without any or little expansion. I have shot many elk with the old Nosler partition, the Hornady interlock, the Barnes-X and the Berger VLD. Out of the them you could count on the Barnes X showing no reaction to a hit when shot at 50-75 yds. I'm not knocking or singing glorious praise on any or all the above - I'm saying the are designed to perform different results. When in doubt shoot your preferred bullet into some water soaked phone books that are strapped together and see what you get at 50 yds. They make special shooting media but I found it too expensive for my .02 cent experiment - any media you shoot into is better than not having any idea of your results.

 

[sweetnectar]

My first archery bull took 3 steps, fell over, and died right there in front of me. Most of the other elk I've seen killed try and go somewhere but I do remember 3 different cow elk that just stood there after they were hit. Some things they had in common: there were other elk near them (it calms them), they had no clue we were there until they got hit (no adrenaline in their veins), they were vitially hit, and they got shot more than once while standing there.

 

[the nikster]

Maybe..

The elk in the open naturally feel the need to flee while those in cover think they may already be hidden.

or

The elk at a distance don't hear the crack of the firearm until after they are alerted by the crazy burn in their lungs so, already alerted(by some milliseconds), they flee at the second sign of danger while those that are close have an overlapping effect and await further stimulus.

or

we think too much...

 

[----]

Just to mess with your results a little more....

My bull this year was in a group of thirty or so cows bedded, and the herd was maybe 30-80 yards from me depending on the elk. The bull (this was a gift) was the first to stand. At the shot the whole herd blew up and took off like hellfire across an open hillside, bull made it about two hundred yards before tipping over.

Two years ago I lung shot a bull at about 400 yards in the middle of a wide open sagebrush bowl, the ten cows or so he was with took off up the draw and the bull stood pat for a few seconds before another guy finished the bull off before I could put another round in it.

 

[fowladdict]

Two years ago I lung shot a bull at about 400 yards in the middle of a wide open sagebrush bowl, the ten cows or so he was with took off up the draw and the bull stood pat for a few seconds before another guy finished the bull off before I could put another round in it.

So who tagged the bull then? Was it a hunting partner of yours or some other random hunter? Just curious.

 

[----]

So who tagged the bull then? Was it a hunting partner of yours or some other random hunter? Just curious.

I was hunting with the other guy, who tagged it. He 'thought I missed.' Don't hunt with him too much anymore.

 

[Moosie]

I find that Elk that are far away seem not to run. A lot of times they have no clue where the Shot came from. If you sneak in on them bedding or in their comfortable area, they will be like WTF after the first shot..... Then High tail it after the 2nd. That's just what I've seen.

 

[T Mac]

The ballistics, the bullet style, the shot placement, all make a difference of course.
I have killed elk with a number of different cartridges over the years and in my experience, bullet placement always seems to be the main thing concerning a quick knock down.
When a broadside shot presents itself and the elk is close enough to really make a placement choice, I like to shoot them a little higher in the lungs than most guys seem to like.
Usually that tips them over. Once tipped over, it is all over except for the thrashing and kicking.
I started shooting for high in the lungs about 12 elk ago...but I sure chased some blood trails quite a ways back when I used to shoot for the heart/lower lung area.
You might try it...?

 

[RockyDog]

Hornseeker, your favorite is the Texas Heart Shot, right?

 

[Silent But Deadly]

I haven't been able to really see much of a pattern on the ones I have killed. I have seen bulls take off like Jack Rabbits that are both by themselves, and in a heard from both rifle shots and arrow shots at close range. I have also seen them just kind of walk off slowly after the shot at fairly close range. My 2 long range shots (350, 600 yards) dropped them in their tracks. All of my close range shots resulted in them going some distance before they died.

I did shoot one bull at close range with arrows, and he just stood their while I kept shooting more arrows into him. I thought this was kind of wierd until I noticed that both his hind legs were broken.

 

[Bambistew]

My personal opinion is the result after the shot is a direct result of how fast the bullet is going at impact more than anything, the faster the bullet the more shock created. I've seen more elk run 30-250 yards after being shot with 30+ caliber and heavy bullets than drop on the spot. This is usually do the lower impact velocity IMO. With lighter faster calibers they tend to travel a lot fewer steps.

IMO an exit hole allows for the pressure to drop in the chest cavity, vs 'blowing up' like a ballon and rupturing more blood vessels causing massive instant blood pressure drop with the resluting 'dead right there' type result.

Including the animals I've shot with a black powder rifle I would say the same holds true there. With pass through hits, the animals tend to run off 30-100 yards, with a single entrance and no exit lighter/faster bullets they usually make it 20-30 yards at most and pile up.

Its all very dependant on where you hit them reguardless of bullet size, exit holes etc. Take out all the blood vesses above the heart and its over. Maybe even quicker than if you poke a hole in the heart?