Examples of elk absorbing shots and not acting hit?

[WYelker]

So I was talking to my neighbor tonight. He shot a decent bull. We got on a side conversation and I told the story of my sons bull this year taking a few shots to drop, then told him about a super bull I killed with my 270 that took several shots in the chest before it dropped. Then shared a story about a cow elk I saw shot with a 375 H+H that absorbed 3 shots before it went down.

He couldn’t believe that elk would absorb the shots like that…

He acted as if I must be doing something wrong, or the wrong bullet or… But sometimes elk just absorb lethal shots.

What are you examples of the elk taking lead? I have been responsible or part of a ton of elk hunts and there are a few that really stand out…

What examples do you have? Do you have any good videos of an elk taking a shot and barely or not reacting to a lethal hit?

I have a few others from when I helped guide cow hunts near craig…

 

[Letthemgrow]

I shot a bull in Idaho three times through the lungs with 7mm Rem Mag and he just stood there for a second and then took two steps and tipped over.

 

[mtmuley]

So I was talking to my neighbor tonight. He shot a decent bull. We got on a side conversation and I told the story of my sons bull this year taking a few shots to drop, then told him about a super bull I killed with my 270 that took several shots in the chest before it dropped. Then shared a story about a cow elk I saw shot with a 375 H+H that absorbed 3 shots before it went down.

He couldn’t believe that elk would absorb the shots like that…

He acted as if I must be doing something wrong, or the wrong bullet or… But sometimes elk just absorb lethal shots.

What are you examples of the elk taking lead? I have been responsible or part of a ton of elk hunts and there are a few that really stand out…

What examples do you have? Do you have any good videos of an elk taking a shot and barely or not reacting to a lethal hit?

I have a few others from when I helped guide cow hunts near craig…

I've had antelope not react. With a RUM. It ain't an exact science. mtmuley

 

[Sask hunter]

338 win mag on a frontal elk at 20 yards cut his heart in half and he took off running never staggered or anything with all that energy being dumped into him

 

[nimrod_gn]

Elk generally don't go right down with anything except a spine shot. And, there have been plenty of elk drop with a "spine shock" shot that hits close to spine only to jump back up and run off while the hunter is celebrating.

 

[Pagosa]

I shot a bull with a 30/06 last week twice in the shoulder and 1st shot I could tell it was a solid hit, but he just stood there. The 2nd shot dropped him. My rule of thumb is to keep shooting until it’s down. I’ve personally had my best luck of dropping game with one shot kills with Remington core-loks.

 

[ashersdad]

Biggest bull I ever shot took 4 bullets to the chest with my .300 win mag. Just stood there and you could see each hit. After the 4th shot he took one step and dropped over dead.

 

[buck137]

I shot a 5x5 two years ago, two times with my 7 mag in the heart and lungs, it kept running like nothing happened, it did drop about 50 yards away, but at first I thought I missed cause it didn't flinch or anything. Now the bull I shot last fall, hit it in the neck and dropped it in it's tracks, elk are tough, and as such, I'll keep lead flying until they drop.

 

[Addicting]

Obviously none of you shoot a Creedmoor.

 

[Nickman123]

My biggest bull. I shot it in the chest with 7mm mag. Only reaction was it took off running. Ran at least 300yds into some trees, then stood a minute, then tipped over.
When I gutted it, saw I hit it directly in heart and got good chunk of the lungs. Heart was literally a pile of jello.

 

[454]

I put three 180 Swift A-Frames from a 300 Weatherby right behind and into the shoulder of a bull at 320 yards. He just kept his head down feeding. I started fiddling with my scope questioning whether or not I was actually hitting him then suddenly he fell over.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

I shot a bull with a 30/06 last week twice in the shoulder and 1st shot I could tell it was a solid hit, but he just stood there. The 2nd shot dropped him. My rule of thumb is to keep shooting until it’s down. I’ve personally had my best luck of dropping game with one shot kills with Remington core-loks.

In the lower Gallatin range on private…..? Do I know you?

 

[WYelker]

I've had antelope not react. With a RUM. It ain't an exact science. mtmuley

Yes I have heard a lot about lopes being damn tough. I have shot all but 1 buck with my bow…

 

[brocksw]

Please post bullet and distance

 

[S-3 Ranch]

All my elk have been bang , flop , roll .
but I did shoot a big Mexican whitetail with my .300wm @ 150 yards in a big ol field, and thought I missed my 1st 2 shots and he fell on the 3rd after running 250 yards, while skinning him 3 holes and 2 big exit holes
now nilgai it’s shooting till they drop, they are tough and don’t bleed much
so neck or break down shoulder shots with nosler partitions or barns ttsx

 

[WYelker]

Please post bullet and distance

My experiences were all 140 grain hornady interlocks, all under 200 yards…

 

[Bryerific]

This old bull took three 162 gr eldxs from my 7 mag at 287 yards and didn’t flinch. He was quartered slightly to me (entry holes shown). Two bullets were found just under the far side hide and one against a rib. He then calmly took a few steps and went behind a few trees, I was in disbelief and didn’t see his collapse in the timber because I was reloading and worried that the job wasn’t finished.

I’ve seen two cows get back up. One was a high lung shot (same 162 gr eldx) and one was a neck shot (with a 200 gr Barnes LRX out of a 300 win mag). The neck shot one was shot that way because the fallen timber between us was so high. After tumbling down thirty yards or so into the bottom of the drainage, the cow ended up regaining consciousness about 5 minutes after the shot (and after we packed up our gear and were looking into routes down) it then stumbled its way up the other side of the drainage for 400 yards or so before it ran out of blood.

A little bull I got yesterday received a couple “booster” shots after he handled the first “dose”, a well placed 200 gr LRX at 358 yards.

Elk are tough!

 

[oldillini]

My last bull, a nice 6x6, was pretty tough. Only 40 yards to my left he came into a small meadow with 6 cows in tow. Surprised the heck out of me since the wind was not in my favor in that direction. By time I got my Tikka 7RM to my shoulder and settled on a shot, he was 95 yards out. First shot was not perfect and blew out his right shoulder. He continued to slowly hobble along for another 20-30 yards as I put 2 more rounds into his right side. I then had dig through my backpack for the spare magazine. By then he had meandered a few more yards and turned 180 degrees so that his left side was now facing me at about 125 yards. Two more shots into the left side, the last one blowing out the left shoulder where he finally dropped and expired.

I have always followed the mantra to push the lead until their down. But this was crazy. Five (5) hits! I know that all the shots were not the best, but we found out that 3 hit behind the shoulder(s) and all well in front of the gut, the other 2 into each shoulder.

Side note, his cows stayed huddled up at about 75-100 yards until the 5th shot went off. They were determined to stay with their stud.

 

[Sytes]

I hit a bull from 250-300 yards, shot within a small opening of a heavily treed hillside. Heard it crashing though towards a drainage area. I was sure I hit it, though it acted as if I spooked the heck out of it and bolted. As he entered the drainage, I hit it again and down he tumbled, out for the count. While chopping away, a dialed in shot on the lungs with my second, a high spine hit.
Never had one remain standing as if not hit. Amazing to read the various situations others have experienced! WOW!

 

[Pagosa]

In the lower Gallatin range on private…..? Do I know you?

No, it was in the other opposite corner of the state