Forget caliber and bullet, let’s talk shot placement

[Deleted member 20812]

It seems we have ad nauseum conversation and debate about what is the best caliber to get a blood trail out of an elk. Followed up by, what is the best bullet to get a blood trail out of an elk.

It’s been my experience over the years that shot placement is far more important than either the heads stamp, or the type of bullet being used in terms of a short recovery on an elk.

In order to find the ideal aiming spot for a fast kill, do the following:

1. imagine a vertical line that is perfectly centered between the two front legs

2 for your horizontal hold imagine the body cavity is divvied up into quarters. Go slightly above 1/4 of the way up that vertical line.

You can go higher than this if you want to, but absolutely do not go above the halfway point of the body. The further away you get from that 1/4 horizontal hold, you are still in double lung territory, but the amount of vasculature is greatly reduced relative to the lower hold.

 

[mtmuley]

I've been known to take frontal shots. mtmuley

 

[RobertD]

I've killed exactly one elk, and the body position and aiming point in picture 3 is pretty much a reproduction of my shot on that elk. Right through the top of the heart.

 

[ForkieShooter]

Almost had it right on the third one.

Sincerely,
HTM School of Elk Shooting

 

[rtraverdavis]

Almost had it right on the third one.

Sincerely,
HTM School of Elk Shooting

View attachment 252970

Ha. Beat me to it. I was just about to post this:

 

[ForkieShooter]

Ha. Beat me to it. I was just about to post this:

View attachment 252971

My early millennial fingers are fast.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I've been known to take frontal shots. mtmuley

All. Day. Long.

 

[mtmuley]

View attachment 252972

All. Day. Long.

Dead. mtmuley

 

[Deleted member 20812]

 

[Irrelevant]

How do those change with a bow in your hand?

 

[Nameless Range]

You can bet that I am not arguing with you and agree with everything you wrote. When it comes to killing elk, I would defer to your brain and 90% of the brains here over my own, but I have a gut reaction to how those elk are presented in some instances.

I have lost so much meat over the years by shooting through shoulders, that if it seems ok, I go behind them, even when a far more certain thing to do is go through them. Like this:




That was my gut feeling. Looking at your crosshair. With time to think, I know yours is a far more intelligent position. It's just interesting how my split second reaction would be to tuck it behind the shoulder. I think part of it is my dad would get pretty pissed when I would ruin meat when I started hunting.

The last 3 elk I have killed I double-lunged, and purposefully - they were all within 75 yards. This is an exit wound of one of them. It "feels" like a big target, particularly if you favor forward and down a teeny bit.




I also have taken a couple frontal shots in my life - one on a deer and one on an elk. Both were just devastating, and if you are within a comfortable range, I think they really seem to wreck a lot of important internal gear and are a shot that just feels good.

Good thread, it's not something I have given thought to improving, but is something that could be improved.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

How do those change with a bow in your hand?

Not at all

 

[Deleted member 20812]

That was my gut feeling. Looking at your crosshair. With time to think, I know yours is a far more intelligent position. It's just interesting how my split second reaction would be to tuck it behind the shoulder. I think part of it is my dad would get pretty pissed when I would ruin meat when I started hunting

Your shot will kill the elk, but you are behind the heart. You’ll get some lung, maybe some liver. You might have a long track job.

My take is I’d rather trim a couple pounds of meat than lose an elk. Part of the reason I switched to coppers was reduce bloodshot meat. Put a copper on the spot I’ve marked and you’ll have blood trails Stevie Wonder could follow.

 

[Irrelevant]

Not at all

No way I take Pic #1 with a bow. Post #7 hard no as well, but only because I've seen it fail, several times.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

No way I take Pic #1 with a bow. Post #7 hard no as well, but only because I've seen it fail, several times.

I’m not talking shot selection at all. Shot placement stays the same.

 

[Irrelevant]

I’m not talking shot selection at all. Shot placement stays the same.

I'd switch to lung/liver on several of your early posts. I want no part of the shoulder forward.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I'd switch to lung/liver on several of your early posts. I want no part of the shoulder forward.

With a bow I’d probably pass on a couple of them.

 

[woods89]

You need to add the triangle illustration for broadside. I, and I think many, shoot too far back on animals a lot because we think we're seeing the shoulder when there is no bone in that area.

This, of course, referring to using a rifle.

 

[Saltydalty]

It seems we have ad nauseum conversation and debate about what is the best caliber to get a blood trail out of an elk. Followed up by, what is the best bullet to get a blood trail out of an elk.

It’s been my experience over the years that shot placement is far more important than either the heads stamp, or the type of bullet being used in terms of a short recovery on an elk.

In order to find the ideal aiming spot for a fast kill, do the following:

1. imagine a vertical line that is perfectly centered between the two front legs

2 for your horizontal hold imagine the body cavity is divvied up into quarters. Go slightly above 1/4 of the way up that vertical line.

You can go higher than this if you want to, but absolutely do not go above the halfway point of the body. The further away you get from that 1/4 horizontal hold, you are still in double lung territory, but the amount of vasculature is greatly reduced relative to the lower hold. View attachment 252966View attachment 252967View attachment 252968View attachment 252969

I’m relatively new to the area. In Gilbert. Don’t know many people. PNW Hunter here. Inexperienced archery, experienced modern- has $, sensible, no limitations with cardio- 33 years old. looking to learn and get out there in 2023 for muley or elk. LMK

 

[Salmonchaser]

I like the pics as it pretty well follows what I’ve been taught in that you have to invision your bullet going thru to the far side. Sitting here with the recently retired head biologist from the starky elk study. He quibbled only slightly as to the location of a couple of the cross hairs. My bull this year is represented by pic #9. Hard quartering away, 400 yards. One of us wiggled just a little, took out the rear leg just above the knee, entered the body cavity at the last rib and popped out just in front of the off side shoulder. That is the advantage of a fast 33 and a 250 grain Accubond. I’ve killed 44 elk, guided 30 more. Those shot as indicated pretty well gave it up as long as you cross them up in front of the diaphragm.