Calif. Hunter
Active member
Maybe I'll get flamed for this, but I wouldn't want to watch an animal die for 45 minutes? Why not move and put another bullet in him? (I don't have a problem with the 548 yard shot.)
Here's a couple of pics of the 168 TTSX. The shot was 548 yards (velocity 2014 fps, eneregy 1512 fpe) and angling away. I was in a valley and the bull was on the ridge. The wind was calm. The bull didn't react when hit. As I chambered another round and was getting steady again a bull that was with him took off. My bull casually took a few steps which put him behind a tree. I couldn't get another shot. Though the shot was long, I felt good about it. I heard the hollow thump of the bullet on impact. As the elk just stood there behind the tree I was in the position to shoot given the opportunity. Minutes go by and he's still standing there. My buddy walked a few hundred yards to get a better angle. He sets up the spotting scope. Probably 15 minutes pass and the bull finally lays down. A few more minutes pass and he tries to stand but can't. I'm starting to feel good about it. A few more minutes pass and the bull stretches his nose to the sky in attempt to draw air. Every few minutes he repeats the gasp. He's in his death bed. Finally after about 45 minutes he takes his last gulp of air. His head hits the ground on its side and he roles down the hill about 20 feet. It's over. The bullet struck a rib, punctured one lung (missed the heart), went through the lower part of the shoulder, and the hide stopped it. The recovered bullet weighed 167.2 grains. Talk about weight retention!