The BEST way to kill Elk

[Sako7STW]

Does anyone have some pictures of a skinned elk shot in the way that Hammerhand describes above? I would like to see the blood shot damage and the wound channel. Maybe he is right and there isn't as much damage as I have seen. Would just like to see it. A picture speaks a thousand words right?

[Browninglover1]

Here are some pictures of a yearling calf shot through the shoulders with a 185 grain Berger from a 300 WSM at 412 yards.

Here's the entrance wound. Note: her leg was actually broken at the knee joint and you can see the bruised meat from that injury on the lower portion of her leg starting where the leg bends.



This exit wound picture looks much bloodier than it actually was. We stripped the meat off and put it in a bucket of salt water overnight and only lost a big handful of it. Maybe that handful would be too much for some people but for this particular animal having her die right where she stood was worth losing just a little bit off her front shoulder.

[WildRose]

I've found that except for the very worst bloodshot meat soaking it overnight in salt water takes care of the problem completely.

If one is more concerned about losing under 3lbs of meat than they are losing the entire animal they need to reconsider their priorities.

[royinidaho]

So, I've learned that OP means Original Poster. I'll remember that

I've also decided that any shot I will take on an elk of any size, make or form will place either a 300 gr Berger or 350 SMK in at least one shoulder, depending on angle, a little higher than lower.

I'll leave the puny 270 AM at home and will be carrying/ambushing w/the 338 RUM or shooting the 375 AM from a hide. Done deal! If I have the proper tag for the gender that shows up.

[bigngreen]

Soaking meat to get rid of blood shot is how you get lead in your meat!!! You need to cut out the blood shot in the meat, the blood shot in the seams can easily be removed and is not caused by direct bullet trauma so no lead.

Shoulder shot average min of 8lbs of meat lose per hole, the average bull has 42lbs of meat on both shoulder that's just under half of the total weight of trim you'll have.

[brentc]

I often times base my aiming point to hit the opposite shoulder.

If that means that the facing shoulder is forward it's a behind the shoulder shot on the facing side, and the bullet travels through vitals to hit the opposite shoulder. This, along with a quartering away shot is my favorite position for a shot because it fully exposes the vitals and bone structure on the opposite shoulder. It also provides an effective bullet path as the bullet travels through the animal.

If the facing shoulder is straight down, it usually means the opposite shoulder is straight down and in this case I will put a bullet straight through the point of the facing shoulder.

If the facing shoulder is back, I will aim slightly forward of the shoulder point to angle the shot towards the opposite shoulder.

The opposite shoulder is a technique that has always worked for me.

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by bigngreen

Soaking meat to get rid of blood shot is how you get lead in your meat!!! You need to cut out the blood shot in the meat, the blood shot in the seams can easily be removed and is not caused by direct bullet trauma so no lead.

Shoulder shot average min of 8lbs of meat lose per hole, the average bull has 42lbs of meat on both shoulder that's just under half of the total weight of trim you'll have.

Lead is not water soluble.