Why I don't shoulder shoot elk!

[bigngreen]

Originally Posted by Catahoula

Hey BigGreen,
I have to respond AGAIN. You say that you have shot and cut up several elk. Reading all of this makes me sick. I am 51 years old and have cut elk and shot elk since I was 18. I have a B & C Bison in the book killed with a 25-06 shoulder/lung shot. Got him in the Henry Mountains in Utah in 1992. My first shot was about 50 yards. It did take 2 more to bring him down. Gotta love those 100 grain Partitions. I really don't believe the long shot story you are telling. This forum is a really friendly forum. You opened a large can of worms with your B.S.
Kirk

OK, so by closest count I've cut somewhere around 1800 ish head of elk and close to a hundred bison so ya I've cut taken apart a few elk. One local guy pops buff with a 243 through the heart, big deal! The point is that shot did not contact the spinal column and kill the bull, had it been a couple inches lower it would have done the trick, 8in lower and it would have gone under the spine blowing shards into the lungs, done deal. The first pic was more to help guys see that the shot should have been lower to connect with the goodies, the second pic is to show guys just how freaking big the shoulder joint is. What % will your 25-06 shoot through that joint and if it matters my first elk rifle was a 250-3000 and it did just fine, I'm not pushing big cal, cause I don't shoot them any more anyway I'm pushing better shot placement that fits the bullet your shooting!!!

What long shot story are you not believing, this isn't a long shot story it was only 350 yards. Or are you referring to my bull at 865 yards this year.

OK, it took me a long time to write that last post man this needs to cool down. A lot of good hunter do it different and debating and talking about it is cool but dang gunning each other in the gutts is a little weak and not to the point.

Cat

[Tikkamike]

H

Originally Posted by lazylabs

Good post biggreen, don't let the "whip them out" contest ruin this post or continue to drag this site down.

Haha yeah it was a good post... its too easy for me to get caught up in arguments with self proclaimed experts who prove time and again they know nothing.

[sp6x6]

Well, I followed this thread to this gritty point. Obversations, about 14 post for boiler area, 4-5 where kinda fence riders, 3 including Tikkamike, shoulder shooter, but I think Tikka is like his Dads quote which is same elk school, my buddies and I WENT to "338" Which makes shot placement less critical, a Lapua is a great elk gun . I think a 338 has alot of E, mine still has 2500+ @ 850 yrds.

[AJ Peacock]

Originally Posted by Catahoula

Hey BigGreen,
I have to respond AGAIN. You say that you have shot and cut up several elk. Reading all of this makes me sick. I am 51 years old and have cut elk and shot elk since I was 18. I have a B & C Bison in the book killed with a 25-06 shoulder/lung shot. Got him in the Henry Mountains in Utah in 1992. My first shot was about 50 yards. It did take 2 more to bring him down. Gotta love those 100 grain Partitions. I really don't believe the long shot story you are telling. This forum is a really friendly forum. You opened a large can of worms with your B.S.
Kirk

Hey Kirk,

Fact is Fact.

If you shoot an elk in the shoulder and don't
1) Break the shoulder (not just punch a hole).
2) Take out the lungs and/or heart.
3) Take out the spinal cord.
Then THEY CAN RUN FOREVER!!!

Taking Bison with shoulder shots with a 25-06, that's all I need to know about your acumen with regard to shot placement and cartridge selection.

A single shot into the heart with a 25-06 would be reasonable, but not a "shoulder/lung" shot.

There is a HUGE difference between trying to just punch right through big bones with questionable calibers and picking a specific spot that will avoid the big bones and take out the boiler room.

AJ

[bigngreen]

Originally Posted by sp6x6

Well, I followed this thread to this gritty point. Obversations, about 14 post for boiler area, 4-5 where kinda fence riders, 3 including Tikkamike, shoulder shooter, but I think Tikka is like his Dads quote which is same elk school, my buddies and I WENT to "338" Which makes shot placement less critical, a Lapua is a great elk gun . I think a 338 has alot of E, mine still has 2500+ @ 850 yrds.

Glad someone's keeping a tally. We do tend to do things how the old man pounded it in our thick skulls

I missed out on a lot of the gritty stuff since I type like the second coming but I've gone rounds with some of the guys on this thread cause we do things different and have strong opinions on them but we should be able to respect each other enough to back down of the line and just agree to enjoy putting the smack down on some elk!!!!! Dad says "dead elk is dead elk" but it's fun to hash out how to get there!!

If anyone is interested I taped that shoulder blade and it's 18 in from tip to bottom of socket and the hole is about 4 in down it average.

[Korhil78]

Originally Posted by Topgun 30-06

Funny, but I was asking the person that made that post and not for your opinion. Yours doesn't surprise me at all when you have admitted violating the law shooting at them illegally right from your vehicle on roads! We'll forget about that one though because you already gave your excuse for that one! It might be easier to kill a coyote, but I guarantee you are way off base as far as hitting a small animal like that compared to a huge elk.

I'm with you TopGun. I think TikkaMike should repent of his sins and become a born again hunter. Killing innocent fawn killing coyotes from the road. Fire and brimstone is awaiting you my friend!

I will start off the repenting and maybe TikkaMike will follow suit. I speed all the time and have Jaywalked twice! I know..I know. I only hope that Len won't kick me off this site for admitting the Jaywalking part!

I'm own both sides of the fence because I use bullets and guns in the right caliber that will allow me to do both if I hit there.

[Buffalobob]

Lots of different points of view but the beginning post was intelligent and well thought out and well illustrated with bones. I really liked reading it.

AS far as good statements made this one is my personal favorite

I've watched time after time guys try to shot an elk in the shoulder with the wrong bullet and the bullet piles up 100% of the available energy on that shoulder blade

In 1980 I made my first long range shot at a spike elk at 1100 yards with a 7mm Wby and as much 4350 as would fit in the case. Generally destroyed the case and a lot had case head separation on the first firing. Bullet of choice was the highest BC bullet available back then - Hornady 162 gr HP BT. That bullet had a thin jacket and a soft lead core and opened up if it even hit a flea on a hair. It had been a very dry fall and the elk were dusty so I saw the dust fly off the shoulder at the lower blade where it is thickest when the bullet landed. The elk didn't even limp when it ran off!!!! Lesson that was learned is don't shoot soft bullets into a elks shoulder bone unless you can actually break it.