Where do you shoot this elk?

[Wedgy]

I go to traditional bullets. You know i am an old guy when you hear nosler partition in the heavy for caliber bullet. Barnes works great too.

In regards to Barnes, I've been a long time user being in a lead free state but am finding Hammer Bullets to be both better in expansion, more velocity, and ease of finding a load, as in ~20 rounds and you're done. They are insensitive to seating depth. Being a mono they majority of the bullet is staying in one piece.

 

[Elk Fire]

Just got back from Utah. Liked the location of this shot good enough I did it twice. He never took a step, but my strict policy on elk is if they are up after the first shot, I keep shooting. Hell I keep shooting even if they have their heads up and are not on their feet.
530 yards
270 WSM
170 grain Berger @ 3160

 

[nmbarta]

I shoot between 4 and 5 but back about 5 inches. I like to eat them so I tend to stay back just a bit. The heart is my favorite part, so I missed if I hit that!
I also think they eat better if you can get a shot that doesn't shut the pump off too soon, just a quick as far as the kill goes, but allows for more blood loss. This is why I don't shoot for head or neck, spine/brain shots don't allow for them to bleed.

There is a real reason why all domestic animals a bled out when they are butchered, leaving the blood resting in the vessels doesn't make for good eating.

I'd shoot just in front of 2 if I didn't want him to get across a nearby fence.

 

[WildRose]

In regards to Barnes, I've been a long time user being in a lead free state but am finding Hammer Bullets to be both better in expansion, more velocity, and ease of finding a load, as in ~20 rounds and you're done. They are insensitive to seating depth. Being a mono they majority of the bullet is staying in one piece.

If there's a consistent hitch with the Barnes it's the lack of expansion. They tend to just shed the petals and punch straight through so if you aren't hitting the spine or breaking bone they do tend to run a long way even with good lung hits.

 

[WildRose]

I shoot between 4 and 5 but back about 5 inches. I like to eat them so I tend to stay back just a bit. The heart is my favorite part, so I missed if I hit that!
I also think they eat better if you can get a shot that doesn't shut the pump off too soon, just a quick as far as the kill goes, but allows for more blood loss. This is why I don't shoot for head or neck, spine/brain shots don't allow for them to bleed.

There is a real reason why all domestic animals a bled out when they are butchered, leaving the blood resting in the vessels doesn't make for good eating.

I'd shoot just in front of 2 if I didn't want him to get across a nearby fence.

Fair point but you can also accomplish the same by salting, hanging, and/or brining.

I've gone to using Morton Tender quick and Kosher salt, curing it for a week or more before processing.

 

[35 Whelen]

I like the 2,1,4,5 box and tend to hold closer to the shoulder. If meat is a little blood shoot you can soak it in cold salt water and pull a lot of the blood out, also my Dad always said to stick'em like you do a pig as soon as you get to the animal, this helps bleed them out. I do not claim to be an expert on any thing but here is about 2 elk I have shot and see if it helps. Elk #1 shot at about 400 yards 300 Win. Mag. 180gr. win. power points, hit high just above shoulder, 2 steps and down, some back strap messed up but not bad. Elk # 2 shot 100 yards, 35 Whelen Speer 220gr. flat point hand load, strait on into chest, out the top of neck, heart completely gone, dropped in tricks, I'm guessing the breast bone turned and/or split bullet, only way I can figure could go in chest and end up out of top the neck and still take out the heart. Hope this helps. Good luck hunting.

 

[nmbarta]

Wildrose,
I'd like to know more about that, sounds good.
I like antlers like everyone else, but feel like I screwed up if it's not good eating. There's a lot of meat on those shoulders, right behind 4&5 is a good clean kill with almost no ruined meat.
Not a drop them in their tracks shot, but puts them right down.
Sticking them like a pig only works if the ticker is still ticking. When you shoot a pig, or steer in the head, they drop, then you slit them, the heart is still beating so they bleed out.
I don't risk a whole batch of burger or sausage over bloodshot meat, I don't eat that. If I screw up a shot and get some bloodshot, the dogs are really happy with me.

 

[LoneTraveler]

5 would be my pick. This gives you a little room for error if you get Bull Fever. Also at 5 the bullet will go through both lungs and get the Arteries and Veins at the top of the heart, When you cut all the plumbing off the pump everything shuts down quick. Also at 5 there could be enough hydraulic pressure put on the blood vessels at the top of the heart will short circuit the brain and the elk will FLOP.

 

[WildRose]

I like the 2,1,4,5 box and tend to hold closer to the shoulder. If meat is a little blood shoot you can soak it in cold salt water and pull a lot of the blood out, also my Dad always said to stick'em like you do a pig as soon as you get to the animal, this helps bleed them out. I do not claim to be an expert on any thing but here is about 2 elk I have shot and see if it helps. Elk #1 shot at about 400 yards 300 Win. Mag. 180gr. win. power points, hit high just above shoulder, 2 steps and down, some back strap messed up but not bad. Elk # 2 shot 100 yards, 35 Whelen Speer 220gr. flat point hand load, strait on into chest, out the top of neck, heart completely gone, dropped in tricks, I'm guessing the breast bone turned and/or split bullet, only way I can figure could go in chest and end up out of top the neck and still take out the heart. Hope this helps. Good luck hunting.

I put a low rack on the bottom of my big coolers and screen over the drain to keep flies out.

Lay a quarter down apply both liberally, then stack the meat doing the same with each layer all the way to the top where I lay bags of ice to cool it all down.

I may retreat and restack a couple of times till I see the drainage clearing, rinse it good with a hose.

Restack in the same way but adding a layer of ice between each layer so as it melts it slowly rinses it all with the water/cure mix.

When that runs clean I'll fill it with ice water and a saturated mix of the two for four to seven days.

This really helps tame the wild out of rutting bucks and big boars.

When I take it to the processor they just throw it all in big plastic trash cans, and let it set in the cooler for a few days rinsing it with clean water then process.

Totally changes how the final product comes out.

 

[memtb]

Using 195's out of a 28 Nosler...I have never been on a bull elk hunt and never used Bergers on game but have a hunt in a couple of weeks. For front / back, I think just behind the 2, a little forward of halfway between the 2 and the 5, and for vertical probably the bottom of the 2 and 5. Goal is to have most margin for error, and if I hit exactly where I am aiming i obviously want a lethal shot.

Where do you aim and why?

Many thanks.


View attachment 106878

About 45 miles from the house! I hope! memtb

 

[Gregger]

I've always been a number 5 guy, never lost a lung shot animal. They may wander a bit but they always fall over.

 

[LongBomber]

That little crease on the left edge of the 4 would be my choice.
I always prefer to be lower in the lungs when possible, preferably in the heart, with in and out holes. I have seen elk hit higher go a long ways, sometimes into places you don't want to have to go to get them. I have to say though- I have never seen an animal live to see another day when hit solidly through both the lungs. They might get somewhere nasty, but they aren't walking away from it.

 

[imyourhuckleberry]

Between 1 and 4.

 

[Bravo 4]

Just got back from Utah. Liked the location of this shot good enough I did it twice. He never took a step, but my strict policy on elk is if they are up after the first shot, I keep shooting. Hell I keep shooting even if they have their heads up and are not on their feet.
530 yards
270 WSM
170 grain Berger @ 3160

You know that one hole groups in game do not do any more damage...right?