721 yds

[philny1]

Sept 27, 2005. Gros Vente wilderness area, WY.
Ranged at 721 yds. 180 TSX hit left front shoulder, lodged in opp shoulder. Very steep slope, bull was cartwheeling and went approx 40yds and hit vertical tree, left scars 10-12ft up and came to rest as seen.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Nice picture!

Looks like the work was about to start! I've been next to those in tough terrain, I'll bet you would have looked a bit tired in a picture taken an hour or 2 later.

As far as landing in a tree. I shot a spike bull once that plowed downhill through some cedar trees and ended up, upside down in a tree with only the tip of one front foot just barely touching the ground. He sounded like a de-railed locomotive heading downhill.

Don

 

[Fotis]

What caliber? Muzzle velocity? Did the TSX expand nicely at that range? Thanx for the info and congrats. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Any chance of posting a picture of the slug?

 

[ven]

fantastic pic.how would you go about getting something that large to the road.

 

[Fotis]

You quarter it! Then drag or carry.
There is a saying among us elk hunters.



Once you squeeze the trigger the fun is over! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Buffalobob]

Priceless!!!!!

I bet that was a puzzle on how to get started gutting it out.

There are times when only a picture can show what actually happens out in the woods.

 

[philny1]

My gun was a Sako TRG-S 30-378. Used a 180gr TSX in front of 104 gr RL-22 (have since cut that back to 103gr) for MV of 3400 fps plus a little bit. The bullet penetrated the left shoulder and was about quarter size when it entered the opp shoulder. We were kinda busy and didn't take time to look for it. Asked the processor to save it, never saw it. Cut him in half at the last rib. I took my pack, rifle, a moose shed that I found and the front half. It was so steep, all I had to do was give it a shove and it would roll down the mtn like a big ball. Then go look for it and do it again. My guide did the same with the back half. We just came down the slope to my right and have to go down to the bottom of the wash behind me, to a horse trail where we stashed the quarters. Took the shot from the ridge over my left shoulder. We had our horses tied off on the other side of the ridge behind me. him

 

[Fotis]

So apparently damage was good then...thus expansion was good. True?

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

"how would you go about getting something that large to the road."

Ha ha ha, good lord, that my friend is only answered by the true elk hunters. Its called packing them out on your back!! Some use horses, I myself prefer to walk. Horses are stupid sometimes, I'll rely on my own brain. POP said it best, when you pull the trigger on elk, the work begins and the fun is all over. We've shot cows at 8 AM and dont get out of the canyon till 10PM or 12 AM, makes for a very long and tired day. Dont let anyone ever tell you elk hunting is easy. They either haven't killed many, or are just plain retarded, IMO. Elk are very tough aniamls to hunt, bring down, and pack out, period.

 

[philny1]

Killed em.

 

[davewilson]

great story and pics, ya had to go and say you used a TSX bullet. POP,will you put that tsx woody away!

on a serious note. you're from NY. did you confirm your drop chart when you got out there or allow for the difference in altitude and the different conditions?

 

[philny1]

At home I have targets butts to 618 yds ( hole in the timber) and was prepared for a shot, at that distance and at home conditions. When this hunt took place in 05 I had a very vague understanding of what temp and elevation among other things would do to my POI. It was a dead calm morning, I had a solid rest and compensated for the additional 100 yds by holding over his shoulder. In all honesty, someone helped me make that shot. My goal is to be proficient at a range of up to 800yds with the equipement I have. Would love to run with the big dogs, but at my age lugging a 12-14# rifle is out of the question. Any help would be appreciated.
So POP gets off on Barnes TSXs. Next morning I put one through a mulies shoulders a bit over 500 yds.
Have a few more pics I can post, (and I'll fess up) now that my wife showed me how to do it.

 

[ven]

sounds hard work.

 

[grit]

Bearless,
That picture made me grin! I'd hang it on the wall. Thanks for sharin' it.

Far as packin' em out, horses are the only way to go. When an elk falls fifteen miles from the nearest road, those horses are gold!