Best shot placement on elk?

Ernie

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I tried to search and find a post, but didn't find what I was looking for.
I have heard primarily of three preferences for elk hunting in terms of shot placement:
High Shoulder
Shoulder
Heart/Lung

I would be interested to know your preference and what you consider to be the dimensions of your preferred kill/vital zone.
 
300rum,
Thanks!
I had read that, but the other part that I was looking for is what are the dimensions (size wise)of the respective kill zones?
 
With modern hunting pressure being what it is I always go shoulder in order to imobilize. One of my troops ahot a 5x5 here in Wyoming through the lungs with a 30-06 and 180 Corelocts factory. The bull ran over a small hill and layed down and another hunter shot it in the neck and tagged it before we got there. What a ***!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
With the right bullet it should cause about a 6 to9inch wound channel with hydrolic effect on another few inche's. With substantial tissue damage.try shooting a gallon jug of water it will give you an idea of what happens to tissue . It's cheaper than gel blocks. Good hunting 1300 meters.
 
I tried to search and find a post, but didn't find what I was looking for.
I have heard primarily of three preferences for elk hunting in terms of shot placement:
High Shoulder
Shoulder
Heart/Lung

I would be interested to know your preference and what you consider to be the dimensions of your preferred kill/vital zone.
Mid neck is the guranteed instant kill shot.

Point of the shoulder is probably my favorite on anything at long range. You have a lot of leeway there. High you hit spine. Low you hit lungs or heart. Wide you hit spine or lungs.

Dead on you break both shoulders and he drops in his tracks.

Thus it's the most forgiving.
 
100_3326-1.jpg


This is a pic of a set of large cow elk shoulders laid out at about the position they would be in. I had a pic of a 10in paper plate in the area of the large black dot but I couldn't find it but at any rate the dot will cover 10 inches and is the perfect shot placement for me. The scapula can be easily shot through but your high in the lungs and it's most effective if you hit the spine and take out the dorsal aorta. The heavy bone just below that is hard to shoot through and maintain bullet integrity and is the most often cause of the fabled perfect shot but the bullet failed excuse. I've punched that bone twice with a 168 Barnes from a 300 WBY and not had them penetrate past the bone, it is extremely dense and most elk I've cut that have been hit at that bone will show it not entering the rib cage, high shoulder almost always will allow a bullet into the goodies but in the middle and back of the bone always get's them where they live. Above the point of the lower joint about 1-2 inches will center you up on the heart, the area where the big black dot is where the aorta and heavy blood rich area of the lungs are, they won't last long if not DRT, that's where this cow took a 140 Berger and she fell on her nose dead! The dimension of an adult cow will be 22-24 in from top of spine to bottom of brisket without hide and hair. Bulls will be a few inches larger.
 
This is a pic of a set of large cow elk shoulders laid out at about the position they would be in. I had a pic of a 10in paper plate in the area of the large black dot but I couldn't find it but at any rate the dot will cover 10 inches and is the perfect shot placement for me. The scapula can be easily shot through but your high in the lungs and it's most effective if you hit the spine and take out the dorsal aorta. The heavy bone just below that is hard to shoot through and maintain bullet integrity and is the most often cause of the fabled perfect shot but the bullet failed excuse. I've punched that bone twice with a 168 Barnes from a 300 WBY and not had them penetrate past the bone, it is extremely dense and most elk I've cut that have been hit at that bone will show it not entering the rib cage, high shoulder almost always will allow a bullet into the goodies but in the middle and back of the bone always get's them where they live. Above the point of the lower joint about 1-2 inches will center you up on the heart, the area where the big black dot is where the aorta and heavy blood rich area of the lungs are, they won't last long if not DRT, that's where this cow took a 140 Berger and she fell on her nose dead! The dimension of an adult cow will be 22-24 in from top of spine to bottom of brisket without hide and hair. Bulls will be a few inches larger.


+1 Heart and lung. Because it is most often fatal. The other choices are easy to screw up. Don't forget you willl be tired, out of breath and excited when you take that shot. Good Hunting.
 
biggreen is spot on, I concur on the scapula/leg bone joint/knucle. Put a bullet on that base ball size mass of bone and your in for a long night if you can't get it done with a follow up shot.

I had a 210 berger and a 180 berger gernade on 2 different mule deer at LR hitting that knucle. The second time I recognized the hit and followed up quick with another solid hit. I now favor a little bit behind the black disc in the pic.
 
Depends on how many other hunters are in the area. I've seen elk double lunged and ran far enough, another hunter shot and tagged it. You bust both shoulders and they're not going anywhere!
 
Bust one through both lungs and if somebody else tries to tag him they better be ready for a good fight!!! Anybody that would try that doesn't deserve to be called a hunter or be out in the outdoors as far as I'm concerned.
 
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