Shot placement to save meat

[Timnterra]

This year I've drawn a cow elk tag for the black hills of South Dakota. I'm ovbiously planning on saving as much meat as possible from the animal. My question is where should I aim to save the most meat? I've never shot an elk before but I've shot several deer, and each one I aimed for much the same spot, right behind the shoulder. However on the last three deer I've killed there was a tremendous amount of meat wasted. One was shot at 120yds one at 200yds and one at 300yds. The problem with the 300yd shot was probably because the bullet hit the shoulder bone, I didn't account for wind I guess. The other two I don't understand one was shot with a 7mm rem mag shooting 180gr vld and the other with a 7mm wsm shooting 162amax. I suppose the bullets I used were light jacketed target bullets that explode violently and that could account for the meat loss. I'm planning on using a 338 win mag shooting 225gr sst I don't think this bullet will explode like the others so hopefully that helps. So should I still aim behind the shoulder or would a neck shot be better?

 

[Barrelnut]

I would use a bonded bullet like the 225 gr. Nosler Accubond and take a high percentage shot. The neck has good meat on an elk too. Neck roast are great. Headshot if you're given the opportunity. I've seen a couple head shots go wrong though and it wasn't pretty.

 

[Timnterra]

I'm not taking a head shot unless everything is perfect and it's close range. I would hate to blow the poor things bottom jaw or nose off and have to scramble to kill it before it can get away. I think the SST is a bonded bullet with a canelur for controlled expansion it is not a partition but from my experience they hold together nicely.

 

[wyowinchester]

I try to shoot cows in the head. That being said, everything must be perfect for that or you do not squeeze the trigger. You must know where your bullet is going to hit. Practice for confidence at different ranges. Know your rifle, and bullet path.
My next choice is busting one rib on the way in, and one rib on the way out, thru both lungs, slightly behind the shoulder blade. She won't go far.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The least amount of meat loss I've seen was when using Barnes X bullets. I have had good results with Accubonds too.

A shot through the ribs can only ruin a few ribs. Not much of a loss there.

 

[Timnterra]

I must not be aiming far enough back behind the shoulder because I end up loosing half the front ham due to the blood shot meet. Unless the hydrostatic shock from the rapidly expanding bullet is doing all the damage. Usually the chest cavity is chunky stew with very little recognizable organ tissue left. I guess if I want to save the meat I need to shoot a harder low-expanding bullet.

 

[Barrelnut]

I must not be aiming far enough back behind the shoulder because I end up loosing half the front ham due to the blood shot meet. Unless the hydrostatic shock from the rapidly expanding bullet is doing all the damage < Yes, correct .

Usually the chest cavity is chunky stew with very little recognizable organ tissue left. I guess if I want to save the meat I need to shoot a harder low-expanding bullet. < Yes, correct again

I used to shoot deer with a 7RM and 140 gr. Serrias. What a mess! The bloodshot from hydrostatic shock was amazing. The deer and elk I have seen shot with heavy for caliber, non fragmenting bullets from 30-06 and 338WM - you could eat right up to the bullet hole.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

What you are experiencing is the same thing that drove me to mono bullets and then to finally making them. It violated me to make a good broad side shot behind the shoulder and loose the on side shoulder to blood shot. I like to pull the trigger, but I intend to eat the meat. It is not ok with me to waste the animal.

It is what it is. Soft lead core bullets make a mess. They are not designed for saving meat.

Head and neck shots are low % shots and can result in a lost animal. I have seen this go wrong too many times and will never take that shot. Through the pump house is where it goes. The only time I will take a shoulder is on a quartering shot. With our Hammer Bullets if a shoulder has to be hit, usually very little meat is lost. Damage to vital organs is heavy. Usually resulting in very little distance after the shot.

With the ease of loading the Hammer Bullets you should have not trouble getting ready for your trip and having confidence in your rifle bullet combo.

Let me know how we can help.

Steve

 

[RevJim]

Best meat saver for me is also the Barnes ( though I am looking forward to try the Hammer in my 358 Norma ) I'm not sure the SST is stout enough, even in a 338. The heavier, thick skinned more muscled up animals , like elk and plains game are tough on the lighter made bullets. At minimum, a 250 gr Partition would save more meat than an SST, IMO. I used the older 185 XLC in the 338 WM on cow elk and it was great, I used the 210XBT in a 340 Weatherby on plains game, same great results. We also used the 180XBT on lots of plains game, from Impala to big Gemsbuk...as said, eat right up to the bullet hole. On the other end of the spectrum, I used a 310gr Woodleigh in a 35 Whelen Improved on a 200# Eurasian hog at 30 yds!, No bloodshot meat at all, just a 40cal entrance with a 75 cal exit, jello in between. I highly recommend the monos, and the Hammers sound like a great design to me ( I'm not trying to get a discount on them by saying this, ha) Good luck to you Pard.

 

[SansSouci]

Timnterra,

Why you're hunting elk is immaterial. Killing elk is. If you remember that nothing living remains in that condition without topside oxygenated blood flow, the rest is academic. Put a bullet though any elk's blood pumping unit or its blood oxygenating apparatus, and it will die within a minute.

BTW, considering humans, death is determined by lack of brain activity. I'm going with the same criterion for big game animals.

 

[SansSouci]

Timnterra,

Why you're hunting elk is immaterial. Killing elk is. If you remember that nothing living remains in that condition without topside oxygenated blood flow, the rest is academic. Put a bullet though any elk's blood pumping unit or its blood oxygenating apparatus, and it will die within a minute.

BTW, considering humans, death is determined by lack of brain activity. I'm going with the same criterion for big game animals.

 

[scottishkat]

Tim good luck on your hunt. I would not worry a great deal about the amount of meat damage with an elk the bigger the animal the less the percentage of damage. The 162 AMAX will make a mess that's for sure but they don't travel when they get one of them behind the shoulder the SST will be similar the Interbond a little less. Hornady does not make a 162 Interbond they make an ELD X which will probably damage plenty.

I have heard it said if you want to eat up to the bullet hole shoot barnes. That's pretty much a true statement from my experience.

Have a great time.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

 

[Broz]

I was there for the taking of 70+ elk last season alone and field dressed 50 of them. Velocity and placement is what ruins meat. We shoot Bergers and shoot the crease behind the shoulder just below center mass. Line up the legs to be sure they are fully sideways if you can. Rib to rib and you will only loose a hand full of meat. Enter or exit a shoulder and it was shooter error, and nothing else. 90% of the elk we take is for the meat. We have done our homework.

Jeff

 

[RockyMtnMT]

It's always nice to know that your meat is lead free just like your paint.

Steve