6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

[bowrunner81]

I'm not saying it couldn't happen. I've seen some deer do some weird things in the past but you made a good shot as far as placement goes and I would have guessed it would have blown lungs out and been dead in 40 yards.

Looks like it could have been a back strap shot?

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Looks like it could have been a back strap shot?

You're looking at the wrong hole

 

[bowrunner81]

You're looking at the wrong hole

Got it. I see it now

 

[Bowfinn]

Did your friend inspect and take pictures of the thoracic cavity?

 

[woods89]

Did your friend inspect and take pictures of the thoracic cavity?

Curious about this as well. A few photos with skin off and then with quarters off would tell us a lot more.

 

[bigbuckdj]

Curious about this as well. A few photos with skin off and then with quarters off would tell us a lot more.

Unfortunately that’s all I have. My friend was unable to get any other pictures, he had his young kids and was cleaning the deer alone so I can’t really blame him. He mentioned the chest cavity was a bruised gooey mess but that could’ve been just from his bullet. I wish I would’ve been there to dissect a little more.

I don’t have near the experience of most of the guys posting here, but I can’t say I’ve seen anything like this with a rifle. I feel like it’s just a crazy occurrence and doesn’t mean anything. I’ve seen the same 140 fusions perform well on hogs.

I found two bloody spots like this and smearing on some leaves in a couple spots but that was all.

 

[woods89]

Unfortunately that’s all I have. My friend was unable to get any other pictures, he had his young kids and was cleaning the deer alone so I can’t really blame him. He mentioned the chest cavity was a bruised gooey mess but that could’ve been just from his bullet. I wish I would’ve been there to dissect a little more.

I don’t have near the experience of most of the guys posting here, but I can’t say I’ve seen anything like this with a rifle. I feel like it’s just a crazy occurrence and doesn’t mean anything. I’ve seen the same 140 fusions perform well on hogs.

I found two bloody spots like this and smearing on some leaves in a couple spots but that was all.

Been there, done that, with having my boys with me and not getting photos!
I'd probably chalk it up to the weird things that happen, and be hesitant about making changes off one data point. Certainly a interesting situation, and it would be fascinating to know what happened.

 

[HandgunHTR]

So your friend shot it twice?

Could he have possibly missed the second shot and the "entrance" up near the spine is actually the exit from your shot? I have seen similar things with bow-shot deer, and had some weird exits on deer where bone was hit. It could have been that the deer decided to whirl and get out of there right as you pulled the trigger. Hard to tell unless you can stay in the scope during the shot.
Again, just throwing theories out there.

You're looking at the wrong hole

That's what she said! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself!

 

[bigbuckdj]

So your friend shot it twice?

Could he have possibly missed the second shot and the "entrance" up near the spine is actually the exit from your shot? I have seen similar things with bow-shot deer, and had some weird exits on deer where bone was hit. It could have been that the deer decided to whirl and get out of there right as you pulled the trigger. Hard to tell unless you can stay in the scope during the shot.
Again, just throwing theories out there.



That's what she said! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself!

I’m not going to pretend I’m immune from mid remembering or false confidence, but I was in a box stand on like 6x with a tikka in a bravo, I felt very good about the shot and what happened immediately after I pulled the trigger. I also have no theory that really makes sense at this point, so anything is fair as a thought. I know my friend shot twice and you are looking at what we think is three entrances in that picture.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I’m not going to pretend I’m immune from mid remembering or false confidence, but I was in a box stand on like 6x with a tikka in a bravo, I felt very good about the shot and what happened immediately after I pulled the trigger. I also have no theory that really makes sense at this point, so anything is fair as a thought. I know my friend shot twice and you are looking at what we think is three entrances in that picture.

Understand. I would just chalk it up to "weird things happen when shooting live animals" and move on. If you want to try the Fusions again, I would. I much prefer the ELDX, TMK, Scenar bullets myself, but that doesn't mean the Fusions don't work. I prioritize a quick kill over more meat. But I also have the luxury of being able to hunt multiple species of animals each year, including multiple whitetails on my own property, so if I lose a couple of shoulders, I can always just shoot another deer.

 

[Dave0317]

My theory would be that it was at much more of an angle than you thought. And maybe the bullet didn’t hit anything vital, stopped in muscle tissue.

 

[mt100gr.]

I’m not going to pretend I’m immune from mid remembering or false confidence, but I was in a box stand on like 6x with a tikka in a bravo, I felt very good about the shot and what happened immediately after I pulled the trigger. I also have no theory that really makes sense at this point, so anything is fair as a thought. I know my friend shot twice and you are looking at what we think is three entrances in that picture.

So those 2 additional holes are entrance wounds from your friend's shooting? I was thinking they were exits....I wonder what post mortem entrance wounds look like? Was it alive when he shot it?

Honestly, I obviously wasn't there, and I am not suggesting your friend is dishonest. But we're throwing out possible explanations, I guess....

 

[bigbuckdj]

So those 2 additional holes are entrance wounds from your friend's shooting? I was thinking they were exits....I wonder what post mortem entrance wounds look like? Was it alive when he shot it?

Honestly, I obviously wasn't there, and I am not suggesting your friend is dishonest. But we're throwing out possible explanations, I guess....

Correct, they are entrances. I know they look strange but I’ve seen some other entrances from the round nosed core lokts that look kind of like that. It was alive and he shot it out of a stand with his daughter, I dont think he did anything weird.

I think @Dave0317 is probably on the right track, some crazy series of angles and deflection, my illusion of his broadsidedness, and weird bullet performance all came together for this to happen.