Hey all, looking to compile some anecdotal information about shoulder blade shots from others who have harvested elk…if you’ve shot an elk in the shoulder blade, NOT the leg bone(of course you’ll only really know which if ya recovered but you get the idea….please answer the questions:
1: cow or bull
2: did you get through the blade to vitals
3: type of broadhead, fixed or mechanical (not brand)
4: arrow weight/draw length/poundage
The simpler the answer the easier to follow…
Good example answer:
Bull
Yes
Fixed
430/31/73
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Circa 2018
- Bull (rag horn, not large)
- Vitals - Yes, apparently one high lung hit.
- Fixed Stinger, 125 grain, two blade COC, no vents. Shot distance 23 yards. don't ask...
- Easton ACC Shaft, total weight about 435 grains. 29.5 inch shaft. 70 lb draw weight.
- Did not collect the elk....
Note: After a bad experience a few years earlier, I had switched to Abowyer Brown Bear BH's weighing 220 gr with adapter, mounted on 300 spine FMJ's for a total arrow weight of 620 grains, but for various reasons I took my light deer arrows on this elk hunt. Kept the broken arrow stub...IIRC, had something in the range of 9 inches of penetration...Clearly hit one lung. No exit wound. Bull bedded for a while and was coughing blood. Had I been shooting the Abowyer's they should have gone through both Scapulas.
Circa 2012:
Elk #2:
Uncertain what stopped the arrow - scapula or something else. This has nagged at me ever since...
- Herd Bull, Quartering away.
- Vitals - Uncertain. No blood, no foamy lung blood. No nothing.
- Semi-Fixed (Muzzy 125 grain, 4 blade). They are "Bad when hit bone". I don't use THEM any more.
- Probably: 435 gr TAW, Easton ACC shafts, 29.5 inches, 125 gr. Muzzy's. 70 lbs draw.
- Did not collect elk.
Appx. 23 inches of penetration.
Arrow hit high in the right chest around the "middle" or somewhat toward the rear of the rib cage angling forward. Fore and aft impact point was good. Height was bad. Ground was relatively level.
Impact zone likely near the top of the lung(s) if it got through the rib cage which I think it most likely did. I suspect the arrow most likely either traveled between the shoulder blade and rib cage, or penetrated rib cage and stopped on the spine. It may or may not have impacted Scapula. No exit wound.
Did not collect the elk.
After this hunt I switched to the Abowyer Brown Bears on 300 spine FMJ's with 620 gr "TAW" for "most" elk hunts. However, whenever I carry those arrows I never had a shot!! That is, until the circa 2017 fateful hunt when I carried my light arrows...since then, I've only carried my "heavies" but I haven't released an arrow at an elk...(I have pulled back, but haven't released).
Within two hours after hitting this herd bull, it was night time and it began raining, we never found any blood. Had camp on our backs so we Bivied on the spot that night and everything was washed away by morning. Bivy nearby the next night and got a foot of snow...two days later on a cold wet hike back to base camp, hiked by the drainage where the shot occurred and saw a Large Bull with a herd stumbling badly as it crossed a creek...but the Bull otherwise looked fine. Believe it was the same bull. Couldn't get in position for another shot.
I can explain why I hit high; #1 "Sh*T happens. #2: This predated modern range finders..was using a Chuck Adams slider style range finder....was fortunate enough to predict where the Bull would walk into the open on a dry south facing slope at about 9,300' elevation vegetation mostly low brush....and I had a good range reading of 40 yards but as I drew for the shot from a kneeling position, an unseen cow called out and the bull turned and took a few steps towards the cow, so I added 5 yards to the estimated range...turned out that when it turned and walked it was essentially walking on the perimeter of a circle and hadn't changed its distance and was still about 40 yards from me...so my arrow struck high.
) I will update the thread with a review of the data as we get more/enough
) I will update the thread with a review of the data as we get more/enough
