Arrow Placement - Shot under heart?

[bm-55]

Fairly basic question, based on elk anatomy and everyone's experience, can you get a clean passthrough on an elk (behind the shoulder, in the crease) but shoot under the vitals completely?

I had a heartbreak last year and wasn't able to recover a bull. Took at 30 yard uphill shot, clean passthrough and good blood all the way through the nock, good blood trail for 200 yds, and haven't been able to find a definitive answer....

 

[ElkNut1]

Yes, you shot too low, you went under the heart, bummer on your outcome!

ElkNut

 

[wapitibob]

There’s no void, either above or below the lungs in an Elk with an intact and sealed chest cavity.

 

[Jellymon1]

This shot went through the heart and it only went 50yds. It entered about 2” above the body line. Anything lower would be non lethal hit into meat/bone and the animal would likely survive, higher would be a dead elk. Considering your shot was uphill, I would think it more likely to hit vitals. That being said, a bull has more “meat” in that area so there Is a little more room to miss below the heart.

 

[cnelk]

Heart shot elk can go further than 200yds. Way further

 

[ElkNut1]

So, did you shoot for 30 on a 35-40 yard elk or did you purposely aim that low?

ElkNut

 

[Roughwater]

Would be my best guess. Hopefully you will get plenty more opportunities. Practice a lot and good luck.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

Heart shot elk can go further than 200yds. Way further

Never shot an elk but it has been my experience with whitetails that when I have shot them in the heart they often bolt farther and more violently than a clean double lung.


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[TheViking]

I shot a doe last year and I thought it was a perfect 12 ring on her heart. She ran quite a bit farther than I expected, but none the less, pretty quick, easy recovery. When I gutted her (I always inspect every animal I shoot) I checked out the heart and it turns out I BARELY nicked the bottom of it, maybe 1/2"-1" at most. I got really lucky, but I never expected that shot to be low on her. There's quite a bit of space between the heart and the bottom of the animal. Lesson learned, fortunately it turned out ok for me.

 

[cgasner1]

Kinda hard to see in that picture but I shot that bull a few years back on a very very steep downhill shot the dot on his side is the entrance this picture is 2 days later 3 miles over in another drainage tried to kill John again and he was out of there before I hit 300 yards they are a very rough animal if you don’t hit them just right your in for a very bad time when that arrow hit the bull I would have lost a lot of money I didn’t think he would clear 100 yards


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[TheViking]

Kinda hard to see in that picture but I shot that bull a few years back on a very very steep downhill shot the dot on his side is the entrance this picture is 2 days later 3 miles over in another drainage tried to kill John again and he was out of there before I hit 300 yards they are a very rough animal if you don’t hit them just right your in for a very bad time when that arrow hit the bull I would have lost a lot of money I didn’t think he would clear 100 yards


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That sucks to see, but that looks too high to me...or a nicked lung. Either way, that really sucks man.

 

[bm-55]

This got a lot more action than I expected, thanks guys.... added some details below. Appreciate your feedback, experience and 'best guesses'. This will bug me for a long time.

• Uphill shot, 25 yards, ranged with "HCD" at 30. Held for 30.
• Elk broadside, uphill of me - exact spot I ranged. Aimed for low lungs/heart, sounded good (thump).
• After shot I could visibly see the arrow underneath the elk (lighted nocks), it was a fairly steep uphill angle –I thought I shot under him. Lateral placement was good, right behind front shoulder (in the crease). Shot felt good, surprised at arrow result.
• Got up to the arrow, looked like a clean passthrough with good blood all the way through the nock (see photo below).
• Shot was 30 mins before sunset, decided to let the bull go overnight and get him in the morning. Lots of bugles that night, we were guessing he took off to catch up with others.
• Bloodtrail showed bull took off sidehill, then up/down for about 250 yards into a wallow/spring (found lots of blood), then downhill. Good blood for most of the way, no issue tracking (other photos below). Became spotty, found a lot of blood in a wallow 250 yards away, then occasional blood for another couple hundred yards.
• Next day tracked for about 650 yards (as the crow flies) before we ran out of blood.

We spent a few days looking for him and then came back a couple weeks later to look for bears, birds, etc. - no dice.

Shooting 70# draw weight, heavy Easton Axis arrows ) with 100gr Iron Will up front.

 

[HunterJoeMI]

Most likely did not hit exactly where you think you hit. A few inches left, right, up, or down that low makes a big difference.

The fact that he went into a wallow tells me it was a flesh wound and it never even bothered him.

 

[stonewall]

I’m guessing that’s just muscle blood then. That stinks. Sorry man

 

[bm-55]

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[bm-55]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, good reminder on where that boiler room is... 3 more months!

 

[Jellymon1]

So, did you shoot for 30 on a 35-40 yard elk or did you purposely aim that low?

ElkNut

If this was pointed to my pic above I miss judged yardage. aimed for 30 and it was around 37.

 

[Roughwater]

Kinda hard to see in that picture but I shot that bull a few years back on a very very steep downhill shot the dot on his side is the entrance this picture is 2 days later 3 miles over in another drainage tried to kill John again and he was out of there before I hit 300 yards they are a very rough animal if you don’t hit them just right your in for a very bad time when that arrow hit the bull I would have lost a lot of money I didn’t think he would clear 100 yards


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You all have a lot better eyes than I do. I though I was looking at the moon or something?

 

[cgasner1]

At the shot angle I figured it was top of ling on entry and coming out the bottom of lung on the other side only thing I figured it must have just clipped the one lung not to derail this thread with a elk I blew it on on a low hit like you had if you loose blood like that and as clean as that arrow is I’d think was a muscle but had you hit vitals low I think he would of bedded down and you would have at least found a big pool of blood since you had a hole down low


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[ElkNut1]

Jellymon1, no sir it wasn't but thanks bud! I was asking the thread starter.

ElkNut