I'm looking for advice to improve my ability to kill elk, I have just lost my second elk in a row over the last 2 seasons and the feeling is sickening. Any and all advice is welcome and I'll do my best to go over both shots for you all you analyze.
Elk 1 was a cow broadside at 200 yards. Shooting a 180gr TTSX out of my 300 win. Aimed for the crease halfway down and shot felt great I was steady on my bipod and confident I punched both lungs. She immediately turned around and ran into the bush, I heard her run in breaking branches then stop and cough blood. Wait about 30min and begun tracking. Blood trail was very strong spray on trees and plenty of blood on the ground there was so much blood I expected to find her any step. We even found where she had stopped coughed up a few piles of coagulated blood, after that the blood trail got smaller and smaller eventually down to drips every 50 feet and then nothing. Tracked for around 500 yards total and no elk, tried grid search after loosing blood and no elk. Tried looking the next day for birds or any sign and nothing
Now shot 2, bull elk quarting to at a very slight angle. About 80 yards. After my experience last year I turned away from the Barnes and was using standard federal blue box ammo, 180 gr again 300 win mag. I aimed just infront of the Shoulder facing me on the line of the tan and black hair aming to exit just behind the offside Shoulder. Bull went down hard almost as if spined, dropping in his tracks. I could see he was trying to stand but none of his legs would work and I was sure he was done. So much so I failed to chamber another round. Huge mistake. He managed to get himself turned broadside to me still unable to stand and I thought I had better give him another one, by the time I chambered around he was on his feet out of there. Waited about and hour and started trailing not tons of blood and no spray but enough drops to follow easily. Went about 400 yards and decided it was best to back off and come back in the am. Tracked the bull all the next day for about 2 miles, he traveled mostly downhill but jumped a 4 wire fence like nothing. Got on some very fresh still wet blood the next morning leading me to believe he made it through the night. Eventually lost blood but continued to follow what I think was his tracks for another mile and no elk. Returned a 3rd day and no signs of a dead elk.
I can't believe centerpunching him so close with a 300 win wouldn't be fatal. My guess is maybe I missed and had a heavy bone hit or the bullet exploded and didn't penatrate?
I also don't understand what happened with the cow, I used the exact same round and lung punched a bull the year before who didn't make it 100. What am I doing wrong here? What am I missing? I pride myself on ethical hunting and this last bull I shot is killing me. My decision to not make a follow up shot until it was too late haunts me and I want to do everything in my power to make sure it never happens again. I'm not proud to share these experiences but I'm hopeful I will learn from it and perhaps some of you all will too.
Elk 1 was a cow broadside at 200 yards. Shooting a 180gr TTSX out of my 300 win. Aimed for the crease halfway down and shot felt great I was steady on my bipod and confident I punched both lungs. She immediately turned around and ran into the bush, I heard her run in breaking branches then stop and cough blood. Wait about 30min and begun tracking. Blood trail was very strong spray on trees and plenty of blood on the ground there was so much blood I expected to find her any step. We even found where she had stopped coughed up a few piles of coagulated blood, after that the blood trail got smaller and smaller eventually down to drips every 50 feet and then nothing. Tracked for around 500 yards total and no elk, tried grid search after loosing blood and no elk. Tried looking the next day for birds or any sign and nothing
Now shot 2, bull elk quarting to at a very slight angle. About 80 yards. After my experience last year I turned away from the Barnes and was using standard federal blue box ammo, 180 gr again 300 win mag. I aimed just infront of the Shoulder facing me on the line of the tan and black hair aming to exit just behind the offside Shoulder. Bull went down hard almost as if spined, dropping in his tracks. I could see he was trying to stand but none of his legs would work and I was sure he was done. So much so I failed to chamber another round. Huge mistake. He managed to get himself turned broadside to me still unable to stand and I thought I had better give him another one, by the time I chambered around he was on his feet out of there. Waited about and hour and started trailing not tons of blood and no spray but enough drops to follow easily. Went about 400 yards and decided it was best to back off and come back in the am. Tracked the bull all the next day for about 2 miles, he traveled mostly downhill but jumped a 4 wire fence like nothing. Got on some very fresh still wet blood the next morning leading me to believe he made it through the night. Eventually lost blood but continued to follow what I think was his tracks for another mile and no elk. Returned a 3rd day and no signs of a dead elk.
I can't believe centerpunching him so close with a 300 win wouldn't be fatal. My guess is maybe I missed and had a heavy bone hit or the bullet exploded and didn't penatrate?
I also don't understand what happened with the cow, I used the exact same round and lung punched a bull the year before who didn't make it 100. What am I doing wrong here? What am I missing? I pride myself on ethical hunting and this last bull I shot is killing me. My decision to not make a follow up shot until it was too late haunts me and I want to do everything in my power to make sure it never happens again. I'm not proud to share these experiences but I'm hopeful I will learn from it and perhaps some of you all will too.