Elk advice, 2 lost in a row where am i going wrong?

[HairyScandinavian]

Your analogies aren't really making sense here. There are dozens of regulations within the brochure that have exceptions and carve outs that aren't very apparent unless you take a deep dive. Its why I am asking in the first place.

For example most places for speeding it's a defense to prosecution if you're speeding to get away from a reckless driver, stuff like that.

Game recovery is not hunting. It's legal in Texas to shoot after dark a mortally wounded animal you're tracking to put it down if you caused the wound (can't shoot something that got hit by a car, or if you just come across it hiking out).

I don't know about Colorado but why let an animal suffer all night over a technically? I know what I'd do..

 

[wapitibob]

This popped a question into my head about legality. Say this happens at last night and you approach in your scenario after shooting hours to the elk still moving. What would you do? I know the CO Big Game brochure doesn't cover this but maybe another statute does. What are other states putting out as guidelines in this case?

I've been close to missing the shooting window before so maybe someone has the answer.

I'd finish it off regardless of the time, and not worry one bit. If the warden wants to write a ticket I'll gladly pay it.

 

[noisy]

If you haven't found the animal by dark, it's time to head for the truck and come back in the a.m. That's almost always going to be the strategy most likely to result in a successful recovery anyway.

 

[mtnbound]

I would do what’s right and end its suffering. I have seen animals who were wounded and not recovered and it’s sickening to see them and knowing they are slowing dying.

 

[waspocrew]

Shot a cow across a canyon in the evening. She dropped at the shot. Was well past dark by the time we got to her. Imagine my surprise when her head popped up when I walked up to her. I put one more in her and ended it.

No way would I knowingly let an animal suffer all night.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

Shot a cow across a canyon in the evening. She dropped at the shot. Was well past dark by the time we got to her. Imagine my surprise when her head popped up when I walked up to her. I put one more in her and ended it.

No way would I knowingly let an animal suffer all night.

This is what happened to me last year except I was still within legal hours by a hair. It was a MZ shot with a Thor that went through both scapula and didn't hit vitals. Walked up on it and it was alive even 20 minutes later. Put another round into it. That animal may not have died all night. What a terrible feeling that would have been.

If I was a second past legal light I'm now a poacher according to the law? That's where my question is going and if there are any exceptions to legal hours. I'm not walking through the woods "hunting". I'm actively watching or moving to the downed animal I already shot. What trumps what? Ethics as a human being/hunter or what some game agency says is "ethical"? Are you really going to come up 20 yards from a cow you downed writhing around and just back out cause that's poaching?

There are many exceptions to the CPW regulations found among many sources that can be very difficult to track. What we pull out of the big game brochure is not the end all be all...If there are no written exceptions in this case then carry on, I'll still be contacting the warden.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Shoot them until they’re dead

Yep. Rack another round right after the first.

What does your average practice session look like? How many rounds a year are you shooting in practice?

My question as well. How many rounds are you ripping through that 300 WM for practice? Do you have a muzzle brake or suppressor assisting in recoil.

Sounds like you just need more practice. If you do this enough, animals will get away. The mistake is thinking that everything was perfect and it was an anomaly. The problem is always us. Whether it's taking a bad shot or not being as proficient with our weapon as we should.

Yes!

1. Shoot them till they drop. I’ve only killed 8 elk so I’m no expert but I almost always get 2 or 3 shots into them.

Yes again!

Seems like you’re not hitting the elk where you think you are hitting the elk.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Seems like you’re not hitting the elk where you think you are hitting the elk.

The beauty of tons of practice is knowing where your shot went, particularly when it wasn’t perfect.

 

[fngTony]

Your analogies aren't really making sense here. There are dozens of regulations within the brochure that have exceptions and carve outs that aren't very apparent unless you take a deep dive. Its why I am asking in the first place.

Ya, I hate our regulations being a mile wide for interpretation and lacking definitions.

For example most places for speeding it's a defense to prosecution if you're speeding to get away from a reckless driver, stuff like that.

Game recovery is not hunting. It's legal in Texas to shoot after dark a mortally wounded animal you're tracking to put it down if you caused the wound (can't shoot something that got hit by a car, or if you just come across it hiking out).

I don't know about Colorado but why let an animal suffer all night over a technically? I know what I'd do..

We probably don’t have a clear definition of hunting vs tracking vs mercy kill shot other than you can’t use a side arm unless it qualifies as a legal hunting firearm.

 

[Conrad101st]

Ya, I hate our regulations being a mile wide for interpretation and lacking definitions.

We probably don’t have a clear definition of hunting vs tracking vs mercy kill shot other than you can’t use a side arm unless it qualifies as a legal hunting firearm.

Off topic - The idea of everything needing to be spelled out is why many people hate government. A little common sense goes a long way.

 

[OXN939]

Second take this coming from a guy who shot an unbraked 300 wsm for years and developed a horrible flinch. My guess is you’re flinching and did not hit the elk where you aimed. I don’t believe a double lung shot on an elk with a Barnes the elk would live more than a minute.

Ding ding ding. Killed both the elk I've shot the last two years with a piddly 7mm-08, pushing exactly half the kinetic energy of. 300 WM. Both went about 5 yards and laid down.

Totally agreed that a 1/3" TTSX going through an elk's lungs at 2700 FPS or better would be guaranteed lethal within a minute, even if it somehow didn't expand at all.

Also OP joined within the last 24 hours. So either he's legitimately very sad about this or we're all out here training up AI on the required terminal performance to kill elk

 

[Jason Snyder]

Game recovery is not hunting.

Not completely true. In some states the act of recovering it is included in the definition of hunting. But like I said earlier, there is nuance to this.

 

[Crowmangler]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned running up to it multiple times & stabbing it like the Alone guy did to the musk ox. Come on bro... man up

 

[CMF]

ALWAYS call someone with a dog. If it's dead, they'll find it! If it aint, most of them can tell you and they're usually right.
ALWAYS keep shooting til it aint moving...

 

[Jason Snyder]

ALWAYS call someone with a dog. If it's dead, they'll find it! If it aint, most of them can tell you and they're usually right.
ALWAYS keep shooting til it aint moving...

Trackers on standby…

 

[ianpadron]

How much do you shoot per year?

Average Joe toting a 300 win mag in the woods has a zero percent chance of knowing where a shot hit or didn't hit, elk, deer, bear...doesnt matter. If you're not in the scope watching the bullet impact you have no idea where that thing went.

 

[Johnny_Yemon11]

View attachment 949036

I would put a 124 grain Hammer Hunter right on the orange circle and this bull would be dead in its feet.

I think I would’ve been aiming closer to OP’s spot, I appreciate you posting this.

Slightly off topic question, a mentor of mine said to always aim “high shoulder” on elk when broadside. Essentially clipping the upper/mid of the shoulder and I believe severing the aorta? I’ve only shot 2 elk, but both shots dropped each within 10’. I haven’t seen anyone commenting on that technique, curious why. I’m also shooting a 150gr TTSX -06.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I think I would’ve been aiming closer to OP’s spot, I appreciate you posting this.

Slightly off topic question, a mentor of mine said to always aim “high shoulder” on elk when broadside. Essentially clipping the upper/mid of the shoulder and I believe severing the aorta? I’ve only shot 2 elk, but both shots dropped each within 10’. I haven’t seen anyone commenting on that technique, curious why. I’m also shooting a 150gr TTSX -06.

I don’t like high shoulder. If you were starting at the top of the body cavity, and divided it into quarters, I like the third quarter as my aiming point.

There is a big bunch of major veins and arteries in this area. A bullet here produces a very quick kill.

 

[Johnny_Yemon11]

I don’t like high shoulder. If you were starting at the top of the body cavity, and divided it into quarters, I like the third quarter as my aiming point.

There is a big bunch of major veins and arteries in this area. A bullet here produces a very quick kill.

If I’m following, divide in half. Scrap the top half, divide the bottom half again and you’re aiming in the top of the bottom half?

 

[HairyScandinavian]

If shooting to the top half at that angle you risk only getting one lung and they can go almost forever on one lung, heck the lungs are chambered sometimes they can go extended ranges even with both lungs but if they have working chambers.

At that angle I like lower to take the heart out and all the arteries and pipes going to and fro.