Elk Shot Placement - Which Shots Would You Take?

[treillw]

What shots would you take on an elk with a rifle? (Assuming the rifle has adequate knockdown power, 300 win or similar) Frontal, broadside, quartering to (through the bone), neck, head, bedded, you name it.............

Maybe it's easier to say what shots you wouldn't take?

Are there certain shots that you are confident will kill it, but won't take because of meat damage?

Where do you aim on a bedded elk?

Just interested to see peoples thoughts.

 

[Ralphie]

Given the right conditions almost anything. I did pass on a Texas heart shot last year. The ones you listed though I’d take although I’ve never shot one in the head.

My daughter killed a bull last year in his bed. His head and neck were curled around away from us. His heart/lung area was pretty exposed. She shot him with a 308. He woke up dead.

I shoot a 300 wm with 200 partitions.

 

[One-shot]

I'll take a shoulder, going for the heart lung. Since I'm all about not ruining meat, a gut shot to liver area would be terrible, but a kill shot if the animal turned or I couldn't get heart/lung. My dad taught that head shots, or anywhere else other than what I mentioned risked wounding the animal and not being able to find it - inhumane and not within our hunting ethic. So I do the best I can. Last cow I shot was at 220+ while it was trotting within the herd. One shot to the heart and it was done.

 

[Wrench]

Draw a line through the shit that an elk needs to stay alive...heart lungs, etc. Consider the penetration of your projectile, the possibility of deflection from big bones and foreign matter.....

Let it do its job, at that point.....you've done yours.

 

[rayporter]

plenty confident in frontal and quartering to shots and wont hesitate on quartering away shots. one was shot broadside and turned so I took a texas heart shot and found the bullet in the heart. many shots such as this must be passed on with lighter bullets and calibers.

neck or head are a pass.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've shot plenty of elk in the neck just to prevent meat damage to the shoulders. But the only shots I wouldn't take are head, and Texas heart shot. Everything else will go through the vitals as long as you're using the right bullets.

 

[Rich M]

There are so many variables - distance, your shooting ability, shot angle, bullet weigh & construction, etc.

I like the draw a line thru the vitals and take that one. Shoot the largest target you can - and shoot a bullet that can penetrate shoulder and keep going.

Not gonna say I won't take a head, neck, high shoulder shot but it will be situation dependent. I been shooting a lot this summer, confidence and ability are there. But why take a small percentage shot when you can wait a moment and have a higher percentage shot and larger target?

 

[WJS23]

No head shots and no Texas hart shots for this guy

 

[Elker]

What shots would you take on an elk with a rifle? (Assuming the rifle has adequate knockdown power, 300 win or similar) Frontal, broadside, quartering to (through the bone), neck, head, bedded, you name it.............

Maybe it's easier to say what shots you wouldn't take?

Are there certain shots that you are confident will kill it, but won't take because of meat damage?

Where do you aim on a bedded elk?

Just interested to see peoples thoughts.

Won’t take a frontal shot. Seen lots of videos, read lots of posts and butchered lots of elk to know where everything lines up, but still won’t take one. Lickly every time I’ve passed on a frontal shot another angle presents itself. I know someday I won’t be so lucky and I’ll start rethinking that shot.

 

[CubsFan04]

had to google Texas heart shot

 

[Wrench]

My best bull to date died from a 300rum poked right in the doughnut. You'd have thought I scared it to death. Not a scratch. He laid 30 yards from me as I ate lunch, a mountain house and hot coffee. I got up, strapped on my pack and he flushed like a wild rooster and went to jump off a canyon rim. I took the only option shot. 5 second gap and out comes the death bugle.

I would not want to make a habit of it, but a tsx at 30 yards from a 300 is bad medicine.

 

[Wolf76]

This is a little situational. If I'm using a 215 Berger 300 wm or 338 edge 300 Berger, all shots are on the table. The biggest thing is distance. 30 yard neck/head shot, bang. 300 yards- maybe neck- no head. I'm a lung shooter, but if there situation dictates a different kill shot- so be it. That's why I-like many others- spend lots of time to dial in my equipment.
This is where bigger is better and when optimally constructed bullets start to really shine. Straight line deep penetration is a premium.

 

[Native Okie]

Good thread.

 

[kiddogy]

any shot , that I am confident will make a clean kill with low possibility of meat damage.
really no need to over think it.

if you are confident ,you can achieve this ,take the shot. if not , pass.

 

[Mountain Ash]

Stupid question from a newbie here : when you say you take quartering to shots, do you try to snake one in behind the shoulder or just punch through the shoulder bones knowing you'll have some meat loss? And if the latter, how much meat loss?

I'm not confident enough in my shooting to attempt to thread the needle. I don't like meat loss but if I was sure that the through the shoulder shot was lethal maybe I'd be inclined to try it on a tough hunt. Less meat is better than no meat. For reference I hunt Canada moose and whitetails with a 30-06, always under a 100 yards.

 

[Wrench]

Stupid question from a newbie here : when you say you take quartering to shots, do you try to snake one in behind the shoulder or just punch through the shoulder bones knowing you'll have some meat loss? And if the latter, how much meat loss?

I'm not confident enough in my shooting to attempt to thread the needle. I don't like meat loss but if I was sure that the through the shoulder shot was lethal maybe I'd be inclined to try it on a tough hunt. Less meat is better than no meat. For reference I hunt Canada moose and whitetails with a 30-06, always under a 100 yards.

Remember, 95% of 100% is more than 100% of 0. Meat loss is a consequence of the shot. You'll get over it about your third trip up the hill hauling meat.

As for angles, and bones....visualize the skeleton as you line your shot. Expect a bullet to penetrate at least one scapula PROVIDED it's not more than 10ish inches of meat deep.....a typical broadside shot, no sweat, turned head and have to get through the neck before entering the vitals.....pass.

Quartering brings to the table the possibility of deflection. On high angle shots it's possible for big bones (spine, femur, humerus) to re direct a bullet. Scapula is typically not muchof a fight unless you hit the "fin". I personally would just slide down or back a hair....but it's not a deal breaker with just about any bonded or cup/core bullet not going uber fast.

 

[treillw]

Stupid question from a newbie here : when you say you take quartering to shots, do you try to snake one in behind the shoulder or just punch through the shoulder bones knowing you'll have some meat loss? And if the latter, how much meat loss?

I'm not confident enough in my shooting to attempt to thread the needle. I don't like meat loss but if I was sure that the through the shoulder shot was lethal maybe I'd be inclined to try it on a tough hunt. Less meat is better than no meat. For reference I hunt Canada moose and whitetails with a 30-06, always under a 100 yards.

Aim center of the vitals and let it rip if you are father away - can't be exactly sure where you will hit with wind anyway. Aiming center gives you the highest kill shot probability.

If your close enough and there are vitals "through the eye of the needle", thread away.

I can't speak for certain for the 30-06, but I'd imagine that with a good bullet it would go through the shoulder bone and have enough left to destroy the vitals. I shot one through the front shoulder bone last year with a 300 win and 215 Berger. 280 yards. The cow reared up like a bronco and stumbled about 10 yards. Totally destroyed the bone and made jello of the vitals. I might have lost a third to half of the meat in that one front shoulder.

 

[CGS55]

Visualize where the vitals are before you shoot and place your cross-hairs appropriately. For elk I prefer a tough bullet in the event I need to punch through bone. I’ve had great success with Barnes TTSX and LRX.
Meat loss is the last thing on my mind when I’ve been busting my butt in elk country for 5 days and a shot opportunity presents itself.

 

[corey006]

Only shots I wouldn't take are Texas Heart shot...or head.

Only way I would take a head shot is up close and personal and only if brush was obscuring his vitals.

 

[Rich M]

Stupid question from a newbie here : when you say you take quartering to shots, do you try to snake one in behind the shoulder or just punch through the shoulder bones knowing you'll have some meat loss? And if the latter, how much meat loss?

I'm not confident enough in my shooting to attempt to thread the needle. I don't like meat loss but if I was sure that the through the shoulder shot was lethal maybe I'd be inclined to try it on a tough hunt. Less meat is better than no meat. For reference I hunt Canada moose and whitetails with a 30-06, always under a 100 yards.

Treat it like you would a moose.

I like to envision the exit and aim for the exit, trying to make sure it punches both lungs.