Masculinity and Caliber Choice

[KenLee]

Well, you've got me thinking:

I don't think ass-shooting stuff is a particularly good plan, but because of that, I also have almost zero experience with it. For all I know, hitting stuff in the ass with a 300WM might kill like a lightning bolt. I don't know, and I'm being completely serious.

Could you relate specifics of the reaction, time to death, and other results of a bunch of first shots you've taken on deer and elk and whatever else when you placed the first shot in the ass? I'm not baiting you; I'm truly curious as to the specific cases and the results you could relate. I think it would be interesting.

I'm not TaperPin, but can attest to the effectiveness of straight away ass shots on good sized (for South Carolina, anyway) whitetails. Never had one go over 10 yards. The ones that made it that far were at least trotting, but most were running hard that moved at all. These shots were with 270 and 30-06 Hornady BTSP interlocks. Pass through guts and wreck the lungs. Had a couple where the 165 gr bullet stopped just under the black skin of the nose. I'd guess I've shot at least a dozen straight away over the last 40 years.

 

[TaperPin]

Well, you've got me thinking:

I don't think ass-shooting stuff is a particularly good plan, but because of that, I also have almost zero experience with it. For all I know, hitting stuff in the ass with a 300WM might kill like a lightning bolt. I don't know, and I'm being completely serious.

Could you relate specifics of the reaction, time to death, and other results of a bunch of first shots you've taken on deer and elk and whatever else when you placed the first shot in the ass? I'm not baiting you; I'm truly curious as to the specific cases and the results you could relate. I think it would be interesting.

It takes the rear legs out of commission instantly, and you have to assume a follow up shot will be required to finish it off, even with antelope or deer. I’ve skinned a deer where the bullet miss the spine completely and took out one loin. The hunter said it still instantly took out the hind legs, at least temporarily, and the deer was quickly finished off with a second shot.

The deer in the first picture is the hardest, because there’s not much around the aiming point if the bullet goes a little high. The zone for the second deer is much larger - there’s a lot of spine to the left or above the base of the tail. Smaller the target, the more accurate someone needs to be.

 

[yeti12]

I'm not TaperPin, but can attest to the effectiveness of straight away ass shots on good sized (for South Carolina, anyway) whitetails. Never had one go over 10 yards. The ones that made it that far were at least trotting, but most were running hard that moved at all. These shots were with 270 and 30-06 Hornady BTSP interlocks. Pass through guts and wreck the lungs. Had a couple where the 165 gr bullet stopped just under the black skin of the nose. I'd guess I've shot at least a dozen straight away over the last 40 years.

So you shot it in the ass, and the bullet went through its body, up its neck, and then curved and stopped at its nose?

 

[KenLee]

So you shot it in the ass, and the bullet went through its body, up its neck, and then curved and stopped at its nose?

They were running, so maybe the head/neck was bobbing or stretched out. I can't tell you how, but it happened twice.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

Do these argument threads always devolve into butt stuff? Now I’m shooting deer in the ass and applying blue loctite to my balloon knot. Thanks Rokslide

 

[Thegman]

I'm not TaperPin, but can attest to the effectiveness of straight away ass shots on good sized (for South Carolina, anyway) whitetails. Never had one go over 10 yards. The ones that made it that far were at least trotting, but most were running hard that moved at all. These shots were with 270 and 30-06 Hornady BTSP interlocks. Pass through guts and wreck the lungs. Had a couple where the 165 gr bullet stopped just under the black skin of the nose. I'd guess I've shot at least a dozen straight away over the last 40 years.

Thanks for the specifics. At least what you described (for deer) is not too different from a moose I shot head on at 30 yards and the bullet (150 TSX) blew out ribs and was deflected and
recovered in the hind quarter. Shot another moose head on a couple years ago but that bullet (150 interbond) didn't make it nearly as far, but took out heart and lungs. Ass shooting a moose wouldn't be nearly as reliable probably as ass shooting a deer; there's a whole lot more to stop a bullet.

The only moose I've ever seen ass shot was with a 35 Whelen and wasn't found until the next day. Bullet did make it all the way to one lung, but the bull went a long way on the other lung.

(To add: A small first year bull like that moose is similar in size to a big bull elk, so I would guess the results could also be very similar)

 

[Thegman]

It takes the rear legs out of commission instantly, and you have to assume a follow up shot will be required to finish it off, even with antelope or deer. I’ve skinned a deer where the bullet miss the spine completely and took out one back strap. The hunter said it still instantly took out the hind legs, at least temporarily, and the deer was quickly finished off with a second shot.

The deer in the first picture is the hardest, because there’s not much around the aiming point if the bullet goes a little high. The zone for the second deer is much larger - there’s a lot of spine to the left or above the base of the tail. Smaller the target, the more accurate someone needs to be.

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Thanks for that. I'm not really asking for a "how to" explanation though, but (no pun intended) interested in hearing your personal experiences with that shot, as you sound like you've made that shot many times.

 

[TaperPin]

Thanks for that. I'm not really asking for a "how to" explanation though, but (no pun intended) interested in hearing your personal experiences with that shot, as you sound like you've made that shot many times.

I’ve only used it a couple times and been with others who used it half a dozen times, but it’s good to know if you need it. I also keep a neck shot as a possibility, but have literally never shot anything in the neck or head.

 

[Thegman]

I’ve only used it a couple times and been with others who used it half a dozen times, but it’s good to know if you need it. I also keep a neck shot as a possibility, but have literally never shot anything in the neck or head.

Not a very big sample, but would still be interesting (to me) to hear details on those two cases. For example, was it the first shot, range, reaction, time to death, etc.

 

[KenLee]

Thanks for the specifics. At least what you described (for deer) is not too different from a moose I shot head on at 30 yards and the bullet (150 TSX) blew out ribs and was deflected and
recovered in the hind quarter. Shot another moose head on a couple years ago but that bullet (150 interbond) didn't make it nearly as far, but took out heart and lungs. Ass shooting a moose wouldn't be nearly as reliable probably as ass shooting a deer; there's a whole lot more to stop a bullet.

The only moose I've ever seen ass shot was with a 35 Whelen and wasn't found until the next day. Bullet did make it all the way to one lung, but the bull went a long way on the other lung.

(To add: A small first year bull like that moose is similar in size to a big bull elk, so I would guess the results could also be very similar)

Last whitetail I shot straight on was with a 130 gr SST from a 270. The deer's back legs kicked as the front of the body raised up. It literally went straight up into the air and flipped over backwards. Only time I've seen it happen.

 

[TaperPin]

Not a very big sample, but would still be interesting (to me) to hear details on those two cases. For example, was it the first shot, range, reaction, time to death, etc.

If you need a large sample size to know taking out the spine anywhere from the skull to pelvis anchors an animal I can’t help you understand it better.

 

[Thegman]

If you need a large sample size to know taking out the spine anywhere from the skull to pelvis anchors an animal I can’t help you understand it better.

Wasn't asking for a large sample size, just specifics on your two experiences with said shot.

 

[Grundy53]

If you need a large sample size to know taking out the spine anywhere from the skull to pelvis anchors an animal I can’t help you understand it better.

It takes a big bullet to break the spine? Serious questions.

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[Ozarkansas]

On the subject of butt shots, I killed a deer just 2 months ago with the ole booty-shooty. It had been hit by a car and had a broken front leg, and the sheriff gave me the go-ahead after it took off running/hobbling when he showed up to put it down. It stopped at the shot and just kind of laid down on the spot, and stopped kicking within about 10 seconds.

I didn’t autopsy it since it looked pretty sickly in addition to being injured, but given the reaction I’m pretty sure my 140 grain 6.5 Gold dot made it to the heart/lungs. Effective but I’m not a fan of risking both hams and having to clean a gut shot deer, not unless it’s a mercy kill or follow-up.

 

[Castle Rock]

There are many ways to kill an animal in short order
When it is facing away a spine shot works well to either anchor or kill
Shooting kangaroos for their skins was a good supplementary income for many here back in the last century
Hip or pelvis shots caused the least amount of damage to skins and the animals died quickly through loss of blood internally or shock to the nervous system from destroying a lot of major bones

 

[ElPollo]

It takes the rear legs out of commission instantly, and you have to assume a follow up shot will be required to finish it off, even with antelope or deer. I’ve skinned a deer where the bullet miss the spine completely and took out one loin. The hunter said it still instantly took out the hind legs, at least temporarily, and the deer was quickly finished off with a second shot.

The deer in the first picture is the hardest, because there’s not much around the aiming point if the bullet goes a little high. The zone for the second deer is much larger - there’s a lot of spine to the left or above the base of the tail. Smaller the target, the more accurate someone needs to be.

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A person who would take either of these as a first shot is someone who is thinking about horns and not meat. For me, every animal is a meat animal, antlers or not. I won’t intentionally gut shoot or ass shoot an animal because I respect it and plan for myself and my family to eat it. I understand taking a shot like this if you already have a rodeo on your hands, but that does not seem to be what you are talking about.

 

[JGRaider]

It takes a big bullet to break the spine? Serious questions.

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No, it doesn't. 139gr SST from a 7mag at 100 yards did the damage.

 

[JGRaider]

Neck shots on axis doe meat hunts works pretty well.....

 

[Pharmseller]

My choices are carefully thought out and constantly change

Huh.

I’m not the sharpest tool in the drawer, so help me out with this one.

So you’re saying you constantly change your carefully thought out choices.

How carefully are you thinking if you’re constantly changing those choices?



P

 

[Decker9]

I think this is the only place Iv seen the whole big vs small debate. Anywhere else (Canadian here), seems people just run what they got and nobody bats an eye over it.