There is no animal that is tougher than any other.

[roadrunner]

Some (maybe most) people, that have hunted them anyway, will say that oryx in NM are the toughest animal in North America, a transplant going on 50 years ago now.

I haven't found them to be any more difficult to put down than a cow elk. A well placed bullet of proper design through both lungs will out them down every time.

Anywhere else, on the other hand, can be quite a different story.

 

[Mojave]

Some (maybe most) people, that have hunted them anyway, will say that oryx in NM are the toughest animal in North America, a transplant going on 50 years ago now.

I haven't found them to be any more difficult to put down than a cow elk. A well placed bullet of proper design through both lungs will out them down every time.

Anywhere else, on the other hand, can be quite a different story.

I have killed 3 oryx in Namibia. They have confusing anatomy inside. A good shot will kill them, a bad shot and they will run a million miles.

Zebras are the toughest thing I have ever shot in Africa. Lunged one and he went 500 yards uphill.

Pronghorn to me are interesting. You can shoot one badly and they can run forever. Then absorb more "better shots" until you actually get things in the right spot or the tip over from dropping gallons of blood.

 

[roadrunner]

Oryx vitals tend to be caged in pretty tight behind the forward portion of the ribcage and front shoulder.

You want a bullet that holds together more rather than one that explodes, hypothetically speaking anyway.

 

[Reddish]

Armadillos have required the most shots to subdue for me.

 

[DangerRanger]

From my experience with horses they want to die 24/7

 

[KenLee]

By volume, I’d say one of those would be harder to kill. And, if they were mad I could see it being every bit as dangerous.

This thread has added another possible variable to my hypothesis. Still hard to nail down stuff like this, but I wonder if the level of adrenaline and testosterone in the animal keeps it going longer.

All the killer coons, boars, pigs, brown bears, water buffalo and such seem to have more naturally “raging aggression”.

The “softer” to kill animals don’t have the reputation for aggression.

And, it is consistent with stories of meth induced soldier and criminals.

Have you ever fought someone on PCP?
Similar to fighting a big coon by hand.

 

[coyotekilla]

I've not traveled the world over killing things, I have shot most of what's available in Pennsylvania. Predators are tougher than prey. Have seen coyotes eat .223 like candy. Dog was recovered but 300 yds from where hit. Porcupine are almost invincible to .22 without cns hits. Rabbits die from the noise i think.

My hypothesis is that predators responding to calls are full of adrenaline, one of the 3 f's about to happen. Prey are simply enjoying a meal lots of times when we take them. That accounts for toughness.

 

[Thegman]

Speaking of tough animals, when I was a kid, I often visited an older neighbor who had been Marine during WWII in the South Pacific. He said, after seeing how many bullets they could sometimes take, he thought humans were incredibly tough animals, FWIW.

 

[RockAndSage]

Speaking of tough animals, when I was a kid, I often visited an older neighbor who had been Marine during WWII in the South Pacific. He said, after seeing how many bullets they could sometimes take, he thought humans were incredibly tough animals, FWIW.

When they are determined not to quit. The ones who think the fight's over after they've been hit give up the ghost more easily. Rage, determination, or just plain meanness can keep people going with a lot of holes in them. I've wondered before how much those emotions and the hormones fueling them are impacting blood pressure, and blood flow restrictions in the extremities.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Oryx vitals tend to be caged in pretty tight behind the forward portion of the ribcage and front shoulder.

You want a bullet that holds together more rather than one that explodes, hypothetically speaking anyway.

I had the pleasure of hunting them last May. Mine took a 162 grain ELDX from my 7-08AI and went about 25 yards before tipping over. Shot was ranged at 382. Hit was bottom 1/3, straight up the leg (very, very slight quarter towards).

Another one from that same hunt took four 190 grain LRXs. First shot was 210 yards, slight quarter away. Hunter made a "traditional whitetail shot" about 5" behind the shoulder. Second shot was in the rear ham at about 265. Third shot was raking guts at about 350. Final shot was about 120 yards in the neck to put it down.

Very much a "put the bullet in the right spot" comparison.

The other 3 that were killed on the hunt were cut and dried. One was a neck shot at 75 yards with a 300WM. One was hit very similar to mine at 240 yards with a 6.5 PRC. The last one was at 280 and took two shots from the same 6.5 PRC. Second shot wasn't necessary, but it was still on its feet, so another one was fired.

 

[Mojave]

Speaking of tough animals, when I was a kid, I often visited an older neighbor who had been Marine during WWII in the South Pacific. He said, after seeing how many bullets they could sometimes take, he thought humans were incredibly tough animals, FWIW.

That war must have been hell on earth.

 

[BLJ]

Snapping turtles.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one quit moving after the first shot.
And one in particular took multiple shots one day, and tried to bite the stick I poked it with the next.
Kinda glad we don’t have dinosaurs anymore.

 

[JGRaider]

I used to fly operational observer missions in Afghanistan and Iraq as a crewman. I spent a lot of time, watching C-130 Spectre gunships destroy the enemy, while we were flying overhead painting the mission. People who don't want to die, can take a lot of killing.

I remember a rough night where we attacked a funeral procession, from a dude we had whacked the day before. Those guys freaked out when we got there and shot the place up. There took a lot of killing to get those dudes.

These were hardened experienced Taliban, all between 12 and 50. Was rough.

I would imagine that the North Koreans that the Russians fed to the NATO armed Ukrainians were like killing kittens by comparison.

I have the utmost respect for you and your service, but turning a hunting/shooting forum into killing human beings and how tough they are is pretty morbid/poor form, don't you think?

 

[Unclecroc]

I have been impressed by both the robustness of all critters and also by how easy some die. No rhyme or reason to some. But there’s no guarantee on outcome just because it happened a certain way the last time. Some animals just have a great will and determination to live.

 

[Mojave]

I have the utmost respect for you and your service, but turning a hunting/shooting forum into killing human beings and how tough they are is pretty morbid/poor form, don't you think?

I deleted it.