No Blood ? ? ?

[Elkwhisper]

They can definitely be tough when they want to be...... But when hit right they don't go far.

Shot my bull very slightly quarterning to with my wimpy little .308 165gr AcuBonds at 304 yards. He took a few steps and toppled. The cow at about the same distance, didn't take a step. But a shot to the base of the skull tends to do that.

Keep looking, he is out there somewhere.

Good luck!

 

[FAIR CHASE]

I shot a cow 6 times in the chest three years ago with triple shocks. Would have shot her again but I had to dig more ammo out of my pack, by then she had fallen. Tough!

While most others have fired 6 TSX into the chest of an elk ............... and killed 6 elk.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Hard to say where that elk was hit...............but I know where it wasn't hit I know not much help.....LOL

 

[Dinkshooter]

Has anyone else ever shot at an elk again after the first shot...................while it was actually rolling down the hill?

PS

I miss the rolling shot.

 

[npaden]

In 2010, I shot my bull 3 times. All 3 shots were right in the vitals. I would have shot a 4th time, but I had forgotten to chamber a round and put another in the magazine before I started shooting. He finally fell over dead as I was reaching for more bullets.

In 2011, I only shot my bull twice before he fell over.

I was always told that as long as they are on their feet you keep shooting.

If they are rolling they aren't on their feet so you wouldn't shoot untill they stopped rolling and tried to get back up.

 

[Dinkshooter]

They can be strange. You can watch them soak up the bullets, then you shoot one with an arrow and it is dead in 20 seconds flat.

 

[Rat Fink]

They can be strange. You can watch them soak up the bullets, then you shoot one with an arrow and it is dead in 20 seconds flat.

That's been my experience too. I shot a huge cow 3 years ago that took five .300 Win Mag 180 grain Winchester Power Points to the boiler room from 350 yards out. She just stood there and kept taking hit after hit. Finally she nose dived.

All of my archery elk have been dead in less than 20 seconds.

It seems backwards but a well hit elk with an arrow is dead so fast it isn't even funny.

 

[Oak]

I shot a bull 4 times in/behind the shoulders last year at 100 yards. I was fairly sure he was done after the first shot, but didn't want to take any chances. I found all 4 bullets under the hide on the off sides (shot him in both sides).

 

[Blacktailbc]

They can Definitely soak up some lead. Good luck in your search.

 

[Magicman]

With a rifle zeroed for 200-250 yards, at 75 yards if you do not purposefully hold a bit low you will hit "no man's land". That area above the lungs and below the spine/backbone. They can survive such a hit.

These two Nosler Accubonds hit my elk at 60 yards, one from each side, and were recovered under the hide on the off side.

 

[thecrittergitter]

With a rifle zeroed for 200-250 yards, at 75 yards if you do not purposefully hold a bit low you will hit "no man's land". That area above the lungs and below the spine/backbone. They can survive such a hit.

These two Nosler Accubonds hit my elk at 60 yards, one from each side, and were recovered under the hide on the off side.

I will agree that you would hit slightly higher than where your crosshairs sit but with most calibers, its mere inches. Not enough to hit the "empty zone". I zero all my rifles at 200 yards and at 75 yards, I'm about 2" at most higher than zero........

 

[1_pointer]

I will agree that you would hit slightly higher than where your crosshairs sit but with most calibers, its mere inches. Not enough to hit the "empty zone". I zero all my rifles at 200 yards and at 75 yards, I'm about 2" at most higher than zero........

I agree that it shouldn't be high enough to matter.

However, I don't believe there is a void between the spine and the lungs, though I haven't taken or helped take as many elk apart as many on here. If this diagram is correct, there's no space between the spine and lungs.

However, I think the spine sits lower than many people think. If a shot hits above the spine, I think it hits top part (I think it's called a process) of the vertebrae with can stun a critter but only temporarily. My dad shot a whitetail a few years back that dropped at the shot. He thought it was dead. A few minutes later it was up and running. It was shot by a neighbor 3 days later with nothing more than a limp. Dad's shot was at the very top of the spine. Just some thoughts...

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Thecrittergitter i am with you, all my stalking/hunting rifles have a 200 metre zero and i always just make sure i aim between a third and a half way up the animal, generally on the inside of the front leg when in an ideal side on position and that works well for us.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

If you are aiming half way up the animal, and on the inside of the front leg you are too far back and too high. I used to aim in this spot until I was taught differently. Look at the diagram. A high lung hit is not a good hit! They will go a long ways with a high lung hit, archery or rifle.

Go right up the middle of the leg and a third to a quarter of the way up. Look at all of the arteries and veins that are present there. You have to cause bleeding to kill and animal, pure and simple whether you are shooting a .243 or a .338. This target area will be right in the "v" of the shoulder blade and the leg bone (humerus for you edumacated folks).

I have shot quite a few vritters with this reference point, and I have had elk fall within seconds after being hit there.

The change in zero at 75 yards would not be enough to completely miss vitals if you are aiming in the right spot to begin with. Elk (and all animals for that matter) are only tough if you don't hit them in the right spot.

Edit: I fully advocate shooting as long as they are on their feet. If shot in the right place you won't have the chance to.

 

[Mudranger1]

If you hit high lung he is not going far. May not be a good blood trail but

 

[Magicman]

True, but a high hit in the shoulder area will result in a lost animal. And yes, here is a slight area between the lungs and spine that will result in a lost animal. I re-read the OP and since this was an uphill shot, very improbable.

he is using a 300 WSM and the bull was about 75 yards away, uphill.

It is very obvious from the OP's description that the bull was not hit in a vital area, or he would have been dead. The most probable place was a gut shot, but at 75 yards, the shooter must have been really rattled.

 

[npaden]

How did the search go?

In this case I'm assuming no news is bad news?

 

[SWMontana1]

How did the search go?

In this case I'm assuming no news is bad news?

Actually... WE FOUND HIM!! The bull was actually hit low in the front leg. We went all the way down to the creek at the bottom and found the elk eating, we watched him feed and limp before we knew it was him. My buddy made the 100 yard shot and dropped him right there... his 1st elk, a 4x5. Glad we found the bull.... but it was terrible getting it out, long story short though, I am a fan of Mystery Ranch!!

 

[Muleyfanatic]

Congrats on the bull!!
My mystery ranch also paid for itself on its first hunt. Surely worth their high price when overloaded.

 

[Mudranger1]

Congrats let's see a picture