Outdoor

I am sure this will stir things up >>
I have heard that neck shots on Elk just don't work. I keep asking myself why? I know a Elk is not a whitetail so lets get that straight first..BUT the physical make up of each animal is the same with respect to proportion. I know its a small target but results are outstanding on whitetails. So why if this is such an effective shot on a whitetail please tell me why results on an Elk not the same?
We are of course talking about a well placed shot high in the neck just below the jaw line AND we are talking about Elk loads..not whitetail loads.
Is there anyone out there who has taken this shot or continues to take this shot with good results

Wolf killer

Until about five years ago I used to shot everything I could in the neck. I have shot elk, whitetail, mule deer, antelope & black bear all in the the with great results.
I have a friend that ALMOST lost a bull elk due to a poor shot in the neck. We tracked down the bull & he finished the job. He was shooting a 300-win mag loaded with 200-grain Nosler Partitions. We both shoot the same rifle & load. After that day we both said we would never shoot a elk in the neck again.
Shooting an elk in the neck is not the best place just due to human error. The only way to kill a bull 100% of the time with a neck shot is to hit the spine, this drops them in there tracks. A bullet in the shoulder or just behind it leaves room for error. The heart & lungs are a larger & more ethical target. IMHO

RobinHood36

I was 16 yrs. old and elk hunting, I seen a spike bull about 75 yrds away, I raised my 30-30 rifle and aimed (open sights) and fired at his shoulder, he ran a little ways and then stopped and looked at me, this time I aimed at his neck and he just dropped. upon cutting the elk up my first shot went into the shoulder blade about an inch. Now I only archery hunt for elk and absolutely will not take a neck shot, I don't care if its 2 feet in front of me...Only broadside shot for me/archery!!

txhunter58

Good for you Robinhood. You are definately on the right track.

I do not shoot any game animal in the neck, not even whitetail. One of the few whitetails I have ever lost was shot in the neck.

ELKampMaster

RobinHood36,

Thanks for the "experience with 30-30 on elk" story! Unsolicited and just telling it like it is! I wish more people would listen!

Good Luck and Good Hunting,
EKM

James B

30-30 is for very small rabbits only but don't try neck shots. May not leave a blood trail.

James B

I have never had an animal take a step after a neck shot. But if you can't hit it there then don't even try. Many of the old time elk were killed by ranchers with thier saddle guns usually 30-30 or 44-40. But the new modern elk are much to tough. Get the biggest magnum you can lift. The 375H&H makes a good little elk gun. It also shoots pretty flat.

121553

I agree with wolf, been there and done it, I say go for the chest. Bobby

Outdoor

Robinhood
"upon cutting the elk up my first shot went into the shoulder blade about an inch."
So am I missing something? into the shoulder about an inch did not do it..
"this time I aimed at his neck and he just dropped."
So you have switched because you now bow hunt..not because it did not work. Correct?

RobinHood36

I was only 16, and not very experianced hunter, but an old deadeye on open sight shooting, as I was raised with a bb gun in my hand. This was quite an experiance I will never forget, I shot first at his shoulder and the bull did'nt go down, so I just instinctively aimed at his neck and shot, and yes he did drop, and I bagged my first bull. I am a lot more experianced now and do not recommend a neck shot on an elk. I really enjoy bowhunting elk as I have been quite successful and it is a whole lot more exciting as you have to get a whole lot closer to your game, and really hair raising when you have a bull elk come charging in on you. My dad was an avid bow hunter and that is why I now bow hunt, a very addictive sport. Bow hunt for elk, and rifle for deer, unless I don't bag one on rifle then I will bow hunt on the late archery hunts.

Outdoor: The bullet from the first shot just embedded into the shoulder blade, was not the fatal shot, I would say I was just lucky on hitting the bull in the right place in the neck, as I said before, I don't recommind a neck shot on an ELK, will not do it again...