I was questioning if I had brought the right gun for such a powerful animal but I figured if it didn't penetrate to the spine I would at least get a jugular vein and she'd bleed out quick enough. The 7 mag was able to pull it off though. Talk about sweating "bullets".

A 300 Savage Magnum????

Although I have moved away from Barnes X bullets in recent years in favor of the new bonded polymer tipped missles, one of the deadliest shots I have made is with an animal looking right at me - hit 'em high in the chest with the X bullet - bullet penetrates almost end-for-end - all four legs buckle at once - lights out. Did this with two deer and an elk.

Did it decapitate it?? Sorry, just couldn't help it. That's a large pig rifle.

Anyway...........

For me.. my favorite kill shots are the lungs/heart every time with the double lung my favorite. I think if you hunt big game you are risking waaaay to much and would highly recommend you stay AWAY from the shoulder no matter what on an Elk. You will chase alot for miles and wonder why you never found them more than less shooting there. Works for some game, but why chance it? Hole in the lungs or heart only has 1 result... DEAD and they usually don't run that far.

My most deadly shot came with a bow - on a white tail deer. I was in a tree and she was walking away from me and it was the last day of the season - Thanksgiving 1970. I shot too high and she heard it and threw her head up at the wrong time and caught the arrow in the back base of her skull. Crumpled right on the spot.

Loaded the doe up in my truck and brought it home. My wife saw it and started vomiting. June of next year we had a baby girl. My wife says "don't bring deer home anymore".

My favorite shot is a little different than what I've seen here. I don't like neck shots. spine shots ruin to much prime meat. I prefer a slightly quartering away shot with a rifle. The reason is I can take out both lungs and the offside shoulder. Works like a charm for me. If they do try to run they can't cover more than 40 or 50 yards carrying a shoulder. The shoulder meat is mostly hamburger and jerky meat anyway so if it gets a little shot up I don't mind. With a bow a double lunger is the only option in my mind. Of course I once used the deadly "texas brain" shot to harvest a whitetail.

Ditto for me, the quarter away through lungs into the backing of the opposite shoulder is my favorite show stopper as well. I also don't advocate neck or head shots and I ain't much for running the straps with a spiner shot either. This is with a CF or ML.

Bow is a no brainer -DL/H is the shot.

I can't believe no one asked what a "texas brain" shot was.

I assumed it is the same as what we would refer a Texas lung shot.....using the pie hole

If not please do tell

We call that one a Texas heart shot.