Three Shots to put a Bull down.
04-26-2003, 08:03 PM
#1
Three Shots to put a Bull down.
Here' s a factual situation from a fortnight ago.
My hunting buddy Kevin stalked a Wapiti Bull that was bugling it' s lungs out. He only gave one Bull call, and this animal became totally enraged, it came crashing toward him, really worked up. He steadies himself, takes aim and decides on a head shot, as the animal was only 40 yards out. The bullet entered just below the eye and exited out the back of the skull. The animal dropped in it' s tracks, but then got up and kept on coming at him. His second shot was in the neck. The bullet entered about 8 inchs below the head and took out the windpipe, it did not however hit the spine/neck bones. The animal collapsed again, but again it found it' s feet and just kept on coming. Kev was getting real nervous at this stage as the rifle only takes three rounds. The third shot from about 10 yards was into the chest. It took the top off the heart and smashed ribs and one leg bone. This time the animal went down for good. The rifle was a Sauer .270. The Ammo Federal Premium Factory Load in 130 grain.
We are both amazed how tough it is to put an animal down when he is full of adrenalin. The animal was a large bodied and very old Bull.
My hunting buddy Kevin stalked a Wapiti Bull that was bugling it' s lungs out. He only gave one Bull call, and this animal became totally enraged, it came crashing toward him, really worked up. He steadies himself, takes aim and decides on a head shot, as the animal was only 40 yards out. The bullet entered just below the eye and exited out the back of the skull. The animal dropped in it' s tracks, but then got up and kept on coming at him. His second shot was in the neck. The bullet entered about 8 inchs below the head and took out the windpipe, it did not however hit the spine/neck bones. The animal collapsed again, but again it found it' s feet and just kept on coming. Kev was getting real nervous at this stage as the rifle only takes three rounds. The third shot from about 10 yards was into the chest. It took the top off the heart and smashed ribs and one leg bone. This time the animal went down for good. The rifle was a Sauer .270. The Ammo Federal Premium Factory Load in 130 grain.
We are both amazed how tough it is to put an animal down when he is full of adrenalin. The animal was a large bodied and very old Bull.
04-26-2003, 08:12 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
It just goes to show you. To try to shoot an animal in the head is just plain irresponsible. If he had taken out the heart, lungs and legs first then he would not have had to shoot it three times.
Don' t blame the 270 for not having enough power for elk, blame the guy behind the trigger for this one!
The animal wasn' t the problem. The problem was Kev should have taken the third shot first.
Don' t blame the 270 for not having enough power for elk, blame the guy behind the trigger for this one!
We are both amazed how tough it is to put an animal down when he is full of adrenalin.
04-26-2003, 09:39 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
Tim,
Your story does not surprise me at all -- they are amazing animals.
I tend to agree with bigbulls as I personally don' t favor neck and head shots as the best choice -- I' m a " bust them in the shoulder" man myself, however.....
Many, many people -- especially those going after elk for the first time with " deer hunting" expectations as their benchmark (which may or may not be the case with your friend) have come to find out that a bull elk is one TOUGH critter.
Still recommend big tools for big jobs.
Never Go Undergunned,
EKM
Your story does not surprise me at all -- they are amazing animals.
I tend to agree with bigbulls as I personally don' t favor neck and head shots as the best choice -- I' m a " bust them in the shoulder" man myself, however.....
Many, many people -- especially those going after elk for the first time with " deer hunting" expectations as their benchmark (which may or may not be the case with your friend) have come to find out that a bull elk is one TOUGH critter.
Still recommend big tools for big jobs.
Never Go Undergunned,
EKM
04-27-2003, 03:53 PM
#4
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
I find the word " Irresponsible" a bit strong. I say good on him if he can pull off the shot in the heat of the moment. I tend to play it safe on close in shots where time is limited and take the shot in the bigger body mass area of the chest and neck base.
The first shot blew out the back of the skull, there was massive damage. Have taken plenty of sucessful head shots, the most memorable being a side on, that caused the antlers to collapse either side of the ears, before the animal hit the deck.
Have also had a situation where I shot a yearling front on mid chest with a .308 180 grain. The animal leapt up a 10 foot bank and ran 100 metres before stopping, and only then dropped when a second shot through the neck poleaxed it. When I gutted it, the heart and lugs were totally pulped.
I don' t knock head and neck shots if you' re competant to take them.
When I was meat hunting (Commercial recovery) a premium was paid for head and neck shots, as less meat is spoiled, so you got good at taking them.
The first shot blew out the back of the skull, there was massive damage. Have taken plenty of sucessful head shots, the most memorable being a side on, that caused the antlers to collapse either side of the ears, before the animal hit the deck.
Have also had a situation where I shot a yearling front on mid chest with a .308 180 grain. The animal leapt up a 10 foot bank and ran 100 metres before stopping, and only then dropped when a second shot through the neck poleaxed it. When I gutted it, the heart and lugs were totally pulped.
I don' t knock head and neck shots if you' re competant to take them.
When I was meat hunting (Commercial recovery) a premium was paid for head and neck shots, as less meat is spoiled, so you got good at taking them.
04-27-2003, 03:57 PM
#5
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
In the photo you can just see the entry wound by the right eye. The exit took out a large chunk of the skull and the brain had massive damage.
I respect what you guys are saying, but the point being made is that when these animals are pumped, they take a helluva lot of stopping, and the adrenalin effect should not be underestimated.
I respect what you guys are saying, but the point being made is that when these animals are pumped, they take a helluva lot of stopping, and the adrenalin effect should not be underestimated.
04-27-2003, 07:18 PM
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 582
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
I am going to have to agree with irresponsible on this one. We hunters have a bad enough name already, this is the kind of thing that makes the damn environmentalists sqwuak. I am a little bit of a " bigger is better" type, so I am not a big fan of seeing what kind of bullet you can get away with, rather opting to put the animal down in its tracks (without it getting up). Therefore, I think a .270 is light for elk. Get something like a .300 mag, 338/378 Weatherby Mag better yet, and put the thing down quick.
04-27-2003, 07:24 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CWD Central, WI.
Posts: 2,062
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
I' m not a fan of head shots or 130 gr. bullets. Since I wasn' t there and don' t know his experience I won' t pass judgement tho. That must of been a hell of a rush for Kev tho
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04-28-2003, 09:49 AM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky (by God!) Mountings
Posts: 572
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
What the hell this feller got fer brains? Sewage would be my guess. Headshots on wapiti ARE irresponsible, period! 130 grain .270s are deer bullets, an' then they ain' t a sure bet at close ranges. The two peoples in this world I got no no patience fer is politickers an' head shooters. Well...thet ain' t completely true. There' s lawyers, frenchmen, an' hoosiers too. An' folks from New Jersey jus' irritate the hell outta me. Mos' californians too. Texans. Cheesehaids. Anybody with facial piercings. Brits. Telephone operators .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .........................
04-28-2003, 12:59 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bossier City LA United States
Posts: 2,425
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
I find the word " Irresponsible" a bit strong. I say good on him if he can pull off the shot in the heat of the moment.
04-28-2003, 01:22 PM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ca
Posts: 86
RE: Three Shots to put a Bull down.
Adrenaline is very potent in animals don' t ever forget that. Onto head neck shots it is a matter of 1/4 inches when you head neck shoot animals. I am not agreeing with the majority here i have killed alot of animals with one shot kills with a rifle head neck area i have also passed on alot of animals that i could not gaurantee a sure kill on, it boils down to a person must know with certaintee where his bullet or arrow is going to hit not just a general area. The reason people get so upset over head neck shots is there is little room for error maybe the bullet was a little high or a little low but it certainle did not detsroy the brain wich was probably the intent if it had the animal would have been down. Everybody wants to jump on the wagon here and condemn your partner but i am sure some people have had three shot kills in the body cavity also. speaking of adrenaline this should really get some people riled up.