Shoulder or Double lung
 

The post in the deer forum got me thinking, when hunting big game (elk,moose,bear whatever...) do you shoot for the shoulder to drop them where they stand or behind to shoulder for the lungs??? When I hunt moose (still haven' t gotten one myself yet) we shoot for the lungs too much meat wasted with a shoulder shot and not always going to bust through the moose' s shoulder!! I have hunted black bear too the one i took was up above me and took a shot in the chest head on and dropped like a ton of bricks. I would shoot shoulder on bear to try and anchor him right away no fun chasing a wounded black bear!how about you guys?

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

Syd,

Those who claim to target for double lung shots will out number those who claim to target the shoulder by about 3 to 1.

Interestingly that is about the same ratio that standard caliber hunters out number magnum shooters (maybe some small correlation).

Personally, I go for the shoulder on elk, and advocate the use of a 30-06 with 180gr Partitions as a minimum for doing so, but that is just me -- 338' s are even better at it.

EKM

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

I am looking into getting a .338 for moose this year EKM I would shoot for the shoulder on a moose but I am not 100 percent confident that my 30-06 is going to punch through his shoulder rather shoot where I know I am going to connect. That is why I am looking into the .338

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

Different strokes for different folks for sure. Firstly I believe your first priority should be the certain recovery of your animal and wasted meat secondary. On many animals, shoulder or lung shots don' t produce a lot of wasted meat anyway--especially deer and bear. And if you really think about your shoulder shot, you really are talking about hitting a leg bone, not the scapula. That, then makes for a small target. Further, hitting a leg bone can easily drive bone shards into the meat you' re trying to save. Whereas, the lung shot ups the percentage of having a substantial blood trail for tracking while bleeding out the animal at the same time. Ergo, better eating meat. Thats my take on it. Always will be a lung and vitals shooter.

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

You' re going to get the lungs either way. Personally I prefer to shoot them just behind the shoulder if possible. If not then I take the best possible shot that is available. If you get both lungs and or the heart then they are not going to run very far at all. The ones that I have shot through the shoulder have droped where they stood and the ones that I have shot behind the shoulder did not make it 50 yards. More meat and a 50 yard tracking job makes me happy.

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

Syd,

338 with quality bullets, Partitions and up, are bone crunchers and allow for taking an elk from any angle. I can' t speak to moose, as I haven' t hunted them; however, I doubt that you will be dissappointed in a 338 for what you have indicated you would like to accomplish -- don' t kick bad either. :D

EKM

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

The only time I would shoot for the shoulder would be on big dangerous bear, break ' em down then finish the job. Black bear don' t fall into that catagory.Depending on the distance your shooting from, the double lung is probably your best option. Shoulder shots mess up to much meat and don' t make for quick, clean kills. Lung shots also leave good blood trails for easy tracking.
By the way, 30.06 with the right load, is plenty for moose.

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

Good question. Being a bowhunter, I always go for behind the shoulder searching the lungs out, going for the shoulder has trouble written all over it for me. By the way, my bow doesn' t kick much either. (grin) elknut1

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

EKM from what I hear moose are easier to take down then elk. Although they are bigger can' t speak for elk haven' t hunted them the few we have up here are protected but I am looking forward to trying out a .338 Seriously how would you consider the kick of a .338 compared to a 30-06?? just curious[8D]

RE: Shoulder or Double lung
 

A shoulder shot is a double lung shot!