Do I need more Knockdown Power?
11-13-2005, 06:59 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lafayette, IN
Posts: 67
Do I need more Knockdown Power?
I hestitate to post this on a public forum but I want to learn from it.Shot a doe last night at I believe about 70 yards.She fell over when I shot andI thought it was all over. About 5 seconds later she gets up and runs off. I am not sure where I hit but I was aiming for the shoulder and now sure wish I would have aimed for the vitals.
Shouldn't you be able to take them down in the shoulder just like with a shotgun slug that I have hunted with in the past?I am shooting a Knight Wolverine with 80 grains 777 and a 240 grain TC XTP Sabot. Should I up the powder?
Shouldn't you be able to take them down in the shoulder just like with a shotgun slug that I have hunted with in the past?I am shooting a Knight Wolverine with 80 grains 777 and a 240 grain TC XTP Sabot. Should I up the powder?
11-13-2005, 07:20 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Texas - BUT NOW in Madison County, NY
Posts: 6,270
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
ORIGINAL: BradAnthony11
I hestitate to post this on a public forum but I want to learn from it.Shot a doe last night at I believe about 70 yards.She fell over when I shot andI thought it was all over. About 5 seconds later she gets up and runs off. I am not sure where I hit but I was aiming for the shoulder and now sure wish I would have aimed for the vitals.
Shouldn't you be able to take them down in the shoulder just like with a shotgun slug that I have hunted with in the past?I am shooting a Knight Wolverine with 80 grains 777 and a 240 grain TC XTP Sabot. Should I up the powder?
I hestitate to post this on a public forum but I want to learn from it.Shot a doe last night at I believe about 70 yards.She fell over when I shot andI thought it was all over. About 5 seconds later she gets up and runs off. I am not sure where I hit but I was aiming for the shoulder and now sure wish I would have aimed for the vitals.
Shouldn't you be able to take them down in the shoulder just like with a shotgun slug that I have hunted with in the past?I am shooting a Knight Wolverine with 80 grains 777 and a 240 grain TC XTP Sabot. Should I up the powder?
I could never develop much enthusiasm for shooting pistol bullets from a muzzle-loading rifle. They don't take full advantage of the large bore diameters of ML rifles.
11-13-2005, 08:28 AM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: McCall Idaho USA
Posts: 753
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
I've heard similar stories as Brads here, sad to say!! I know an individual who's hit 2 elk & a deer with a 100grn pellets & 245 & 295grn lead, none were recovered. They have 2 hits on video, one elk was hit at 50 yds behind the shoulder, it was a good shot. So what's up?
Is there certain lead that truly outperforms another on elk sized game? If so let's hear it from your experiences so as to avoid these unneccessary things. Are the bullets possibly blowing up on contact?
ElkNut1
Is there certain lead that truly outperforms another on elk sized game? If so let's hear it from your experiences so as to avoid these unneccessary things. Are the bullets possibly blowing up on contact?
ElkNut1
11-13-2005, 08:56 AM
#4
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
I would guess you have a dead deer out there some where. That would be plenty of power especially at the range you mentioned, and a great bullet to boot. It makes me think your shot placement could be better. I suspect if you aimed for the front shoulder, you probably hit it, and broke it, knocking it down. The problem could have been the bullet expanded a great deal and lost a lot of its power and might have only reached one of the two lungs. Once the deer got their bearings and a shallow breath, they were off. You also probably did not get much of a blood trail because the blood would pool first in the lower lung and chest cavity before reaching the entry hole.
If you did not push the deer hard, it would have run off and layed down somewhere close. I would go back to the spot where you hit the deer, and look for blood sign. Especially a couple feet off the ground on bushes. Look for the animal's track.And are good at tracking, cut a tracking stick and have at it. If you find no sign, then start walking circles, lookiunder brush piles, and behind logs because I would guess that doe is laying somewhere within 200 yards of the spot you shot.. if you did not jump her trail and push her right away.
If you did not push the deer hard, it would have run off and layed down somewhere close. I would go back to the spot where you hit the deer, and look for blood sign. Especially a couple feet off the ground on bushes. Look for the animal's track.And are good at tracking, cut a tracking stick and have at it. If you find no sign, then start walking circles, lookiunder brush piles, and behind logs because I would guess that doe is laying somewhere within 200 yards of the spot you shot.. if you did not jump her trail and push her right away.
11-13-2005, 09:02 AM
#5
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
I having been shooting a Wolverine with Hornady XTP's and 90grs of Pyrodex for the last 10yrs and never had that problem you had. I try to shoot behind the shoulder
when it is facing away from me and in front of the shoulder when it facing me. Have put down many hogs with this same combination.
when it is facing away from me and in front of the shoulder when it facing me. Have put down many hogs with this same combination.
11-13-2005, 09:07 AM
#6
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 127
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
I imagine this will generate a lot of posts. I think you have more than enough power. I think perhaps shot placement might be the key here. I just harvested a large doe using 2 - 50 GR. Pyrodex pellets and Hornady .240 GR. XTP MAG bullet. Shot was about 60 yds. and deer went maybe 50 feet. Hit behind the shoulder, breaking 2 ribs on the way in, destroyed lungs, and exited.
11-13-2005, 11:25 AM
#8
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lafayette, IN
Posts: 67
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
ORIGINAL: cayugad
I would guess you have a dead deer out there some where. That would be plenty of power especially at the range you mentioned, and a great bullet to boot. It makes me think your shot placement could be better. I suspect if you aimed for the front shoulder, you probably hit it, and broke it, knocking it down. The problem could have been the bullet expanded a great deal and lost a lot of its power and might have only reached one of the two lungs. Once the deer got their bearings and a shallow breath, they were off. You also probably did not get much of a blood trail because the blood would pool first in the lower lung and chest cavity before reaching the entry hole.
If you did not push the deer hard, it would have run off and layed down somewhere close. I would go back to the spot where you hit the deer, and look for blood sign. Especially a couple feet off the ground on bushes. Look for the animal's track.And are good at tracking, cut a tracking stick and have at it. If you find no sign, then start walking circles, lookiunder brush piles, and behind logs because I would guess that doe is laying somewhere within 200 yards of the spot you shot.. if you did not jump her trail and push her right away.
I would guess you have a dead deer out there some where. That would be plenty of power especially at the range you mentioned, and a great bullet to boot. It makes me think your shot placement could be better. I suspect if you aimed for the front shoulder, you probably hit it, and broke it, knocking it down. The problem could have been the bullet expanded a great deal and lost a lot of its power and might have only reached one of the two lungs. Once the deer got their bearings and a shallow breath, they were off. You also probably did not get much of a blood trail because the blood would pool first in the lower lung and chest cavity before reaching the entry hole.
If you did not push the deer hard, it would have run off and layed down somewhere close. I would go back to the spot where you hit the deer, and look for blood sign. Especially a couple feet off the ground on bushes. Look for the animal's track.And are good at tracking, cut a tracking stick and have at it. If you find no sign, then start walking circles, lookiunder brush piles, and behind logs because I would guess that doe is laying somewhere within 200 yards of the spot you shot.. if you did not jump her trail and push her right away.
I shot a doe in the morning at 40 yards in the shoulder and I was surprised that she was able to make it around 40 yards. I was expecting her to be dead in her tracks.
11-13-2005, 11:49 AM
#9
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
Brad I was not insinuating you were a bad tracker. If you felt this was what I was intending, please understand it was not. I also did not realize that you watched the deer run 300 yards and that at no time there any blood trail. Based on this new information, I would just guess poor shot placement. Since it knocked the deer down, you must have hit something solid in there. Where the bullet went from there would be hard to say.
The load your shooting has taken a lot of deer. It has plenty of power pushing between 1760-1860 fps. I personally like to slip the bullet behind the front or facing shoulder, through the major vital organs and into the off shoulder if possible. I found this brings them down faster. Everyone has their own favorite spot they like to hit.
The one you shot this morning, what kind of penetration and damage did the same load cause? You see, I hunt with the exact same load as you do this year, and have yet to see one to shoot... So I can learn from you.
11-13-2005, 08:04 PM
#10
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lafayette, IN
Posts: 67
RE: Do I need more Knockdown Power?
Cayugad,
I didn't take it the wrong way. I just reread my post and it is funny that I said I can't go back because it was over 30 yards. Meant to say 3 hours.
I hit the first one right in the shoulder and she went about 40 yards.I should have looked at it closer to access the damage but I didn't.Sorry I can't give you more details.
I didn't take it the wrong way. I just reread my post and it is funny that I said I can't go back because it was over 30 yards. Meant to say 3 hours.
I hit the first one right in the shoulder and she went about 40 yards.I should have looked at it closer to access the damage but I didn't.Sorry I can't give you more details.