"X" Marks the Spot #6

[WapitiTalk1]

For the boom stick elk hunters You're across a steep canyon and this guy comes over the far ridge in your direction. He stops inthe spot you see him in the picture (to smell where one of his cows whizzed) but will soon head down into the thick bottom where his cows are heading. Range is 275 yards and you're armed with a scoped rifle capable of flat shooting and has good knockdown power. Mark your spot if you're gonna shoot. If not, please explain. Bull tag area, fifth day of your eight day hunt. This is the first mature bull you've seen.

thCA9411XC.jpg (17.77 KiB) Viewed 5184 times

[Elkduds]

His antler is covering his vitals. I'll wait. He doesn't appear alert to me, head is down feeding, he should give me a better shot. While I'm waiting I'll get a stable rest w unobstructed shooting lanes, maybe confirm the range, relax my breathing, compose myself for the shot.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

I don't see any way that bull turns to leave without offering me a better angle, and he is nowhere near being spooked. I wait... If he were a bit more frontal I'd take it, but there isn't a good angle into both lungs there.

[FemoralArchery]

I think I'd wait. This angle provides a shot, but its his antler that prevents me from shooting. If he's feeding, he'll be moving his head. If he swings his head the other way, I'm shooting.

[cohunter14]

The second he lifts his head up, I would put one right where his 3rd begins. With how he is standing, that might not only get a shoulder and the vitals, but could potentially take out his back shoulder as well.

[flystrait]

I have been looking at all these threads and for me most would be a no shoot. Just like this one, I see too many potential errors occurring. With this angle even if his head or horns where out of the way it is a one long at best with a gut shot. No way, no how, never. I've been on the wrong side of marginal shots. I am a guy that will and have taken frontal kill shots and etc. Some are just to risky.. IMHO

[Swede]

It has been a long time since I shot an elk with the 338 W mag, but I am confident it could still get the job done. I could not have answered any better than Elkduds.

[cnelk]

At 275yds, that puts the 225gr Hornady from my 340 Weatherby Mag at almost zero point of aim.
I will settle in to a stable shooting position, once he raises his head, the crosshairs will be straight up his right leg,
1/3 up, BOOM.

Watch him roll down the slope.

The exit hole will look similar to this

[husky390]

375 H&H 300gr Nosler Partition or Barnes TSX would be tempting to break his shoulder. I'd prefer to wait for him to turn and go for the vitals though. If I'm wrong, please correct me, but I have had a friend of mine take a similar shot with a 45/70 at a closer range and it blew bone clear through the lungs.

[Huntrgathr]

I've seen a fair share of sheds with bullet holes through them. But that's not what concerns me with this shot- too much meat damage. I've heard guys say that they like to shoot through the shoulders to drop them instantly and that's true, it does. But I'd rather wait a few seconds ( or minutes) on the shot and have another 20# of burger in the freezer.

[Indian Summer]

Yeah he'll probably give me a better angle IF he turns to go downhill. But I've seen elk and deer go from a slam dunk to a regrettable memory in a flash. Even though the rack may cover the lungs a bit at that angle they are begging to be deflated. I'm hammering him on the top left side of Husky390s giant red dot as soon as he lifts his head and the antler is out of the way. Yeah.... I'm gonna lose some meat on that front quarter but a slice of the pie is better than none at all. At that angle his shoulder will be broken before he's double lunged and he's goin' down on the spot!

Some might say the meat damage is the deciding factor but at least he's standing still. Once he turns, regardless of the direction he goes you could be left with nothing but a shot at a moving animal which is terrible at 275 yards.

[flystrait]

I should have read the whole original post and was responding as a archer. I would still wait for a better angle with a rifle.

[Trophyhill]

A quick call with my Carlton's Long Ranger would be enough for him to raise up and open me up for an easy kill with my 7Mag

[ChukarNUT]

My Tikka 300wsm w Redfield Revenge 4-12x40 settle on that shoulder. when he lifts his head---tenderloins for dinner!!!