Shoot or No Shot - Episode #3 2017

[WapitiTalk1]

Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Marginal
Hunt: Solo Hunt
Tag: Rifle tag; 3 PT or better bull.

Pretty straightforward here. While out still hunting for wapiti with your trusty 7MM REM MAG, you decide to post up for a bit (found a nice sitting stump) at the edge of a benchy area on the mountain side. From your left, you see this fellow coming and moving very slowly through the bench, heading to your right from where you're perched. As you raise your rifle and click off the safety, the bull stop where he is now (perhaps he caught movement, perhaps he heard something). He is a bit over 125 yards from where you stand now (yellow arrow shows hunters position), and, the thermals are gently hitting you in the mug as you face the bull. That's it... that's all you get. Shoot or no shot here?

Rifle Elk.jpg (125.21 KiB) Viewed 6100 times

If you're shooting, save the picture to your desktop and open in MS Paint, then place a spot, X, or whatever on the critter before you save it back to a jpg or png and add the marked up pic with your post.

[Swede]

He has some prey funky looking antlers. Still I think I would shoot if I have a decent rest.

Rifle%20Elk[1].jpg (121.16 KiB) Viewed 6097 times

[Roosiebull]

with my 7mag, this would be my favorite shot....almost zero meat loss, and DRT

[oldnovice]

with my trusty 30-06 Savage, this is a no brainer. I would take that shot all day long at 125 yds.

[cohunter]

I'd wait. I don't see any reason not to. He looks relaxed, his vitals are bound to be clearly exposed in a few moments - no way I'd shoot there. Of course, I've let more than a handful go waiting for a better shot, but I haven't lost many wounded animals, either.

[>>>---WW---->]

Well, he is not a trophy bull and I'm looking for meat. So with my 7mm I would hold dead center on his neck just behind the jaw bone. At 125 yards the POI will be about 2 1/2 inches higher than my aiming point. Guarinteed, it will break his neck and he will drop on the spot and not even quiver. No meat loss what so ever.

How do I know???? I have made this very same shot a few times in the past.

[Roosiebull]

I'd wait. I don't see any reason not to. He looks relaxed, his vitals are bound to be clearly exposed in a few moments - no way I'd shoot there. Of course, I've let more than a handful go waiting for a better shot, but I haven't lost many wounded animals, either.

I have not lost anything with a rifle...and like that shot....even if he was in the wide open, at that range, I like the neck.

it's a pretty darn big target, a bullet has a very large temporary wound channel, as long as you hit meat, that bull is dropping faster than gravity.....of course one of the worst shots you could take with a bow, but I love it with a rifle.

[ElkNut1]

Wow, I'm generally aggressive in taking shots but not there, I'm waiting for him to step out a bit more, not a neck shot guy at all, too much to miss, lots of loose hair there! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Dr. Rx]

I can't take that shot
Kris

[Swede]

To my way of thinking the difference in a shoot or no-shoot decision is a rest. There is no way I am shooting off hand or just sitting. If you are going to shoot for the neck, do it as WW and Roosiebull suggested. The lower half of the neck is just hair and hide, so don't just shoot for the center of it.

[TimeOnTarget]

No shot for me. Don't even have to think twice about it.

[ishy]

I am waiting. What do you neck guys think the vital area is? I would imagine a few inches at best...in seconds he will clear that tree and you get a foot and a half vital area.

[Swede]

The part of the neck that is good for a lethal shot I from 2 inches down to near the middle.

One thing I have found over the years is if you have a good shot opportunity, and in my estimation that bull presents one if you are a good shot, then don't hold out for better. That bull can turn on a dime and be out of there in a split second. If he believes he saw movement, he will do an about face before exposing himself further. I had that happen with the one elk I saw this past hunting season.

[jmez]

No for me. Not a neck shot guy. The cervical spine comes off of the skull and drops almost straight down and the bony column actually runs along the bottom edge of the neck. It then begins to curve back up near the front shoulder joint. A lot of meat on the top 2/3 of the neck with nothing vital to hit. Most all anatomy diagrams have the neck vertebrae incorrectly placed and too high.

[Roosiebull]

I am waiting. What do you neck guys think the vital area is? I would imagine a few inches at best...in seconds he will clear that tree and you get a foot and a half vital area.

I would say at least 5" on a bull, I have watched at least 10 shot in the neck that I can think of, you don't need to center the bone to get the same effect, the hydrostatic shock and temporary wound channel turns their lights out.

like Swede mentioned, a rest is a must, I don't like shooting broadside game off hand with a rifle if I can avoid it...with a rest at that range, very easy shot. anything inside 200 yds for me, if the neck is an option, that's my shot i'm taking....effective, and more importantly, i'm not tossing half of a front shoulder out from blood shot.

I am very picky with my shots, if it was risky, I wouldn't take it.

[twinkieman]

No shot, I'd wait for him to step forward, and then throw out a nervous grunt. Wind is hitting me in the mug, no reason to rush.