I don't like neck shots.

[salmonchaser]

A couple of days ago I had some free time, decided I'd run up to the upper ranch to fill my cow elk tag. Fish and wildlife are concerned with the elk numbers in our area, carrying capacity and crop damage. Ask us to take a few, spreading out the effort in the hopes of scattering them some.
On the way up I looked up the canyon and spotted a good herd. Put on the big sneak, got prone on a rock pile 250 yards from the nearest elk. Looked them over picked out a younger cow. See was facing dead away and I thought about shooting her in the back of the head but with a full value 25 mph wind I figured to wait. When she turned into the wind she immediately started trotting. I lead her a little, holding on her neck, and tapped the trigger. Saw her head drop as she disappeared from view into the draw. Sweet I'll be able to drive right to her. Walked over, no elk. Started a circle in the crp, no elk. One more half circle I found blood, lots of it. Now an easy elk has turned into a pack and quarter job. About 60 yards into the trees I found her, stone dead. The 250 grain Partition tore through both arteries, didn't hit any bone. Too much windage, thought I would hit her in the shoulder.
My point is both the elk and I got lucky. Their necks are huge, add the mane and it's easy to put a bullet in there that will kill them, but make it dang hard to find them.

 

[Vince]

Glad you got your elk.
Wind makes for difficult hunting. How's the knee holding up with having to play pack mule?

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[DrMike]

I've never favoured neck shots. There is too great a risk of a mortally wounded animal escaping to die a horrible, lingering death. While a shattered spine will definitely drop an animal smartly, an esophagus blown away ensures starvation. A deviation of only a few inches makes the difference. In my AO, I hear too many stories of people who took a neck shot because they don't want to waste meat, only to have the animal run away and be lost. Still, I know there are people who defend the practice. The risk of losing all the meat to save a couple of pounds of meat from a shoulder-shot animal doesn't seem to be that wise a gamble.

 

[wildgene]

...the other half, or 2/3's is all the 'important stuff' is in the bottom 1/3 of the neck, especially if they're alerted & their mane's up, the spine, spinal cord, arteries, veins all run right along the bottom of the neck, the top 1/2 is just tough chewing, cords, & hair...

 

[salmonchaser]

Exactly, I was kinda surprised how much lead I didn't need. My on board computer failed, was hoping for the shoulder, but I'll take lucky.
Vince thankfully a short pack, about 100 yards. The leg felt the load but held up.

 

[JD338]

Congratulations on your cow elk. We're you shooting a 338 cal 250 gr PT?

JD338

 

[Cleveland48]

I've never favored neck shots either. I have used them before on deer at close range. I like to put them behind the shoulder myself, but then again I'm shooting southern whitetail. Which are easier to drag, on elk in a field I can see the benefit on being able to drive right up to it. Glad you got your elk!

 

[salmonchaser]

I was using my 338 Jarrett. 250 gr partitions. 87 grains H1000; 3.75col, 2954fps.
This was my 48 elk season. I've driven to one elk, got a quad runner to one, had a couple that were down hill packs, the rest of them were so far in the hole I took salt and pepper with me this was certainly an easy pack, I'll take 100 yard packs over 6 mile packs any day.
The bio figured she was 2 1/2 and had one calf. I have eaten some big old cows off the ranch before, they were tougher then woodpecker lips.
I netted 225 pounds of boned cut and wrapped meat and another 25 pounds of dog food.
Dang I like elk hunting.

 

[Cleveland48]

That's alot of meat ! It would take alot of Mississippi whitetails to make that much meat haha.

 

[REDGREEN]

Congrats on the elk. I'm not a fan of neck shots either. Engine room ensures a good bleed out if you mash the heart and or lungs. A spinal hit drops anything right now, but the animal doesn't bleed out. Too much room for error on a neck shot, and I am too old to be chasing a critter into the next area code.

 

[truck driver]

The only time I've taken a neck shot was to finish an animal that was already down and needed to be finished humanly. But if that's all you got to shoot at do your best to make it count.

 

[SJB358]

Good stuff SC! I'm glad you got to use your 338 buddy. That load sounds pretty impressive.

I am envious of you driving to 100 yards of your elk though. Can't wait for that day.

 

[salmonchaser]

After that hell hole last year it was pretty nice. Shot her about 0730, had her skinned quartered and packed to the truck by 0930, hung in the meat room by 1100. SWEET.

 

[SJB358]

After that hell hole last year it was pretty nice. Shot her about 0730, had her skinned quartered and packed to the truck by 0930, hung in the meat room by 1100. SWEET.

Man..... Just RUBBBBINNNNN it in.. :twisted:


Congrats! You'll have to teach me your secret.