elk rifles

by Tim
(Colorado)

When I was a wildlife manager in the midwest I worked at and/or supervised a deer check station for about ten years. During that time, I saw thousands of dead deer, bear and other critters. I always enjoyed striking up conversations with the hunters that came in to check their deer; it became an annual event for some folks that I actually got to know quite well over the years.

I always enjoyed talking with hunters about their experience, whether or not I could help them find deer, etc. I also enjoyed talking with them about equipment, especially rifles used to take their game. While talking with all these folks I also paid attention to the carcasses in the back of their trucks. What I saw made an impression upon me as to the power of centerfire rifle cartridges and bullets.

Good bullet placement (not at the computer, but observed on the animal)resulted in quick, clean kills. Poor placement resulted in the opposite, often with long tracking jobs. It was amazing to me how many of these folks either never mentioned the poor shot or actually thought they had made a good shot on the animal. Many of these were a good 8 - 10" or more behind the front shoulder, which is pretty much borderline on a white-tailed deer. Behind the front shoulder doesn't mean ANYWHERE behind the front shoulder; it means tucked up right against the front shoulder, in my mind 1 - 3" behind.

I was also amazed at the number of people who shoot very large cartridges at deer. The gaping exit holes on the animals were evidence to me that we need not be shooting what we think we need to be shooting. I am all for 'using enough gun'; the question is "what IS enough gun?". As a biologist, I am certain that if a bullet gets into the chest cavity and destroys both lungs, the animal will die...quickly. It cannot be otherwise. An animal CAN survive, at least for a while, with one lung. But put both out of commission and you have a dead animal on your hands, regardless of jacketing, bullet weight, velocity, foot pounds of energy, and all the other stuff we spend far too much time thinking about.

What does this have to do with elk? I have seen the same types of exit wounds in elk camps; gaping holes from 250 grain .338 bullets, 175 grain 7mm bullets, etc.; bullets ruining the hams and/or backstraps of these magnificent animals. I have no problem with whatever people shoot; I think it was Jack O'Connor who said that 'I draw the line only when they expect me to take them seriously'. Power does not compensate for poor shooting skills.

Use whatever you can shoot accurately (but really do some soul searching regarding your personal shooting skill level; nobody else needs to know!). After two shoulder surgeries, I have given up on my .300 magnum. I just cannot take the chance of the recoil pushing anchors into my bone and splitting it. I just flinch too bad because of this fear. But the deer and elk I have killed with a .308 and .270 have died just as quickly, and placing the bullet "behind the front shoulder" is a whole lot easier! Good hunting and good luck!!