Enjoyed the heck out of the article John, thanks for actually keeping track of all those shots!
Last year I had four "big game" hunts on the schedule: black bear, antelope, mule deer and elk. I chose to use the same rifle and load for all four hunts; a .30-06 Rem 700 CDL with the 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip loaded to about 2900 fps.
People questioned me about my choice of the 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip for the bear and elk, but it worked out great on all four animals. I shot the bear while he was quartering away. The bullet went in the rib cage, and only the core exited through his off side chest/shoulder area. We found the expanded jacket hung up in his hide. Very quick kill, and he traveled only a few feet after being hit.
Also recovered one bullet from the mule deer, which was shot facing me. It retained much of the core, nicely expanded. The pronghorn of course didn't retain the bullet, and the bullet that took the elk was never located, though it went through the on-side shoulder causing tremendous damage in the chest cavity, then punched a hole in the off-side shoulder blade as well. All from a little 'ol Ballistic Tip.
Sometimes things are not as they seem. I had good reason to believe that "my" Ballistic Tips were plenty tough enough for the tasks. And accurate? Yes indeed... It pays to learn about the bullets we're going to use, for varminting, or for hunting larger animals.
Regards, Guy
