Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elk reaction to shot?

I had a hunter last fall that had never shot an elk. On opening morning he shoots at a bull and because the bull walked off with no reaction he was on the verge of panic that he'd missed.

I was fairly sure that I'd heard the bullet hit and the bull crash down the hill.

Anyway he was piled up 40 yards away from the shot.

I've also had them DRT and also stagger around then fall.

I'm a big fan of shooting until they are dead on the ground. I think it was Tanner here on 24hr that said then walk up to them and empty another magazine into the chest.

Almost none of my hunters automatically reload and ready for a second shot. Telling them to reload and shoot again is pretty much an automatic reaction for me after the first shot. I follow the same when I'm hunting myself.

And many of my clients have hunted Africa and all around North America and they still don't automatically reload/shoot again.

I'm always surprised when a hunter shoots and doesn't chamber another round. No matter what the scenario you reload. Even if the animal is surely dead in plain sight. Just good common sense practice.

Good advice.


What do they say in Africa? It's the dead ones that will kill you(?!)

I am always ready for a second shot, and the vast majority of the elk that I have killed and have seen killed have "run", after shot. The other two reactions, I have seen is of course dropping instantly, and walking away. Both are indicators of a good hit. One must "always" assume a hit, and conduct a diligent search after a shot.

I do my very best to make my first shot the only one needed, but failing that if he's got his feet on the ground I've got bullets in the air.

When the 7 Dakota goes boom. Ivory's just fall out upon head hitting the ground.

Realistically - I've been lucky over the years.

I see you live in Texas. Put in the Oklahoma draw. In Oklahoma you don't have to buy the tag until you draw. Wichita Mountain is close and as good as it gets. You can stay at my place and I'll help you get it out.

Good info, especially the fairly common experience of having an elk show no sign of being hit, no reaction to the shot. If they drop or react, you know you hit, but no reaction often kills a hunter's confidence. Too often a hunter thinks he missed because the elk did not react. Have confidence in your rifle and sight picture.

The application in the field is to always look hard for blood or a dead elk. We have found dead elk by going back to where a hunter said that he missed.

It's the elk that a hunter thinks is a clean miss that often gives a problem or is found after it is spoiled. I have also seen three bulls get up and leave several minutes after dropping and lying stone still. If you have to go out of sight of the "dead" bull to get to him from where you shot, wait and watch him awhile before charging over to him.

Good luck on your elk. Do it!

I think we will have fewer of these "no reaction" issues if we shoot them on the shoulders,or angle our shots through vitals and into bone,either on side or off.

When I've shot them that way there was always little doubt something had happened. The "no reaction" business was more typical with the broadside lung hits.

Of course if you're going to shoot through bone it isn't a bad idea to use a bullet that'll make the trip.

Thanks for the offer Rick...I really appreciate it. I didn't know Oklahoma had elk. Guys I appreciate all of the responses and am still contemplating going before I die. I think the sheer mass of the elk lends itself to more reactions than one would get w/the whitetail. Thanks again guys...I'm consumed w/ the thought of elk hunting. powdr

I always talked about going elk hunting with my dad, we talked about it until he died at 63. I bought a 7mm Remington Magnum in 1977 as my first rifle purchase so that my deer gun could be my elk gun. That rifle didn't get to chase elk until 23 years later because there was always something more important to spend the money on and things to do with the time. All i can say is that i wasted 23 years dreaming and talking.

Now there is elk hunting money first - then everything else lower down the budget scale after the mortgage, other vacation time goes on the calendar after the elk hunt.

If you want to go don't wait - tell the wife and kids you are going this season or next and don't wait for a premium tag drawing, get on the computer take up the generous offers you'll receive in person or via pm and get off the couch and start taking brisk walks or runs with a pack on loaded with water.

Powdr, I have put in for the Oklahoma draw 23 years now. No luck yet, so don't bank on that tag.

That said, if you can walk you can hunt. Colorado is a short drive. Buy a over the counter tag and go this very year. 2nd rifle or bow are over the counter, except in the limited draw units.

The elk meat is great; but honestly, the drive out with a couple good friends, hoofing up a ridge while sweat drips off your nose, and drinking Gatorade while you watch the sunrise is reward enough. It will make you feel alive.

Do it. Do it while you are physically able.

Not long before I turned 60, my wife asked if there was anything I'd like to do or hunt while still able. She knew that for decades I had forgone most sheep hunting due to family and financial responsibilities.

I thought about it awhile and then drove 1084 miles north, parked by the Alaska Highway and backpacked into the northern Rockies after sheep and caribou. "Loved it" is way too mild a descriptor for the dazzling ten days.

If you want to hunt elk, hunt them now, this Fall!

I killed a 6X6 bull in Wyoming each of the past two seasons. Both were shot with a Kimber Montana in 300 WSM with 210 gr TTSX.

The first one was shot at 150 yds. and he lunged forward 20 or 30 yds and stopped behind a pine tree. I shot a second time and he took off like a whitetail. I was not totally sure of a hit, but we found him piled up about a hundred yds down the trail. I had hit him with the first shot and missed the second. (I think).

Last year's bull was hit at 27yds and just stopped and started to do a "death wobble". After about 15 seconds, I put him down with a second shot at 10 yds.

Two earlier bulls were DRT with one shot each.

donsm70

My last years bull was at 370 I was prone on the bipod, almost level with him. Caught him quartering away, about the 8 or 9th rib back, the 180 PT exited out the left side of his chest. He was on the ground before the gun kicked off. As I was wading down and up through the snow and brush, he got up ran another 100 yards and was standing in the timber broadside when I came up to where he was laying. A shot through both front shoulders ended the hunt. I was shooting a 300 WM. Not an unusual occurrence.

My experience mirrors others. Except I have never killed a BIG bull. We hunt for meat and many years the only elk I saw was the one I killed, whether it was a raghorn, spike, cow, and even a couple of calves in the mix.

Besides not killing a big mature bull, all the elk I have killed died easier than a mature whitetail buck.
Killed one with a bow, it ran about 40 yds.
Shot one running once, it made it about 30 yds or less.
Made a bad hit on a little bull right before dark, hit him to far back. Found him about 100-150 yds dead within an hour of daylight.
One cow when shot through the shoulder made a flying leap off the down hill slope of a steep old logging road.

The other 15 or so all hit the dirt instantly. They were shot with a wide variety of cartridges, all shooting either speer hot cors, sierra gamekings, or hornady interlocks.

Powdr,
Take everybodys advise and make an elk hunt happen. Even if you don't harvest one, the experience will be well worth it.

I haven't seen elk react to shots very much at all unless the spine has been hit. The only exception I've seen to this is Berger VLD. Most of the time, elk haven't even acted shot, until they fall over. I'm a member of the "Keep Shooting!" consensus. Can count the number of elk that I've seen die with one hole in them on one hand. Even if downed, finisher in the neck on approach has been pretty standard. Have only seen one BIG bull killed. He didn't act hit with shot #1. He went behind some brush and bedded. On approach, he stood up, took a couple steps, and dropped to a neck shot. The first shot was a good double-lung, and it seemed to anchor him. At least he didn't run for a few miles.

Can't recall a typical reaction - everything from bang-flop to bolting to no reaction at all.

I had a strange one last season - the shot took out the opposite shoulder. The elk bucked in about a 20ft circle then made a death leap wedging itself between two trees.

I used to think elk were tough until I started shooting buffalo...

I can count on one hand the elk that took more than one shot to kill. Most guys don't give them time to die which is about 10 seconds give or take on a double lung. A few years muzzle loader hunting will make a person be real selctive in the shots they take.