Hunters up the hill killed this cow Elk and we helped gut and pack out the cow. Bullet had entered three inches below the spine and broke a rib on entrance and nicked one going out. As this was Ranching for Wildlife (Blue Sage) you need to report all wounded animals to the Game Warden. He told us that the bullet went through what he called No Mans land or the Zip Zone. He said that when Elk are standing there is a space between the top of the lungs and the spine and that is where the bullet passed. I had never heard this term before. He went on to say that he has had to put down Deer and Elk that have arrows protruding from this area.
I'm thinking that a cup and core bullet may have acted differently on the broken rib and put holes in the tops of the lungs from fragments. Just saying but I will not use the Barnes again just because!
For the record... There is no empty space in the deer's chest. Lungs go all the way the the spine. Also for the record... If you run a high speed rifle bullet through a deer an inch or two below the spine 9 times out of ten you will break the descending aorta which will bleed a deer out in very short order, faster than a blown up heart will empty the body of blood.
