I have lost one elk in all those years. A long tracking job on another elk was due to my inadequate shooting, but it was recovered. I can't remember many that required a second shot. Again those that did was because of poor bullet placement,not the bullet.
Dang, you are unique in the annals of the internet. Most lost animals or long tracking jobs are due to bullet failure.
OK, you two, I'm gonna split the difference say it's pretty equal between bullet failure and poor bullet placement.
My family owns/owned property in the high country, adjacent to public lands long before I was on this planet. Specifically in GMU's 66, 65, 62, and 61. My parents live from May-November in unit 61 adjacent to NF at 9200 ft. The cabin is all off-grid. From the time I was cognizant I've found dead deer and elk on or near our property(s). Among the dead, unrecovered elk I've found in unit 61 over the past 20 years, and of the carcasses that were still fresh enough to tell, about half of them were shot in the front half (the deadly end of an elk) and about half had bullet holes in the back half.
Over the years, I've found three elk that were fresh enough, and I had the time and inclination, that I did a "bullet necropsy". All three times it was a conventional jacketed bullet, (the most recent still had remnants of a red plastic tip and looked suspiciously like a Hornady) and it failed to penetrate very far. Giving the elk enough time to live and run a fair distance in dry weather in moderately thick timber, and obviously never found. All three of those elk were shot in the front half.
I'll take this opportunity
to stick my neck out and say bullet construction trumps everything when it comes to elk hunting--as opposed to BC and such..........
I've already told myself the next time I run across a fresh, unrecovered elk carcass I'm gonna do another bullet necropsy, take pics and post them here on the 'fire and get rightous about some of the "preferred" elk bullets recommended here on the 'fire.
And I'll probably get my azz flamed.......but, oh well.......
Casey
