How is it that these things get to this level of complication?____________________________________________________________________
Perhaps, because the original premise was far too simplistic. It failed to take into account varying skill levels and shooting ranges. As well as bullet construction, energy levels, and hunting terrain.
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This thread clearly involves centerfire rifles and not handguns. If you choose to shoot a handgun bullet from a rifle then you open pandoras box with another whole series of issues.
It's the diameter my friend ****DIAMETER***** is the key here when an animal runs away in thick bush from a double lung hit or even a centered heart shot they will run a hella long way. Sub 30 caliber bullets allow zip for blood trails nearly every time. Even the .308 diameter is marginal but will at least offer some insight to the direction and damage done.
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I would venture to say that my 7mm STW will exit with a larger frontal diameter than a 308 or probably even a 30-06, given like bullet construction. At the same time dumping more energy into the vitals, thus shortening or eliminating the need for tracking. And as the ranges reach 300 yds and beyond, as they often do in western elk hunting, the advantages weigh even more heavily with the 7STW.
Nobody could argue that the 45-70 is not a dynamite elk killer, or any other big game for that matter. But if one hunts elk in the open terrain that I am familiar with he would be well advised to leave the 45-70 at home and bring a 270, or 280, or 7 mag, or larger if he has one and can shoot it well.
Of course a 300 win, 300 wea, 8mm rem, or a 338 mag will all be better stoppers and more lethal than my STW. But for me anyway, the minimal gains available from these rounds are not worth the increased punishment from recoil. I am not nearly so likely to go to the bench and put 100 to 200 rounds through the bigger mags in a month's time as I am the STW. And I would be even less likely to shoot them well from the prone position, which is how 80% of the game is killed in the areas I hunt, and by the hunters I associate with.
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Without blood finding game becomes a "challange". Many things start to happen mentally to the shooter. Like; did I miss? was it just superficial? ........" I guess if he went this far he must be OK" All the second guessing within the first several minutes of looking tends to morally release you from the contract you just signed when you pulled the trigger. Sorry but that is a binding agreement. You pull the trigger you find the game.
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It sounds to me that you have been exposed to a far lesser caliber of hunter, than I am familiar with.
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What a great law it would be (if enforcement was possible) to allow a single shot each season at big game. One shot done! You don't notch your tag with a dead animal but rather with the pull of the trigger. ........Now what gun are you gonna use? Imagine the reduction in dead game that goes missing.
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Well if this were the case, I would be well served with my Ruger #1 7mmSTW with either 160 or 175 gr bullets of a bonded construction, launched at 3100 to 3200 fps.
But only a fool would suggest that any hunter stop putting lead into a trophy bull elk before all four feet pointed at the sky, or the animal was gone from sight, regardless of cartridge used.
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Copious amounts of blood dripping, spraying on bush or pooling up where he lays is a darn good idea when you go looking for game that has been shot. If your well hit animal runs 150 yards in a half circle(very common) will you make that sweeping turn without blood or just begin to wander aimlessly hoping you stumble across the body? While wandering will you then step on the only tiny specs that are there? When tracking with the fall colors will you easily see the blood mixed with the red fall leaves? Will those puny little specs soak into the sand and vanish? ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Perhaps, as well as a marksmanship test, we should administer an IQ test to prospctive hunters before issueing a license. This way we could insure they would be smart enough to practice a spiral search pattern for any downed game, for which they can find no blood trail.
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Your mileage may vary I guess.
