Explain this 200 gr Nosler Partition lengthwise through elk w/o guts penetrated

[JDHasty]

I witnessed a large cow elk, shot at ~ 150 yards, facing the gun with a 300 Wby, the bullet went through the windpipe, smashed one side of the heart, traveled the length of the body and exited two inches to the left of the anus.  The animal reared up and went over backwards and never moved from the spot it landed. 

There were six witnesses who were present when the animal was field dressed and neither the stomach or intestines had so much as a pinhole. 

It appeared that the spine had been nicked about midships.  No loss of tenderloin or backstrap. 

If I had not seen it with my own eyes I would not believe it was possible. 

Any explanations?     

[Magnum_Willys]

Well it is July so I guess if you are shooting cow elk now anything is possible.........

[SeatoSummit88]

     Now That's Funny 

[Okanagan]

Odd bullet path but not mystical.  It sounds like the bullet was travelling upward slightly, or changed direction upward while still in the rib cage, which bullets will do once in awhile for various reasons when travelling through an animal.  It passed above the paunch etc., hit the under side of the spine at a flat angle and deflected downward again to exit.  I.e. it went in the front, deflected up above the guts and then down again.

Defelection(s) or change of bullet route is probably the explanation.  I have traced some weird bullet paths through elk, most of those with Nosler partitions.  One bullet hit the pelvis bone heading forward, deflected or ricocheted downward and forward to the right, glanced off of the inside of ribs at a flat angle and ended up near the left shoulder. 

On a more sober note, a friend of mine was shot low in his back with a 9mm round that entered just to the right of his spine and exited beside his navel without damaging intestines.  The bullet was angling to the right, hit his pelvis bone and deflected left and out the front while making a circuit around his intestines. 

[Woodchuck]

When upright the guts are down towards the belly, not like how we usually see them when they are laid on their back. I have killed a deer and elk in the same fashion with a .338 WM with the same result.

[JDHasty]

Odd bullet path but not mystical.  It sounds like the bullet was travelling upward slightly, or changed direction upward while still in the rib cage, which bullets will do once in awhile for various reasons when travelling through an animal.  It passed above the paunch etc., hit the under side of the spine at a flat angle and deflected downward again to exit.  I.e. it went in the front, deflected up above the guts and then down again.

Defelection(s) or change of bullet route is probably the explanation.  I have traced some weird bullet paths through elk, most of those with Nosler partitions.  One bullet hit the pelvis bone heading forward, deflected or ricocheted downward and forward to the right, glanced off of the inside of ribs at a flat angle and ended up near the left shoulder. 

On a more sober note, a friend of mine was shot low in his back with a 9mm round that entered just to the right of his spine and exited beside his navel without damaging intestines.  The bullet was angling to the right, hit his pelvis bone and deflected left and out the front while making a circuit around his intestines.

Shot at a slightly downward angle from a 17 foot treestand.  I was expecting the worst, and was quite glad to not have it materialize.   

[scoutdog346]

I witnessed a large cow elk, shot at ~ 150 yards, facing the gun with a 300 Wby, the bullet went through the windpipe, smashed one side of the heart, traveled the length of the body and exited two inches to the left of the anus.  The animal reared up and went over backwards and never moved from the spot it landed. 

There were six witnesses who were present when the animal was field dressed and neither the stomach or intestines had so much as a pinhole. 

It appeared that the spine had been nicked about midships.  No loss of tenderloin or backstrap. 

If I had not seen it with my own eyes I would not believe it was possible. 

Any explanations?     

Did the bullet go between the lungs

[JDHasty]

I witnessed a large cow elk, shot at ~ 150 yards, facing the gun with a 300 Wby, the bullet went through the windpipe, smashed one side of the heart, traveled the length of the body and exited two inches to the left of the anus.  The animal reared up and went over backwards and never moved from the spot it landed. 

There were six witnesses who were present when the animal was field dressed and neither the stomach or intestines had so much as a pinhole. 

It appeared that the spine had been nicked about midships.  No loss of tenderloin or backstrap. 

If I had not seen it with my own eyes I would not believe it was possible. 

Any explanations?     

Did the bullet go between the lungs

Hit one lobe, but not the other

[Okanagan]

Re odd bullet paths:  I had a 165 grain Hornady Interbond deflect off of a mule deer doe's ribs.

She was lying down with rump toward me and head turned to the right.  260 yards and I had a superb rest, aiming at her neck, which was about all that I could see of her.  I didn't have a range finder and estimated 230 yards and either I missed a bit low or the bullet dropped a tad more than I anticipated due to my range estimate error.  The bullet hit her high on the ribs at an almost flat angle and made a long gouge in the hide, never entering the rib cage and it deflected upward and maybe outward a little, past her shoulder without touching it.  Her neck was in line with the deflected bullet path and the bullet hit her there.   She never got up.  Two wounds:  one on her ribs and one through her neck.  The bullet was tumbling by the time it got to her neck and made a big oval entry hole.

  It took me a few minutes of head scratching and examination of the scene to figure out the wounds.  I have pics somewhere, pretty ugly.  Late Fall permit.  Ancient old dry doe, super fat, harder bones than a younger deer but mainly the deflection was due to such a flat angle when the bullet hit almost flat rib.