Any ideas for finding a shot elk

[jollyskwala]

Hi,

Well today started out as an incredible day and now has turned into a depressing one. I shot a nice bull at around 10:00 am. there were about a dozen elk, that i could see. I was in the timber. They all ran after the shot, so i walked down to where i shot him, to mark the place and see if anything was lying there. He jumped up about 30 yards in some brush and took off. After seeing that i decided to wait an 1 1/2 hours. I then went to where he lay. There was 50-60 drops of blood within 3 feet. I then spent the next 7 hours trying to find him. This country is thick and brushy but I followed every trail for 1/2 mile( there were several) then went between the trails, but again it looks like a tornado went through there, so tough going but did the best I could.So i'm sick and tortured writing this and thinking about it.......Question is....any ideas? I walked in circles and a grid and never came across anymore blood. It started raining 10 min after the shot and never stopped. 

[ribka]

East side or West side?
If East side can lend a hand tomorrow morning.PM me

Any hair? Color of blood found? More info please
What were you shooting and any idea where you hit him?

I hoped you marked area last blood because of rain tonite. Get a few friends and start working the area tomorrow in a grid pattern.
Let me know

[markts]

I am in to help depending on where this happened

[DOUBLELUNG]

USE A GPS to circle out.  Good luck.

[jollyskwala]

Thanks for the offers. i got a few freinds together and we are going to head out now.   No hair...Blood was bright red. Shooting 30.06 and 180 gr. Nosler partition bullet. I felt like I hit him in the vitals, had a good rest, but i did not see the entry point. I do have the spot marked.....need a little more luck.

[jollyskwala]

ohh and this is in Western Montana.

[high country]

what does your blood look like?  dark, pink, frothy....?

[rock]

he said bright red

[lokidog]

Look for the magpies, crows, ravens, and vultures.....       Hope you had some luck today, they can run a long ways, even with a solid hit.

[Annette]

Lots of great ideas and this one will help too. Liscen to the crows. They will start squaqing as soon as they see the animal down and fight to get the eyes pecked out. 

[400out]

ohh and this is in Western Montana.

glad to hear that! 

[GoldTip]

Bright red blood sounds like a muscle hit to me.  He could be pretty stoved up and bedded down somewhere if he took a good muscle hit, but if you got blood on both sides of the bed then you probably hit him right across the front of the brisket and he will probably do fine.  I'd look for him bedded up in the thickest stuff you can find.  Big thing I've found with a muscle hit is they don't behave like they've been hit very hard, they won't necessarily head down hill.  Good luck!

[jollyskwala]

We did not find the bull today.......we searched and searched in torrential downpour all day. No crows, ravens, magpies. I wish this had a happy ending but not this time. I'm so bummed it's hard to put words to it. Anyhow, it's hard to admit to losing an elk but the truth is the truth. I've never lost an animal to date.....20 years of hunting and 15 deer, elk and antelope. Thanks for everyone's suggestions and may this never happen again. One question....do you folks think it's better to shoot for the shoulder and try and break some bones? Have had a few people tell that is how they hunt big bulls. First shot to stop 2nd to kill. I figured a good shot to the vitals is best but now I'm rethinking it.

[GoldTip]

We did not find the bull today.......we searched and searched in torrential downpour all day. No crows, ravens, magpies. I wish this had a happy ending but not this time. I'm so bummed it's hard to put words to it. Anyhow, it's hard to admit to losing an elk but the truth is the truth. I've never lost an animal to date.....20 years of hunting and 15 deer, elk and antelope. Thanks for everyone's suggestions and may this never happen again. One question....do you folks think it's better to shoot for the shoulder and try and break some bones? Have had a few people tell that is how they hunt big bulls. First shot to stop 2nd to kill. I figured a good shot to the vitals is best but now I'm rethinking it.

I always shoulder shoot.  Every animal I shoot, every single one.  My Dad was an outfitter and told every hunter that ever hunted with him to shoulder shoot.  Break'em down.  Might ruin a little extra burger meat, but they are much easier to track.

[groundhog]

Personally I like to stay away from the front shoulder on big bull elk. It is not just bow hunters and muzzleloaders that have problems with penetration. I know someone will say I am crazy and that a high power rifle will shoot right through the shoulders of an elk. Sometimes they will, maybe most times they will, but not always. Shoot em through the lungs and they will not go far.

[trophyhunt]

If I had to choose it would be a shot just behind the shoulder everytime, take out the lungs and it's dead.

[dblakney]

Double Lung em!

[bow4elk]

Sorry to hear the news of your elk.  You sound genuine, honest, and have put yourself out there in hopes of bettering your chances of recovering your elk.  That takes courage.  I hope you or friends will have another opportunity to look again.

Don't overthink it.  Vitals are vitals and avoiding bone isn't a bad thing.  Plan on one well-executed shot.  If you have any doubts, don't shoot.  Only shoot when you are 100% confident in your ability to deliver the bullet into the vitals.  If you put a sharp stick through both lungs, an elk will only be alive a matter of seconds.  Same for a bullet plus you'll be delivering a serious load of energy in the form of hydrostatic shock.  Hitting bone obviously causes more damage but isn't required.  Heart/lung vital hits kill animals in seconds regardless of weapon choice.

I sense you've lost a lot of confidence over this, but I hope that's not the case.  You're seasoned given your years of experience.  Hunting will always have the potential of sad endings, which must be examined and sorted out.  They are the consequence of the hunter or the animal or possibly both.  Was the shot rushed?  Did the animal move?  Etc., etc., etc... Something caused a poorly placed arrow, bullet, or slug.

I feel the best medicine for your own conscience - assuming a high standard of ethics - is examining the shot and whether or not you'd take it again.  If the answer is "yes, I'd take that shot again", then you can do your best to recover the animal with your chin held high.  If the answer is "no, I knew I shouldn't have taken that shot", then you have the opportunity to learn and grow, while doing your best to recover the animal.  I don't think anyone who takes hunting seriously ever stops learning and calibrating their own set of ethical standards.  By definition, hunting is, in part, about killing.  Striving for quick, humane kills is and should be the goal.  I have no doubt that was your goal.

[jollyskwala]

Bow4ELK,

Thanks for the encouraging words. I have to admit that I hesitated posting but I was willing to listen to anyone's advice if it might help. I replayed the scene 1000 times in my mind and I would take the shot again. I w\as not breathing hard, had a rest(mono podwhich I've used for several modern and muzzy kills) and a clear shot. Shot this rifle/bullet combo many times and have been accurate. I probably nailed him, it just such a thick, nasty jungle, microburst kinda place I could not find him. Now that said the shot obviously could've been better but maybe my shot was off by an inch. It's been a brutal few days but I will get back in the saddle. Got enough experience to have confidence. Thanks again.