It's now or never.... do you take the shot?

[elkslare]

BOW, Be patient wait for him to step out  and then a cow call.  Perfect shot, and he is in the back of my truck.Ok after a little work.

[KillerBeee]

Neck shot.....300WSM.

[BlackRidge]

Bow: Not a chance

Rifle: Neck shot w/ the .270 (Barnes TSX) and I'm confident he'd go down quick. Worst case scanario, I'd be tracking him for a few

[BoomWhop]

At 60 yards Boom Whop

[PA BEN]

Neck shot right under the chin w/Bow, riffle and muzzle loader through the bush. I killed two elk at 60yds in the neck w/my bow, didn't go far and bled like hell.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Either between the eyes, or let him walk(rifle)

 

Lever gun.. Iron sights. 30-30. sighted for 0 at 125yds. Put the bead a tad low right between the peepers.
Ruger 77, Scoped 30-338 sighted for 0 at 300yds. Put the crosshairs a tad low right between the peepers.
Ruger Redhawk, Iron sights. 44mag with 300gn Sierra SP, sighted for 0 at 75yds. Dead nuts right between the peepers. (IN the left eye would be effective too.)

There are two more risky options, but you've got to be a good off-hand shot, most likely with irons on short barreled rifle and or pistol as a long barrel and scope would slow your movement to aquire and target.  As he's getting up and most suredly going to turn quartering away, you're already estimating where his vitals will be and you shoot as the vital zone comes across the sights. But that's a spit second decision to make, as if the vitals don't cross your hold, you'd be better to let him walk. The next would be to estimate the depth of his spine and actually take a shot at the neck and break his spine. Right behind the jaw would do the same thing. Did that with a deer once. I don't know that I'd recommend it on a bigger animal.

Unfortunately most hunters don't shoot enough to be able to place shots with such delicate accuracy. Most hunters come to the range, print pretty groups at much longer distances from a sand bag rest on a bench. 9 of 10 don't practice off hand shooting. And most hunters don't know the absolute trajectory of their bullets, with scope mounting taken into perspective. People SELDOM practice with their 300yd rifle at 50yds.

-Steve

[bobcat]

Boy I just can't see where a head shot would make sense. If you're off by just two inches you're going to just give him a bad headache, and then likely a slow death. With the neck shot there's a little more room for error. However, I would not try it with a muzzleloader or even a lower velocity rifle round. Another option would be to just go for the shoulder shot. That little tree isn't going to deflect a bullet enough with the elk standing right next to the tree. It may not deflect a bullet at all. And with a good scope you could probably thread a bullet through a small opening in the tree if you had to. I think that would be much better odds than aiming between the eyes.   

[C-Money]

Neck shot, .270win, 140 accubond. @ 60 yards, lights out! Dirt nap in progress!

[Hyde]

I'm surprised at how many would take a neck shot at that distance.  Any neck shot on an elk is risky at best due to their anatomy.  That is a once in a lifetime bull for 99% of us.  Maybe the bull would get away, because in my scenario, in about 3 seconds, he is going to explode in a cloud of dust and all you'll have then is the "Texas Heart Shot" for about 3 seconds before he makes the trees. 

I posted this pic because I have personal experience with this scenario (except it was a spike).  I pondered what to do in the few seconds I had, I could tell he was about to haul ass so I took the highest percentage shot which was right behind the shoulder.  My 250 grain Partition out of my 338 WM busted through the jackpine like it wasn't even there and the elk dropped in his tracks.  I probably wouldn't take that shot if I were carrying a 243, 270, or anything with 150 or smaller grain bullet.   Now if that elk were say 150 or 200+ yards out, I wouldn't attempt to shoot through the trees, even with a 338 WM.  But at 60 yards....?  That is EXACTLY why I carry a 338 WM for elk.  Sure, a 270 will kill an elk just fine, but in a once in a lifetime scenario, I want the deck stacked all the way! 

And I agree whole heartedly with Bobcat, a head shot is completely out of the question.

[bobcat]

Hyde, I agree with you that a neck shot is not a good shot on an elk. But the exception is, like in this scenario, the bull is giving you a straight on shot into its throat, basically. And that's also why I said I would only do it with a high velocity round. For instance, I wouldn't try it with a 30-30. The reason is that if you're off by a couple inches a high velocity bullet will still take that bull down due to the shock. I also agree as I said that the shoulder shot would be a good option since it is only at 60 yards.

[tshoote30]

Oh i like this game. if he stands there 60 yards..............HMMM neck/head then ass shot. 30.06 180 grain, if he is ready to blow out of there i would still same bullet/gun aim a tad bit ahead and shoot the *censored* out of him head... neck.. ass enough to get him down and in the back of my truck for lunch meat :-). no second thoughts about it......

[Lowedog]

I'm surprised at how many would take a neck shot at that distance.  Any neck shot on an elk is risky at best due to their anatomy.  That is a once in a lifetime bull for 99% of us.  Maybe the bull would get away, because in my scenario, in about 3 seconds, he is going to explode in a cloud of dust and all you'll have then is the "Texas Heart Shot" for about 3 seconds before he makes the trees. 

I posted this pic because I have personal experience with this scenario (except it was a spike).  I pondered what to do in the few seconds I had, I could tell he was about to haul ass so I took the highest percentage shot which was right behind the shoulder.  My 250 grain Partition out of my 338 WM busted through the jackpine like it wasn't even there and the elk dropped in his tracks.  I probably wouldn't take that shot if I were carrying a 243, 270, or anything with 150 or smaller grain bullet.   Now if that elk were say 150 or 200+ yards out, I wouldn't attempt to shoot through the trees, even with a 338 WM.  But at 60 yards....?  That is EXACTLY why I carry a 338 WM for elk.  Sure, a 270 will kill an elk just fine, but in a once in a lifetime scenario, I want the deck stacked all the way! 

And I agree whole heartedly with Bobcat, a head shot is completely out of the question.

That jack pine has a large tree right behind it covering most of the vitals.  I too am surprised at the number of people who have said they would take this shot.  Kind of an eye opener really.  Lets a person know why things like this are not all that uncommon.  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,59924.0.html 

[bobcat]

Isn't that bigger tree BEHIND the elk? 

[Hyde]

Yes, the larger tree is behind the elk.  That little jackpine in front of him is about 2 inches thick at the largest place. 

[dirty24d]

i would shoot. i wouldnt even call that thing a jack pine. i'd call it floating pine needles its so small and thin..