Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Ever hit a bull mortally, with no reaction?

I shot at a bull named Big Morty one time. Don't know if I hit him, tho.....

When hunting the rut my favorite rifle is my marlin dark in 45-70. A 405 gr hard cast at 1600fps puts the hurt on them with high shoulder shots. They rarely get out of sight before they are hitting the dirt... generally speaking elk react pretty quickly at an impact (getting out of dodge)...moose on the other hand rarely show much sign of being hit (just stand there, then tip over)

Several years ago a friend of mine in PENN shot a large buck with a 35 REM at around 175 yards. The deer was feeding in a field and after the shot, the deer put its head up and walked slowly into the woods. He thought he had missed and walked into the field, the deer was dead just inside the tree line.

Yep twice. First one was 80 yds away feeding. Kind of 1/4ing away. 7 mag 160 gn nosler partition. Impact was the last rib on my side. Slug stopped in offside leg just under the hide. That bull never picked up him head. Minute later he crashed.

Second was a bull at 65 yds. Right behind the shoulder. 338 win mag 210gn partition. Bull just stood there, feeding w other elk. 30 seconds ltr he started puking blood. He locked his legs and had his head down, while gushing blood. When he started doing the chicken leg, the other elk payed attention. When he fell the others took off.

Last was a 50 yd shot w a bow. Perfect shot, he ran up hill and stood there looking around. About a min later his back end started to wobble, Down he want.

They are tough buggers

I’ve had it happen with Bulls & cows 7mm,30-06& 300 Weatherby. Most often shooting them on the move there isn’t a fast reaction. I think anyone taking traditional double lung shots will experience the lack of dramatic effect. Shot a huge cow through the lungs at 11 yards & she ran about 100 in the snow before falling.

At closer ranges high neck shot seems to be instantly fatal but is a smaller higher risk target. I’m sold on the Barnes for tough angles & think you give up a little performance with no bone contact.

Several times. Bull moose at 7 yards walking slowly, put .54 cal slug behind the front leg when it went forward for the next step. Bull never flinched or jumped and didn't change his pace. For a couple seconds I thought I had missed, but then he stopped and slowly looked back at me. I thought I was gonna get a stomping! But then he tipped over and rolled down a hill.

No way, I was told only a 338win mag or 30-378 weatherby could take down elk....kinetic energy and all.....


Lol

There’s always one guy…

My Dad shot a bull a few years back, shot twice, hit it twice. It never even flinched, so much that we thought it was two clean misses. The bull turned and started walking uphill, we waited for him to stop to fire a third shot, but as soon as he did he fell over dead. Both bullets hit perfectly a few inches apart, he bled out on his feet.

Do you not agree? There is no such thing as a mortal wound with no reaction. It simply cannot happen.

There may be a reaction……but, unseen by the hunter/shooter! memtb

Yep. I shot a spike one year in Wyoming twice through the lungs with a 308, 180 Sierra at about 50 yards. Zero reaction. He took 2-3 steps and started the sideways shuffle, hitting the ground.

180 gr NPT out of a 300 mag thru the lungs and heart, bull ran. Second shot to the spine, dropping rear quarters. He was still clawing with his front legs, trying to get away with with two mortal hits. Took a few minutes to give it up.

DF

Good bud shot one thru the chest with a 300 mag. Bull bowed up, just stood there. Hit him again, bowed up, stood there for a few minutes, then fell over. Both good hits, both mortal wounds. He didn’t run.

DF

That describes a reaction

That describes a reaction

That describes a reaction.

Dying is a reaction to a mortal shot. Doesnt matter if the hunter sees the death or not, it is a reaction which is why I said what I said.

Yeah, you’re right.

Just not much of one.

DF

Mac, you’re being a dick.

Do you truly not understand what I was asking?

Let me put it another way:

Has anyone ever shot a bull, mortally, upon which shot the bull failed to immediately react to said shot shot, despite the mortal placement of said shot?

Happy?




P