1 shot kill?

[BCWILL]

I've had some Good Bang Flops but just as many Lungshot critters that ran away like thier A$$ was on fire
Of course they don't go Far as soon as they realize they left a lung or two behind

 

[tracker]

I shot a calf moose last week that came running towards me after I made a cow call. I was kneeling on the ground and at about 5 yards from me it passed by. The first shot was a one lung 10 yard shot and would of killed her, but she ran after the cow as if I missed her and the second was at base of head/neck and she dropped. One shot does not always work, I have heard of a lot of follow up shot that are the kill shots. Usually when you see large game it is in a spot with easy access for removal and a one shot kill/drop means at lot less work than another few yards of running.

 

[Brandon]

Ive only ever hunted deer, and with those critters, you KNOW when you hit it. Rarely have I ever heard an experienced deer hunter say "I think I hit it, but im not sure" You're watching it clear as day when the bullet hits it, they always react different than if you miss.
The ones Ive shot have only ever bowed out in a crumpled heap, never run. I shot a nice sized doe last year in the neck (not purposely in the neck, however) and she dropped. My brother shot a buck the next day in the front vitals, and it took off like a bat outta hell. Ended up running up hill for a couple hundred yards, before he lay down.

 

[hbar2]

If you have a chance for a follow up shot, take it every time. Its only ego that prevents it. I know of more than a couple instances where I have heard(or said)"I KNOW I hit it good, where did it go" and spent hours looking for an animal that was "hit good", or went down and got up. When something goes wrong, the animal just wants to get away, they dont want us to find them.

 

[hbar2]

.a moose is a big animal and not too hard to find when dead if you had a good boilerroom shot]

Rainman-I have walked less than 10 yards from dead moose/elk and not seent ehm lying behind deadfall or in tall grass. IF you had a good boilerroom shot is the key point, you seldom know just how good that shot was until you get the animal opened up, unless its one of those 1 in 1000 shots where you can see the blood hosing out the side as it turns. Like I said before, I think its only inexperience or ego (or perhaps being too thrifty with ammo!) that prevents people from taking a follow up shot. I learned the hard way. BTW-not trying to be an a**hole, just speaking from experience.

 

[Deano]

I have put shots through the ribcage on deer and they almost always run a short distance after being hit. Usually only about 40-60 yards. Any deer that I have dropped on the spot has been either hit in the spinal column, either back or neck. I hit a doe right in the head once and she dropped right there, but I would expect that.

 

[grouseman]

wow, have one-shot-dropped (where they stood) about a half dozen head of game, only two a spinal. spine helps, but a good solid hit in the vitals can have the same effect.

well, I learned something new today

 

[Andy]

Strangely, all six of the ones I've taken in the past four years have dropped where they were hit. Four fell on their side and moved their legs a bit, one turned 180 degrees and then fell, and the sixth stood on wobbly legs and fell on its side after about 30 seconds.

All were ribcage lung shots. Two with 375 H&H, one with 25/06, one with 303 Brit and two with 12 ga slugs. Ranges from 50-185 yds. Only deer I've shot that ran and fell was hit with a broadhead from a bow.

 

[Amphibious]

well, I learned something new today

hydrostatic shock has a wonderfull ability to disrupt CNS networking. not always, but sometimes. of course you're right too, a shot to the spine produces the most amazing bang-flops I;'ve ever seen.

I shot my moose in the spine last year from about 150yrds. my buddy was in the stern of the canoe video taping the whole thing. you can hear the shot, and directly after my bolt racking for another round, by the time I looked up (spit second?) it was gone and you can hear me #####ing about it running off. video shows it going down like a puppet with it's strings cut, disapearing in 2ft of river delta spinal shot, and yes, it was high of intended POI.

thank goodness moose float

 

[hbar2]

Heres a question, and I realize that it may be a bit paranoid. With all the trouble we are having lately with CWD, is anyone else becoming somewhat reluctant to sever the spine of animals, whether it is from the shot, while removing it from the filed, or during butchering? Its a thought I have had the last couple years while dealing with our game, and all this talk of spinal shots reminded me of it. What do you think?

 

[rollingrock]

To some extent I agree with Amphibious, it's the second shot that makes the game run. I do have that kinda experience. But sometimes after the first shot hit it, it would just stand there still with body/muscle tensed up, but you won't be able to tell by looking with your bare eyes though.

 

[WCTHEMI]

Never really thought about it till just now, but I think its a valid point of concern.

 

[wetcoaster]

Adrenaline is an amazing substance. Upon shooting an animal it is immediately released into the blood stream and goes off like a nuke to prepare them for the flight. People have been known to do incredible things on adrenaline rushes in emergency situations such as lift cars off kids etc. they actally can rip muscle right off bone as adrenaline masks pain felt by individuals on a rush.

Game animals shot in the vitals especially if they are startled can become supercharged for a short time but it is just that short because adrenaline also causes the heart to pump at an incredible rate and therefore animals on an adrenaline rush go into hypertonic shock before clotting can occur and die relatively quickly from not enough blood volume and pass out. They can sure run a long way in that short time supercharged on adrenaline though.

The second shot theory may have some merit as fear releases more adrenaline quicker. At the first shot the animal may be confused as to what is occuring on the second they relize they are in a flight situation and it ups adrenaline?

 

[Amphibious]

The second shot theory may have some merit as fear releases more adrenaline quicker. At the first shot the animal may be confused as to what is occuring on the second they relize they are in a flight situation and it ups adrenaline?

good explaination. if the animal gets back up or starts to trot off I'll put another round in it. so far though, from the moose I've seen shot/ shot myself, I think the second shot theory is sound in respects to that particular animal. Deer don;t do much for me, only ever shot one, so really can;t speak to it;s effect on them.

seems also the animal being shot at (providing it is unaware of your location prior to shooting) will not understand where the first shot came from, but at the second one it has homed in on the shooters location and knows to run.

so many variables either way, hard to say anything for sure.

 

[Foxer]

A lot of it has to do with how spooked they are when you fire too i think. If they know 'something's up' and have a little adrenaline in them, they'll go. If they didn't see it coming at all they often go down like a tonne of bricks.

I dropped a moose with a heart-lung, went down like a sack of potatoes in it's tracks. Nowhere near the cns. But it was at 250 yards and he didn't see it coming at all. That's the only moose i've seen go down like that without a cns hit - he bellowed like someone'd kicked him in the 'boys'. Likewise i've shot deer that were 'onto me' at 30 yards and have them go 50 or 60 yards before they gave out.

I agree that with moose, they'll often stand there looking a little stupid, then just tip over. But if you have ANY doubts - a second shot is not a bad idea. Just don't 'rush' it and make a poor second shot of it. If you try a 'snap' shot and hit it in the guts, you've turned a dying moose into a gutshot animal for no good reason.

 

[Levi Garrett]

Texas Heart Shot , deadly A good read here...

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/shooting_tips/shot_placement/index3.html

 

[MiG25]

i've had deer drop at the shot with:
22-250 (2, both with neck shots, both completely unaware)
12 guage with buckshot
30-06 (shot hit spine)
7.62x54R (another deer that was unaware to my presence)
8x57 (shot hit the spine)

i've had them run 50-150 yards hit with:
7x57
7.62x54R
7.62x39
303 british
30-06
8x56R
8x57

other than the neck shots with a 22-250, all were shot through the shoulder/heart/lung area.

 

[CAC]

Here is a quote from an article regarding drop at the shot kills. Interesting read.
"Predictably, some of the buffalo dropped where they were shot and some didn’t, even though all received near-identical hits in the vital heart-lung area. When the brains of all the buffalo were removed, the researchers discovered that those that had been knocked down instantly had suffered massive rupturing of blood vessels in the brain. The brains of animals that hadn’t fallen instantly showed no such damage. So what is the connection?

Their conclusion was that the bullets that killed instantly had struck just at the moment of the animal’s heartbeat! The arteries to the brain, already carrying a full surge of blood pressure, received a mega-dose of additional pressure from the bullet’s impact, thus creating a blood pressure overload and rupturing the vessels. "

From this link http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/gear/gunvault/article/0,19912,467122-1,00.html

 

[Levi Garrett]

Their conclusion was that the bullets that killed instantly had struck just at the moment of the animal’s heartbeat! The arteries to the brain, already carrying a full surge of blood pressure, received a mega-dose of additional pressure from the bullet’s impact, thus creating a blood pressure overload and rupturing the vessels. "

Very cool , thanks

 

[hbar2]

Interesting

Here is a quote from an article regarding drop at the shot kills. Interesting read.
"Predictably, some of the buffalo dropped where they were shot and some didn’t, even though all received near-identical hits in the vital heart-lung area. When the brains of all the buffalo were removed, the researchers discovered that those that had been knocked down instantly had suffered massive rupturing of blood vessels in the brain. The brains of animals that hadn’t fallen instantly showed no such damage. So what is the connection?

Their conclusion was that the bullets that killed instantly had struck just at the moment of the animal’s heartbeat! The arteries to the brain, already carrying a full surge of blood pressure, received a mega-dose of additional pressure from the bullet’s impact, thus creating a blood pressure overload and rupturing the vessels. "

From this link http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/gear/gunvault/article/0,19912,467122-1,00.html

I am no doctor, but that is interesting and makes sense. Just waiting for someone on here now to tell us they know how to time their shot to get this effect!