bullet performance and hunter hell.

[Eagleye]

That being said occasionally things occur that suprise us all. I broadside shot a muley doe a few years back with my 50BMG. Everyone knows "a 50 will kill anything dead on the spot", well I am here to say WRONG.
We found blood and lung tissue galore, but she took off on the run down a coulee. We did finally find her remains 2 days of searching later and nearly 3 miles from where the shot was taken, missing 2 ribs and 50% of her lungs.
It would seem that 3 miles for us bipeds is a long distance, but apparently not for a muley on a mission.

It is easy for everyone to judge and say that 1 shot placement is better than another, statisticly 1 is probably better to shoot for heart and lungs, but as I found out the only real guarantees seem to be hunting at Safeway.

I am not going to challenge your experience, but I would be willing to say that such an event is about as rare as finding 24 teeth in a barnyard rooster. I have been a witness to somewhere between 300 and 400 head of game being harvested, and have never seen an animal with a solid double-lung shot travel over about 150 yards, with most down within 40. I consider a solid double -lung shot a very high percentage shot, and have plenty of experience to support that. Regards, Eagleye.

 

[Silverado]

I agree with you about no guarantee of less meat damage on a body shot, but that can play both ways.
I shot a cow moose several years ago in the neck, it was a "perfect" shot. Shattered the spine she hit the ground dead. I was thrilled, nice young cow, NO meat damage, I thought.
When we started skin her out I noticed ALOT of hemoraging along the back straps. I happened to be hunting with a buddy who is an ER doctor, he figured that the hydrostatic shockwave of a 250 gr bullet hitting dead center of the spine travelled along the spine and basically turned all the surronding tissue to jello. Needless to say loosing all of the best meat to damage was upsetting.
I have only experienced this once, but thought I would share it.

I typically shoot most "for meat" game at the juction of head and neck but with ALOT more gun than a 243. To date luck seems to have prevailed and nothing has ever gotten back up, but as others have stated in time I am sure 1 will.
That being said occasionally things occur that suprise us all. I braodside shot a muley doe a few years back with my 50BMG. Everyone knows "a 50 will kill anything dead on the spot", well I am here to say WRONG.
We found blood and lung tissue galore, but she took off on the run down a coulee. We did finally find her remains 2 days of searching later and nearly 3 miles from where the shot was taken, missing 2 ribs and 50% of her lungs.
It would seem that 3 miles for us bipeds is a long distance, but apparently not for a muley on a mission.

It is easy for everyone to judge and say that 1 shot placement is better than another, statisticly 1 is probably better to shoot for heart and lungs, but as I found out the only real guarantees seem to be hunting at Safeway.

That is an incredible story.

 

[alberta tactical rifle]

I am not going to challenge your experience, but I would be willing to say that such an event is about as rare as finding 24 teeth in a barnyard rooster. I have been a witness to somewhere between 300 and 400 head of game being harvested, and have never seen an animal with a solid double-lung shot travel over about 150 yards, with most down within 40. I consider a solid double -lung shot a very high percentage shot, and have plenty of experience to support that. Regards, Eagleye.

I agree a lung shot is without doubt 1 of thee most effective shots to take.
To say I was surprised by this experience is a gross understatement. And do concede this is a very rare circumstance. I have killed alot of game and other stuff in my life and have been surprised a few times. This however takes the cake.
The part of this story that I can not answer for obvious reasons is how much lung damage was done by the bullet and how much was done by rib parts as secondary projectiles or when . The broken ribs well may have acted like a broadhead continuing to causee damage with each step.
This is strictly speculation however.

 

[weldboss]

No offence but 6 deer is too small a statistical sample to construct an informed opinion with. Most of the people warning about the potential hazards of neck & head shots have spent many years in the field and have harvested several dozens - or more - animals. While all shots carry a degree of risk some are riskier than others.

With that said every individual must decide for himself what degree of risk is acceptable.

None taken, I have actually harvested over 50 deer in my hunting career, but 6 of them I Chose to shoot in the neck, I decided prior to the season that I was taking a neck shot on a deer and selected my load and bullet accordingly. I think I did my homework and my record speaks for itself.