Contributors to this thread:
I built this elk target to help train my mind for the upcoming season. Would you say the vitals are reasonably correct? I am particularly concerned about the "V" leg bones and scapula. I'm aware the lungs may extend a little further upwards and back, but I would rather practice with a smaller vital area. The target is just under 8 feet long and if placed on two blocks 1.5 feet high, it stands 5 feet at the shoulder. Thanks
I would stay away from the top 2-3 inches of your opening. Remember, arteries go to the center of the lungs then disperse. the high shots I have made, left poor blood trails.
You can shoot a little lower than that on the back end of your hole.
Yep, the dark teardrop shape straight up that front leg is the sweet spot. The rear portion of the opening is getting real close to where you don't want to be.
Here is the one that I put together.
Randy Ulmer gave a seminar at the Pope & Young convention and his was a little different than mine. The bb on the pic was his aiming point.
I can't argue with Randy's success, but I aim at the same height but further forward, just above the back of the point of the elbow.
I would say - roll that BB forward so the bottom of it is facing up, should be about right - possibly even one complete roll would be better??
I print a target cover. It is life size. It has the vitals lightly on the elk. I sells for $69.00 You can see it at my website
I can't argue with Mr Ulmer's success either, but I still disagree with his shot placement based on anatomy. I don't think his argument of cutting more lung tissue is proven (as far as being more effective) and for me, his shot placement is just asking for a gut shot. He said in his talk that while he prefers not to have a gut shot, and I don't want to paraphrase him wrong and misrepresent him, but he downplayed them and talked about his success rate in recovering gut shot animals, which to me, means that he thinks of gut shots differently than I do.
If I was shooting at a cow or the WR elk, I'd rather shoot it in the humerus and have it live to see another day than shoot it in the gut and hope to recover it. To me, the feeling of watching a gut shot animal run off for parts unknown and the hours of waiting and wondering is not what I'm looking for in a hunt and not how I want my animals to die.
To the OP, this is as low as you want to shoot em. This elk was standing with front legs even, horning a tree. The arrow went straight through the heart and just missed the humerus.
I took a 35 yard shot on an unranged 42 yard animal on flat ground, aiming for BB's spot with a 52 lb bow shooting a 430 gn arrow. If you haven't seen BB's shot placement thread, perhaps someone can bump it to the top. The elk went 26 yards and piled up. No 8 hour wait.
Since I started aiming for BB's spot 2 yrs ago, my last 5 big game animals have dropped in site.
Based on my experience, I'm really no one to judge, but I think that Mr Allard's shot placement is far superior to Mr Ulmer's.
I would practice with a kill zone that is all below the 1/2 way mark on the chest. Many elk are killed with higher hits, but I have been on many long blood trails with sad endings due to someone shooting higher in the chest.
I have been using an enlarged portion of this dimensioned photo, life size, so I have a 13-14" lung shot, and a 7" heart shot
Mr Alzy! IMO I would stay away from the bottom right 1/4 of your target (neet idea) this is the joint below the scapula not good!
