Kill shot

[Thernlund]

I don't hunt. I want to, and likely will, but thus far in my life have not had the opportunity (not coming from a hunting family, friends don't hunt, ect.)So I have this question which another thread made me wonder...

You shoot an animal and wound it. You hustle after, finally catch up, and find the animal still alive. Where do you put the kill shot? Do you use your rifle? Or a sidearm you may have with you (maybe not legal)?

I'm sure this depends on the type of animal, whether it is to be mounted, ect. The answer(s) may even be obvious. But I've studied up and worked out alot in my mind. This is something I've not yet answered for myself. And... I'm of the school that there are no stupid questions.

Thoughts? Personal experiences would be a bonus.

Thanks.


-T.

 

[eliphalet]

In the head but not if it is to be mounted and it is messy with a high power rifle at close range. I carry a NAA 22LR for just such occasions, that are happily few and far in between.

Not a stupid question at all and in all likelihood if you hunt very much it will happen sooner or later.
Legal? not real sure, I know you can't hunt elk with a 22 but several years back I shot one that was facing straight at me, head on and hit a couple of inches under the chin, through it's neck. It was out but still breathing when I got there and a 22 through the brain caused that to cease instantly. Once a animal is basically killed with a proper caliber but not quite dead I seriously doubt a coup de grace with a 22LR would matter or be considered illegal. Would be a great question to ask the local game warden though, and not rely on a forum in any legal matter.
Kind of a rough subject but is or can be a reality and a good question IMHO

 

[MDHunter]

Back up a Minute

Thornlund,

Kudos to you for looking into a pasttime that many of us love, even though no one in your circle of family/friends is involved in it!

If you wound a deer or big game animal - hustling after it and finally catching it isn't how it goes in most cases...typically, if a hunter wounds a big game animal but does not kill it, it may make more sense to give the animal about an hour to go lay down, and hopefully die in its bed. trying to pursue a wounded animal right away can cause the animal to panic, travel farther than it otherwise would have, and sometimes never be found.

Not an answer to your direct question, but something to think about as you continue looking into things!

Michael

 

[rampage841512]

According to my Hunter Ed. class, put one behind the ear. After you've wounded the animal, but not killed it clean you need to end it quickly.

 

[koja48]

A question most thoughfully asked (and I commend you) . . .

It may happen, depending upon how often you hunt (or not, because a "bad shot" can always occur).
1) Don't "hustle after it" . . . Learn to recognize approximately where you hit . . . has a huge bearing on how long you should wait until you pursue/follow-up.
2) Learn how to track . . . it IS an art & there are numerous resources available on the net
3) A small caliber round behind & slightly below the ear is a preferable "quick finish." If you don't have access to a "small-caliber" round, use what you have. No creature deserves less than a quick, humane demise. "Mounting" is secondary; taxidermists have trained to repair "holes." Ethical termination is primary.

 

[Harve Curry]

Also use caution, for your own safety, when getting close to woounded game. They may have more get up and go as you close in , then you bargained for. Deer have come alive in car trunks.
From a high vantage point once, I saw a deer charge a hunter who was tracking him. The young hunter heard him and fired his muzzle loader from the hip at about 12', knocking the buck away. It was a 29 1/2" mule deer that scored 196.

 

[trueblue1776]

My kill shot is from a knife, for personal reasons, I have no taste for point blank shots. Under the jaw, firmly from side to side.

 

[Cosmoline]

For medium to large game this is what I've been taught to do:

--Approach from behind but do not get within striking distance until the animal is down and still.
--If the animal is still moving as you approach fire again into the heart/lung area. Continue firing if needed until the animal stops moving
--Only approach once the animal has remained down and totally still for a few minutes.
--Poke the eye to ensure it's completely dead.

The only exception I've heard is with brown bear where the rule is to keep firing until you're empty even if it's not moving.

 

[Art Eatman]

Thernlund, we have members from your area; some of them might work out a face-to-face get-together for discussion. And, check the "Mentor" thread that's stickied at the top of this page.

Art

 

[xd45gaper]

My kill shot is from a knife, for personal reasons, I have no taste for point blank shots. Under the jaw, firmly from side to side.

i agree, dependent on what you are hunting,(ie grizzly bear) unless he is standing there staring you down. a knife works wonders! granted its not the safest way to put an animal out but it works lol

side note, i wouldnt try this on an elk or anything bigger than a whitetail lol

 

[Muzzy_B]

Depends on what you are hunting, I didn't see where you referred to any specific game. Birds often require a neck ringing to get them to quit flopping. I've stomped on many a turkey's head after popping one, and I've cracked the skulls of plenty of little fuzzy critters with the butt of a stout folding knife. Smaller game animals such as the ones I just mentioned would be ruined with a follow up shot.

When hunting big game, I'm more patient and tend not to shoot unless I know I can dispatch my game quickly and cleanly (whether bow or rifle hunting). It's a habbit I've acquired over the years. If it means passing on a big ole' mossy back because I'm not comortable with the shot, then oh well. I'm getting too old and fat to track too far.

 

[Cosmoline]

You guys can knife a downed moose. I'm not going to!

 

[dogrunner]

At close range a high neck shot has always worked best for me. Usually I have always used the rifle I was primarily hunting with.

Did kill a deer once with an NAA .22 mini revolver with a contact shot, but my buddy was actually sitting on it and holding the antlers at the time.

 

[CoRoMo]

If I'm carrying my .357 revolver, I'd use that. Otherwise the rifle in my hands. I've never had to take a second shot, but my most recent harvested animal needed a second shot. However, it died before I could get over to it. If the circumstance requires the second shot, I'd shoot for the top of the neck, base of the skull. I've got to turn in the head for CWD testing.

 

[RJS34]

Had to do it this year with a bull elk. It was still breathing but kind of shallow after about 20 minutes. From 10 yards I put one at the base of the skull. I didn't want to waste any meat by shooting it in the shoulder.

 

[koja48]

My kill shot is from a knife

IMHO, bad idea . . . know one guy quite well who attempted this on what appeared to be severely injured & dying smallish mulie many years ago. I, I mean "the guy," was young, foolish & weighed 245# at the time & was in peak condition . . . it was an ugly rodeo to say the least. Be safe & use the knife AFTER they're dead.

 

[dogrunner]

I gotta go with you Koja! Reading the commentary about the knife reminds me of my neighbor that had a steer (brahma mix) that kept tearing down his fence and stomping thru the rather pricey subdivision behind his place....Damn thing just loved flowers I guess....On the final day of that animals life it'd gotten out three times and with the help of a deputy sheriff he managed to get a rope on it. It would't budge and was in the back yard of a very nice home, had damaged a screen room and fencing as well. He couldn't drive to it and the dep. finally told him to go ahead and shoot the thing....he applied a .243 to where its tiny brain should've been with no success other than somewhat stunning it. The deputy (who I know personally and who's a nervous nellie type) got upset at the noise and subsequent bellowing and decided to take the matter in his own hands and finish that animal with his buck knife, turned into somewhat of a rodeo event real quick!.....VERY shortly thereafter he was begging my friend to "shoot it again!!".........

Bottom line is that they wound up driving thru the fencing with a truck and dragging that carcass about a mile thru that subdivision.....I really believe they strangled that critter!.............


Anyway, I'm with you, screw those knives!

 

[sixgunner455]

Knife works if that's all you've got. Dad has done that a bunch to crippled deer on the side of the road. Not a primary choice, to me anyway.

Handgun is legal to carry with you while hunting in AZ, no matter what you are carrying or hunting. Just can't use it to take the animal with if you are not licensed to take an animal with that weapon. For example, if you have a CCW, and are hunting archery deer, you cannot shoot the deer with your CCW. If you are hunting with a rifle and put a deer on the ground, you can shoot it in the ear with your .22 that you are carrying to shoot bunnies with. Or use your bigger pistol, if you are carrying it to protect yourself from the drug runners along the border.

If you are hunting rabbits and/or quail and/or doves, you could use a .22 to put the critter out. Very effective on rabbits, but I find doves and quail to be better breaking their necks and so forth.