Question about shot placement on elk in Burris ad.

14 June 2004, 16:53

Recoil Rob

The latest issue of RIFLE mag has a Burris ad on the back cover extolling the virtues of their Ballistic plex reticle. It shows the sight picture of the reticle on an elk.

The ad it states that the sight picture is for 400yds. and that means that the point of aim is the lowest dot on the crosshair.

I've never hunted elk, but this seems to be too low and too far right for a good shot. This shot looks as though it would have a chance of grazing the right side of the heart at best. At 400 yds? Am I wrong?

Rob

14 June 2004, 17:59

SteveM70

The hold looks fine to me. Note the angle of the Elk.

15 June 2004, 01:29

Tracker12

Same here. Angle would result in a good lung hit which is what you want on and Elk.

15 June 2004, 04:59

GeorgeS

Rob, I agree with you; the hold should be a little more to the left.

Either they were holding for windage

or the art department thought it looked better with the cross-hairs centered over the elk.

George

15 June 2004, 05:12

Recoil Rob

Thanks for the replies. I removed the link to the website picture because I compared it to the ad and it's a bit different. The magazine ad has the shot plcement looking very low to me, more of a concern than the windage placement. I'd be intersted to hear from you if you can see the actual ad on the magazine.

Thanks, Rob

15 June 2004, 06:06

RSY

It looks iffy to me, as well. The offside leg/shoulder would probably be broken, but I doubt any major vascular damage would be done.

RSY

15 June 2004, 11:56

jaycocreek

Here it is.Not where I would hold.....Jayco.

15 June 2004, 18:19

Sheldon Charron

You have to remeber that most of the art departments are not in house. They are in agencies where the designers have usually never had time behind a rifle. I own an ad agency specializing in the shooting industry and I have designers that have been with for a year, have been trained and have been at the range shooting and still have a habit of centering the animal in the circle and the crosshairs because it looks more balanced. That's why you see crosshaired animals that look like they would be gut shot sometimes. Naturally I catch these before they go out and have them corrected. Sometimes this isn't the case. In this case though, I would say that although the elk is centered tail to tips of antlers, that should would be acceptable, especially if someone's goal was to take out both shoulders. Instinctively I would normally aim a little differently but the angle looks okay to me. I would let it go if I was proofing it.

17 June 2004, 18:00

Wstrnhuntr

IF the bullet were placed right where the recticle indicates that critter would likley drop in its tracks, BUT! Its not where I would hold either. Just a tad bit higher and to the left would stay in the vital area with the greatest margin for error.

18 June 2004, 01:18

Hot Core

I've never had the opportunity to kill an Elk, so keep that in mind.

It looks like they have lined up to the right of the heart and into the "Off-Side" Shoulder. If that is wrong, someone speak up please.

And if that is what I'm seeing, I personally would shift the Point of Aim to the "On-Side" Shoulder and smash it with a nice HEAVY bullet.

Hey Wstrnhuntr(or any of you folks), Do Elk run with "heart shots" like Deer do?

18 June 2004, 03:56

NMwater

Quote:

I've never had the opportunity to kill an Elk, so keep that in mind.

It looks like they have lined up to the right of the heart and into the "Off-Side" Shoulder. If that is wrong, someone speak up please.

And if that is what I'm seeing, I personally would shift the Point of Aim to the "On-Side" Shoulder and smash it with a nice HEAVY bullet.

Hey Wstrnhuntr(or any of you folks), Do Elk run with "heart shots" like Deer do?

Yes they do run after heart/lung shots, and it's ususally down to the bottom of the deepest darkest canyon you've ever seen with no road or trail except around the upper rim.

18 June 2004, 05:28

MHC_TX

Maybe there is a right to left wind

18 June 2004, 06:23

jaycocreek

Quote:

Quote:

I've never had the opportunity to kill an Elk, so keep that in mind.

It looks like they have lined up to the right of the heart and into the "Off-Side" Shoulder. If that is wrong, someone speak up please.

And if that is what I'm seeing, I personally would shift the Point of Aim to the "On-Side" Shoulder and smash it with a nice HEAVY bullet.

Hey Wstrnhuntr(or any of you folks), Do Elk run with "heart shots" like Deer do?

Yes they do run after heart/lung shots, and it's ususally down to the bottom of the deepest darkest canyon you've ever seen with no road or trail except around the upper rim.

I'll second that.I've often wondered why I didn't bring the salt and pepper.

Jayco.

18 June 2004, 12:01

Hot Core

Quote:

...Yes they do run after heart/lung shots, and it's ususally down to the bottom of the deepest darkest canyon you've ever seen with no road or trail except around the upper rim.

That really doesn't sound like a lot of fun.

OK, question 2. If a 1000# Elk is shot in the heart/lungs and then runs down "to the bottom of the deepest darkest canyon you've ever seen with no road or trail except around the upper rim", does it "gain weight" on the way down or on the pack coming out?

18 June 2004, 12:04

Hot Core

Quote:

Maybe there is a right to left wind

Hey MHC, Well......Duuuuuuuhhhhhhh!!!! I totally missed that breeze over here on the computer.

Outstandng answer!!!

19 June 2004, 07:08

beemanbeme

Good grief, it was probably set up by some Madison Avenue type that has never seen a gun nor an elk. I don't think I would let a picture in a scope ad determine where I would shoot wild game. How many ads have you seen regarding honey flavored whatever that had a picture of a wasp nest in it?
Hot Core, elk, like deer, begin gaining weight as soon as they're on the ground. They are at their heaviest after they have been cut up and put in the freezer. Especially if the discussion about their weight includes a couple of tots of snake bite medicine.

19 June 2004, 12:38

Hot Core

Hey beemanbeme, There is a fellow down the road from me that has had Fish gain weight in his freezer for years. I noticed this past year that his Deer are now doing the same thing. I'm real interested to see if his "Two Son's Deer" do the same.

If so, I'll check on the make of the "Freezer" and let everyone in on it!

19 June 2004, 18:22

Idared

OK, question 2. If a 1000# Elk is shot in the heart/lungs and then runs down "to the bottom of the deepest darkest canyon you've ever seen with no road or trail except around the upper rim", does it "gain weight" on the way down or on the pack coming out?

It gains weight going down, and a good share of it stays down there!! Boned out meat is all that comes back up with me in such an instance. It also helps to pack a frying pan and eat as much as possible before coming back out of that hole. As was mentioned be sure and have lots of salt and pepper.

This reminds me of an oldtimer I used to hunt with before he passed on. His favorite words were "Now remember, what way is up and what way is down. If you get something above here, shoot three times and I'll come help you. If you shoot something below here, you are on your own" When I asked him what to do if the elk ran downhill after I shot it, he just replied "Just shoot the ones going uphill if you want me to help you" A couple of packs out of one of those "Black holes" will make a strict believer out of nearly anyone. I admit to learning fairly quick the hard way.