Flight distance as a function of meat damage?

[DaavG]

In a lot of areas in South Africa , the bush/visibility does not allow a follow up shot as the animal disappears within a few meters

In the KZn bush, follow shots are never possible and as TStone / Pre64 say, animals often will run up to 100m shot broadside through lungs. Impala is most often the species and generally a good blood trail to follow.

A shot that I am beginning not to like is frontal shot as often the bullet does not exit and there is usually very little blood to follow, making that 100m odd tracking exercise a stressful experience!

[Socrates]

Thanks for all the great answers so far. I'm learning alot.

Follow up question: Generally, calibres such as 270 Win and 300 Win Mag are not recommended for the bushveld hunter, because they are too fast and tend to lead to bloodshot shouldermeat.

Those that have also hunted with the faster calibers at Bushveld distances - have you observed quicker kills on heart long shots with those calibres on shorter distances?

And a follow up question to that - did you observe a difference between mono metal bullet such as Barnes/Hornady and lead core bullets.

A bit of background to the questioning: I hunt in an urban setting, and I'm responsible for my own tracking and recovery. There are also a couple of legal considerations added to that, which makes me highly motivated to make sure than whatever I shoot, drops on spot.

I'm trying to figure out if there is magic line, beyond which there excist a combination of calibre and bullet velocities where a heart/lung shot animal lacks the physical capacity to make a death dash.

*Disclaimer: As das as I'm concerned Terminal ballistics has more in common with voodoo than science.

[Andrew Leigh]

My own experience does not add up to a statistical data base but here are my observations.

We need to step back a little as bullets type, shot selection and bullets placement have more to do with meat damage than speed and caliber in my experience. You can chase a .270 at speed through the rear of the lungs resulting in a couple of shattered ribs and a bit of snotty meat. You may well walk 100 to 200m. That same shot on the shoulder is a different kettle of fish.

So my meat damage limitation starts with shot preparation.
- I start with a premium bullet which is loaded to conventional speeds. Don't like chasing velocity.
- I then start with the head. If close enough and if the animal is relaxed enough, then a head shot, for me up to 125m.
- If a head shot not possible, I wait for the animal to present broadside to me. I wait until I know that my bullet path through the animal will not hit any major bones. Like TStone pointed out so eloquently.
- If comfortable and confident I will take my shot.
- I never take a marginal shot, would rather walk away and wait for another opportunity.
- I don't do follow up shots, you should know where you hit it and have the confidence that it will not survive. If you are not confident then perhaps a little more range time would be appropriate.
- I find animals generally drop on the spot, or stagger for 5m on their hindlegs, at worst bolt for 15m stop and drop.
- I have stopped shooting for the heart as it almost always results in a shattered front leg which irritates me endlessly as there is no reward for a great shot.

The worst meat damage I have encountered has been;
- Fast frangible bullets on the shoulder.

Here is an example, of a factory load frangible bullet and a heart shot, that destroyed the heart but a bunch of other stuff as the bullet shattered.
20200912_112138.jpg

I shoot Accubond's almost exclusively but for a box of factory 6.5mm I had to buy as I did not get time to reload. An unmitigated disaster.
For a while I played with speed once using 120gr. Barnes TTSX but was concerned that if I did wound an animal that tracking would be difficult based on blood evidence from some kills. They are great bullets though.

This from a Warthog Boar shot frontal at 125m. 6.5x55mm at 2 900fps. I had to break the right shoulder but was confident that the Barnes would, and I was proven correct.

Barnes 120gr.jpg

So the best recipe for limiting meat damage is a decent bullet a correct shot placement. This also greatly reduces the need for any tracking.

[Heath Robinson]

Thanks for all the great answers so far. I'm learning alot.

Follow up question: Generally, calibres such as 270 Win and 300 Win Mag are not recommended for the bushveld hunter, because they are too fast and tend to lead to bloodshot shouldermeat.

Those that have also hunted with the faster calibers at Bushveld distances - have you observed quicker kills on heart long shots with those calibres on shorter distances?

And a follow up question to that - did you observe a difference between mono metal bullet such as Barnes/Hornady and lead core bullets.

A bit of background to the questioning: I hunt in an urban setting, and I'm responsible for my own tracking and recovery. There are also a couple of legal considerations added to that, which makes me highly motivated to make sure than whatever I shoot, drops on spot.

I'm trying to figure out if there is magic line, beyond which there excist a combination of calibre and bullet velocities where a heart/lung shot animal lacks the physical capacity to make a death dash.

*Disclaimer: As das as I'm concerned Terminal ballistics has more in common with voodoo than science.

I have hunted Impala specifically with calibers ranging from .44-40 and .577/450 (1200-1400ft/s) to .270 Win. I have seen a big difference in terminal effect between these very slow calibers and the early smokeless calibers (say around 2000 ft/s), but very little to no difference between those and the .270 and 7mm Rem Mag.

I am also pretty convinced that some bullet designs put game down better than others. In .44-40 for example there is a huge difference between cast lead and modern hollow-points (to the point that I am not prepared to hunt with cast lead bullets in this caliber anymore).

In the "modern" calibers I am a huge fan of the original Rhino Solid Shank, a bullet in which the rear half is a monolitic solid while the front half is jacketed, bonded lead and the meplat is relatively flat. Nothing I have shot with these bullets has ever gone more than about 10 yards (and that includes a lot of Blue Wildebeest). Rhino have in the mean time changed their design somewhat and I have not used the new ones, but there is a forum member who makes something very similar to the old Rhinos (SBC, see the thread "bullet performance data base").

Note that I agree with Andrew here on the importance of bullet placement, and all the shots I describe here were heart shots.

[pre 64]

The only way to absolutely guarantee that an animal will drop on the spot is a shot which destroys the central nervous system.

That is the brain or spinal cord.

Matters not whether you use a 22 rimfire or a 458.

[stated for demo purposes only]

[vinmarvin]

Many hunters believe headshots are the epitome of a great hunter but personally I am not impressed by 200 to 400 m headshots with the fastest and latest tech available. At 54 years old I have done a bit of hunting and can count my headshots on one hand (strange enough mostly in my twenties). I never taught my sons to shoot headshots, they are now both in their mid twenties and if they wish to experiment or pursue that avenue then I hope they are old and mature enough to understand their abilities and limitations.

Maybe with age came wisdom or maybe I am not as good a shot as I use to be......

[pre 64]

Amen vinmarvin.
I hope all hunters really read and understand this.

[Heath Robinson]

Except elephant hunters.

[Adoons]

I always select the shot that should in my opinion kill fast, but the shot must be a planned and executable option. Meat damage is not the considerstion.

Sometimes only head shots fit and I do take them, but only if the use of a tripod or other decent rest is available. I always carry n tripod when hunting and believe it has saved a lot of meat over the years. I just shoot better with it.

The loads and bullets I use are selected for less meat damage, but still have expansion. Solids will make the least meat damage but the most "loosing the whole carcass" damage.

I always have the patience to wait for the best shot that will save meat in any case.

I bet most real bloodshot carcasses are from animals shot by hunters that try to macho off hand shooters without the skill and blasting away as soon as they see thier quarry in the scope.

The worst damage I have ever seen waa from a 22 Hornet with 45 gr softpoints on an Impala ram.