The ideal rifle shot for large games such as elk or bear has to make a fatal impact to take it down. So, what is the preferred rifle shot for larger game animals? A broadside shot angle at the lungs will offer you the best advantage.
It is a challenge hunting big games because any shot less than fatal could result in a failed hunt. Hence, taking the perfect shot when hunting big games requires a great understanding of the best shot placement and the angle.
What are the Best Rifle Shots for Large Game?
The main goal of hunting is making a kill, but if you don’t know the preferred Rifle shot for larger games, this goal is often elusive. Big games have a lot of adipose tissues and thick skin, and shooting randomly at them does not guarantee a kill.
Shots not aimed at their vital organs often go to waste, which is why a hunter needs to aim properly before making a shot at animals like the bear or elk. For hunters like me who prefer hunting at night, it is important you get the best surefire flashlight for better visibility and aim.
Making the perfect shot requires confidence in one shooting ability, and a hunter gains this type of confidence by practicing regularly. Also, a hunter needs to ensure that they have a direct line of sight to the animal before making the shot.
Head And Neck Shots
When hunting big game, your primary aim is to kill the animal with one shot. It is a painful experience watching an animal you shot run away even with your bullet inside it.
To incapacitate the animal, head and neck shots are ideal. The head contains the brain while the has spinal column. These organs are vital, and shooting any of them will most likely kill the animal on the spot, with less bad meat.
One way to ensure pinpoint accuracy is to shoot big games from close range. Big games like the elk and bear have a small brain, making the target smaller and more difficult to aim at. When aiming at the neck, you have to remember that your shot has to detach the spinal cord for a quick death.
Shots at The Lungs
Arguably, most hunters prefer lung shots when hunting large games. The reason is that large game shots in the heart do not often make the animal die on the spot because most hunters don’t get it accurately.
Experienced hunters prefer the lungs because it offers them a larger target, which considerably decreases their margin of error. Besides, lung shot result in instant incapacitation.
Heart Shots
Aiming for the heart guarantees an instant kill. But it is difficult to pull off this shot because of the position of the heart in most game animals, which is the chest lower part. Making this shot requires experience and a high confidence level, leaving no room for error.
The upper part of the leg often shields the heart, and missing the heart might shoot the leg, leaving the animal wounded only.
What are the Best Angles for Shot Placement on Large Game Animals?
Getting the right shot is important as it guarantees success in your hunting endeavor. To be successful, you have to know the best angles for rifle shots, and your rifle has to be in perfect condition. Using the best soft shotgun case is ideal for keeping your gun clean and in proper working condition,
Adopting the animal’s viewing angle is important to shoot big games accurately. Below are some examples
- Broadside: This angle is one of the most efficient when positioning rifle shots. The reason is that it places the animal’s vital organs in full view of the hunter. When taking a broadside shot, hunters need to be patient as a well-placed shot usually hits both lungs and sometimes the heart.
Broadside shot angle
- Quartering Away: When your objective is to kill the animal, this method is efficient albeit difficult to pull off. This shot type aims to strike the tail end of the lungs. The lungs’ tail end is in the hunter’s full view when shooting from this position. To make a perfect shot, aim from the ribs.
Wrap Up
Making an efficient shot involves hitting the target and killing it instantly, which is the objective of hunting. Finding out what angle gives you the ideal shot is the first thing to consider before making any shot. Always try to make a precise, accurate, and fatal shot when hunting, so the animal does not go through pain.