When I was a young boy

Jim Taylor
[subject]
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 07:05 (2772 days ago)

my Dad demonstrated to me what he felt was the reason some game animals are hard to stop at times. He trailed a jackrabbit around .. followed it for 20 minutes or so .. got it worked up and then he shot it through the stomach with a 45 ACP hardball out of his old S&W 1917.

The jackrabbit took off and ran for quite a long ways before dropping.

Later, he snuck up on one. It never seemed to know it was there. He shot it through the stomach with a .22 rimfire out of his pistol. It jumped straight up, hit the ground and fell over.

He always felt it was much easier to stop a critter if they had no clue you were there before you hit them.

Now I know that scientifically that's not much of a test, but over the years I came to conclude the old man was on to something. True, it does not work in every situation, but generally it seems to hold true.

I believe that is true without a doubt...

Huey
[subject]
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 07:11 (2772 days ago) @ Jim Taylor

When I had time to hog hunt a lot, noticed tgat with them. I've sniped boars that never knew I was there and the meat was fine. But, if they ever got excited or spooked, might was well let them lay.

noticed that with Jacks

Paul
[subject]
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 07:24 (2772 days ago) @ Huey

many times here in southern AZ. Sometimes they jump straight up and fall over.

Adrenaline. You really notice it with Antelope.

Amede
[subject]
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 07:41 (2772 days ago) @ Jim Taylor

When hunting antelope I always go for the heart shot. Stops any chance for adrenaline getting into their system, which can make the meat very gamey. I have made some poor shots over the years and seen others. Once those speedgoats get their legs under them it can be a long day and many miles putting them down, even if follow up shots are on the money. Much harder to die once they are excited. On trick if the meat is gamey is to make sure to take off any of the silver skin on the muscles. That seems to contain a lot of chemicals that give it that gamey taste.

I noticed this with squirrels.

Gus S.
[subject]
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 08:36 (2772 days ago) @ Amede

If I don't get a headshot. I don't cook 'em. I haven't had that issue with rabbit. But our southeastern rabbit is nothing like the jacks out west. They're almost tame in the field. Takes at least 4 to make a meal, too.

I always trim off all of the silver skin.

Lymey
[subject]
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 11:31 (2772 days ago) @ Amede

- No text -

people (including me) often say that African animals are

Gary Reeder
[subject]
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 12:22 (2772 days ago) @ Jim Taylor

harder to kill than animals here in the states. Having watched them I really believe that and it is due to Adrenalin. We can drive up within 100 yards of a large group of animals in a large dry lake bed called a Pan. The animals perk up and watch us but as long as the Land Cruiser is running they don't spook. I have reached down and slapped the side of the Land Cruiser, making a gun shot sound and 300 animals jump straight up in the air and haul ass. They are constantly on alert to any danger and unless you put them down with the first shot, it can be an all day effort, requiring several shots.

I have had guys tell me they dropped the animal with one shot proving that their cartridge was better than others. That is pretty much BS. It is all in where you put the bullet and whether the animal knows you are there and is wary and prepared to run. I have taken quite a few 1500 lb animals with my 41 GNR with one shot. That doesn't mean the 41 GNR is more powerful than all the others. Far from it. It has to do with bullet placement and the fact that in most instants the animal didn't even know I was there. Scotty Boggs has posted a couple of videos on here showing a Scottish Highland bull and a big bull elk both taken with one shot each with the 41 GNR. Again it wasn't because the 41 GNR was so powerful. It was because I was hidden behind a tree about 65 yards away and the animals didn't know I was there plus bullet placement.

This all boils down to shot placement and the animal not knowing you are there and not being on the verge of running and the Adrenalin being released into his system. The adrenalin rush can do strange things to a body, like allowing someone to lift a car off a kid or moving objects that normally they wouldn't even be able to budge. I don't know why it lets us do these things but it is there.

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