LAST EDITED ON Sep-29-16 AT 08:25AM (MST)[p]Come on jm77, don't be a smart donkey here. The OP asked the question because he thought his shot would have killed the elk immediately and it was walking around an hour after he shot and it was NOT bleeding! That easily could have been a situation where he bumped the elk and never found it, heck, I bet greater than 75% of the time that elk gets bumped and never found.
I told of a complete pass through 2 weeks ago where the bull was back in the herd 2 days later, right through the crease, just 4 inches up from the belly line.
The 3rd story you are referring to, the guy hit the elk in the heart...obviously a dead elk in a minute or less, but as I mentioned it is just a few inches away.
The 4th story by goforbroke with a picture of a shot in the exact same spot needed a follow-up shot as the elk was standing there 25 minutes later!
I know there is an area where you can miss the heart, lungs and liver where you think you should have got one of the three...as I said in my original post it depends on the angle and the angle of the elk. Perfectly broadside and you can sneak a shot through there that won't hit a vital. Ask the OP if he hit anything vital?
Another poster said don't be afraid to go higher and closer to the shoulder bone on an elk, I agree, 2 holes in the lungs and that is a dead elk everytime.
So look at this photo and let me know what you think might happen if you shoot here? I believe this is where the OP hit or close to it.