Frontal shots

[Corb89]

I am curious as to your experiences with this shot(forward facing) on Large game. never taken it myself, but after watching a few videos it seems to be a very tricky deal. and i figure it must be a very common shot with elk/moose coming to a call

[Ron.C]

Watched a buddy shoot a bull elk in the chest with a 7mm mag nosler accubond.
The bull was slightly uphill and his shot entered bottom third of the chest and exited just above the shoulder.

Bull went about 25 yards.

[Elkaholic]

I shot my first bull elk this way with my 270, he went down hard then tumbled down the hill as he tried to get his legs under him and we were able to put another in him at 3ft broadside. The first shot was fatal after we looked when gutting, so it can work just make damn sure where you put it. I wouldn't recommend that shot all the time, but it was all that bull was giving me.

[Glenny]

Patience is a cruel thing. We think it will eventually turn to give you a broad side, and it will. But the seconds turn into hours it seems.

[boblly1]

the first bull moose i shot was with 7mm magnum and was in that position but downhill 175 nosler partition took out the heart exited behind his front shoulder he travelled only about 40 yards then went down in an open slash was the most excited i have ever been as far as hunting goes that is

[wideopenthrottle]

quite a few years ago a hunting buddy got a 5x6 mule deer and when gutting it there was a huge channel of puss between the ribs and the lungs....this deer had been previously shot through the front but the bullet went between vitals and the ribs exiting out the belly area missing everything important...when buddy got this deer it was rutting after doe s like nothing was wrong with it...every time I have a front shot, I think of that and I will tend to pause and wait for a broadside shot

[BromBones]

Have taken that shot on a couple moose and deer, and a bear or two - head up looking straight towards me.

Center between the shoulders at the base of the neck, they usually hit the ground pretty quick. Depending on your rifle/bullet and shot angle, you might end up cleaning up some gutshot though if the bullet travels through the chest cavity to the back end.

[Vladimir Poutine]

I've had 2, one moose and one elk. No problem with either.

[Weatherby Fan]

have taken that shot on a couple moose and deer, and a bear or two - head up looking straight towards me.

Center between the shoulders at the base of the neck, they usually hit the ground pretty quick. Depending on your rifle/bullet and shot angle, you might end up cleaning up some gutshot though if the bullet travels through the chest cavity to the back end.

x2.............

[ElliotMoose]

Done it on a big blackie huffing at me at 30 yards and he dropped on the spot

[nicktrehearne]

I've shot bighorns, mule deer, whitetail and black bears head on (all but the bighorn were bow kills). Retrieved every animal in a short amount of tracking. I think that as long as you know the capabilities of your equipment and judge each scenario properly, there is nothing wrong with taking that shot. My bighorn went 20 yards and the deer bears, if not a complete pass-through, had the arrow sticking out the back end after traveling the full length through the animal. (I shoot heavy pounds with a heavy arrow)

[Eastbranch]

Only once. Put a 130gr ttsx through the upper leg joint of a bull moose and out the back of the ribs on the opposite side. Went maybe 60 feet. I have a lot more confidence in that angle after taking it. Can't really miss in there, lots to hit. Arteries, spine, lungs heart all available just need the right bullet to break the leg/shoulder/brisket. Broadside lung moose requires about six-eight inches of penetration through soft tissue for a good kill. Frontal shot requires at least 12" through heavy bone and cartilage, so make sure you know your bullet.

[moosinaround]

Shot a whitetail buck straight on, took out heart, found the bullet in the pelvis! I was using a 300 win mag, and handloaded 168gr TTSX. Deer went maybe 20 yrds before piling up stone dead on its nose! Moosin

[TreeStandMan]

I shot a mulie buck in the brisket with my 300 win mag and it was absolutely devastating. Still, if possible I'd wait for the animal to turn broadside because of the possibility of putting the bullet into the guts.

[Whonnock Boy]

I think you really have to be weary of the anatomy of the animal. Too high, and it's going through the top of the shoulder. Good chance of hitting the spine, but over top of the vitals. A friend made a shot like this, and took out the spine at the base of the neck. It depends on the angle of the shot as well.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Have done it a couple times....myself and witnessed a couple more. As long as the distance isn't very far I will take it.
My daughter bang-flopped her bear and I shot my first caribou with devastating results.

[Pacemaker]

Several years ago my wife shot her first bull moose at 245 yards with her 270 WSM and 150 Nosler Partitions. It was a full frontal shot as described previously. I have never seen a moose or any other big game animal go down so quickly. It was incredible. The bullet was recovered from a vertebrae at the base of the neck. There's no substitute for knowing the anatomy of an animal, knowing your equipment, and being a good shot. My wife has it all, and has a moose draw this year too !!

[Sleep Robber]

Talk to Gatehouse, he claims he can hit the throat patch on a deer 10 outta 10 times from 400 yards..........

[cuervosail]

From about 25 yards, I shot a bull elk right in the forehead. He never took another step. Bang. Flop.

[bcsteve]

Never had to but wouldn't hesitate.

[chris]

Off the top of my head I have done it on 2 bucks and 1 bear. It is a devastating shot.

[russm86]

Did it on one moose standing there at 75 yards looking at me and wouldn't move, wasn't perfectly dead straight on, very very slight angle facing to my right so put the shot just left of dead center so it would travel across the vitals. Immediately after my shot the bull turned full broadside and since I had never taken the frontal shot before and wasn't 100% certain on it I put another one right through his lungs. Upon dressing the bull we had found the first bullet went through the vitals (not sure exactly what it hit up front because of the second shot) and then exited the chest cavity just behind the back rib and hung up in the hide on its rear quarter, no damage to the rear quarter and no damage to the guts. Moose didn't take 2 steps aside from turning around.

[XPEIer]

I shot two moose front on, the first I hit him right in the breast bone, when we skinned him out we could not find an entrance or exit wound. Turned out we cut the entrance wound in half when we quartered him and I could only find where the bullet went in by poking my finger along the breast bone.

He we ZERO feet, dropped right in his tracks.

XPEIER

[6 K]

Have shot several animals facing me from big moose to a stone sheep last week.
Devastating, with 200gr E-tips from 338wm.

[webley]

Done it on a 550lb grizzly at 10 yds it worked or I would not be here!

[Mikey Rafiki]

With 150's out of my .308 maybe not. With 200g tsx out of my .325 no problem, as long as the distance and rest are adequate. Frontal kill zone at 50 yards isn't much different than broadside at 200.

[Gateholio]

I've used it several times on bear and deer. Shortest one about 10 yards, longest was 385 on a deer. Bullet traveled lengthwise and exited out the rear leg.

[Sportster]

Four moose came busting around the corner of the field in front of me last year, a bull two large caves and the cow. they didn't see me standing there at the edge of the field, I took a knee put the rifle on the shooting stick and waited for the cow to turn sideways. (We had a cow draw )when she finally noticed me she turned her head to dive into the bush. that's when I let her have it just above the breastbone. The other three didn't know what hell just happened and where still running towards me before they finally saw me kneeling there and dove into the bush to. When my brother in law arrived on the seen and I calmed down we went and had a look. She was lying mabe ten feet inside the bush. A nice clean kill. 30-06 Hornady superformance sst 165g.

[Bugle M In]

Only hard part at times with a front on view...is counting points.
Otherwise, I have shot straight on, once thru the chest, other was the head, but, I wouldn't do that if not need be.
If it is thick, than sometimes waiting for them to turn, may not present a clear shot.
If out in the open, than, at some point that creature will turn...but, does he turn and stand broadside for a second or 2...
sometimes...or longer....and other times they turn so quick, that all you see is elbows and a**hole.

[dedapair]

My all time favorite shot. Bang - Flop. I've only once had an animal go more than one step, an elk took four. You must be confident in your firearm and your ability to shoot it well. It goes without saying that knowledge of the anatomy of your pursued quarry is necessary to make the shot with confidence.

[dedapair]

My all time favorite shot. Bang - Flop. I've only once had an animal go more than one step, an elk took four. You must be confident in your firearm and your ability to shoot it well. It goes without saying that knowledge of the anatomy of your pursued quarry is necessary to make the shot with confidence.

[two-feet]

After reading this i may be willing to give it a shot. Usually at close range its head or neck but the frontal does lend itself to calling in bull moose.

[Hillbros_96]

I did it on my big moose at 80 yards. We were both on the fsr and he was walking towards me so the likelyhood of me getting a decent broadside shot was low. I hit him with my 180gr ttsx right below the chin, it staggered him and he turned sideways were I could put another in him. Never did find the orginial bullet but did not have any guts to worry about. First time I saw a animal absorb two bullets like that and still stand, even though they sure staggered him. With a steady rest I would do it again.

[Murder]

Smucked a few bucks head on. 7mm rem mag 154 grain hornady interlock in the chin at 15 yards, swear he flipped over. And i have learned to love neck shots. Last 3 bucks I've taken that way with 160 tsx hand loads, all facing me. They go no where but down.

Mike

[curt]

the shot works however there is a lot of mass to go through if I am presented with that option I like to raise the cross hairs and take them through the neck, that turns the light switch off immediately!!

[andrewheth]

Took down a big mulie looking right at me around 60yards with a .270WSM. Dropped instantly and I got the bullet back outta his spine.