Harvesting an Animal that has Already Been Shot

[Hugh Mann]

Last weekend I took a bear, I had to shoot it twice, but upon skinning it, I found a total of five bullet holes. From a very small caliber, no bigger than .243, possibly even .22. Two in the side and one through the neck, unhealed. Stalking the bear, it appeared to be walking a little odd, and had a completely empty stomach, so much so I had to look for it in the gut pile.

I've read in the occasional thread here and there about people finding bullets in elk and moose. I just want to know if this is a relatively common thing that hunters encounter?

Quite frankly, I am appalled that someone, anyone would shoot an animal with such gross incompetence. I am aware it could've been defensive fire, but the angle of the two side shots would imply the bear was broadside/turning/running away.

[Wild one]

I would not say it’s common but it happens

Unfortunately there are those who push the limits beyond their skill level often because they are trying to create a shot opportunity that really is not there. Some need to worry less about filling their tag and more about doing things right

[Bugle M In]

Not common, but does happen.
Hopefully it wasn’t .22 cal in it!
Yes things can go wrong, but agree some as above post, push their limits.
Good thing you took the bear, and congrats.

[srupp]

My last moose had a bullet hole through his right paddle..nice bull. .see the reason someone got a little excited.
srupp

[two-feet]

Two years ago we got a young bull moose that had its lower jaw shattered, not too pretty.

[boxhitch]

You read it all the time on forums 'I took the shot but missed' or 'I can kill anything with my 22_, 24_, 25_, 30_, '
Rarely do we read about wounding shots
But it happens , to most everyone , some time or another
nothing to do with skill level or making an opportunity, $#!+ happens


five bullet holes. From a very small caliber, no bigger than .243, possibly even .22. Two in the side and one through the neck,5 or 3
holes in hide a rarelynever the same size as the bullet caliber due to elasticity

[Salmon Belly]

If it was a 22lr you should find the bullets as they won't penetrate through a bear.

SB

[Hugh Mann]

You read it all the time on forums 'I took the shot but missed' or 'I can kill anything with my 22_, 24_, 25_, 30_, '
Rarely do we read about wounding shots
But it happens , to most everyone , some time or another
nothing to do with skill level or making an opportunity, $#!+ happens

5 or 3
holes in hide a rarelynever the same size as the bullet caliber due to elasticity

Two of them were from me, three that weren't.
I could see the entry wounds shrinking, especially if they had time to partially heal, but all seemed relatively fresh to me. It's just the 3 separate shots that confuse me. Either someone was a terrible shot, or this was the unluckiest bear of all time. Perhaps both.

[Hugh Mann]

If it was a 22lr you should find the bullets as they won't penetrate through a bear.

SB

I butchered it myself and didn't find any bullets or fragments. Looks like there were exit holes for 2/3 wounds, didn't look like the exits were any bigger than the entrance

[Drillbit]

Sounds like FMJ's

[butthead]

were u near a farm or something
cant imagine getting that many hits on a running bear
something sounds odd her

[boxhitch]

Small caliber with exit wounds, Drillbit I agree

Common? Fortunately no, but many likely die without been seen

[brian]

Sounds a bit like 00 buckshot. They are 22 cal and won’t expand. Glad you put it down, it would have suffered horribly come winter.

[835]

sounds like something you have to look at to comment on. .... yet I still comment!
2 of the three that were not yours having exit wounds, one being the neck I assume which anything could exit... ... the one in the chest is not a 22 rim or buckshot neither of those would exit.
The other one in the chest that didn't exit could have been in the guts.....

I think it is impossible to say as posted here.... FMJ you would figure the other Chest shot would have exited as well.
sounds to me like someone told the shooter " sure your .223 is perfect for bear, just put the bullet where it counts"

[Hugh Mann]

were u near a farm or something
cant imagine getting that many hits on a running bear
something sounds odd her

Closest thing would be some agriculture fields a couple Ks away. Eyesight of a road, but quite some distance from it. Hunting partner says he saw the same bear in the same spot when he took his not too far away back in early September.

[walks with deer]

wouldnt be suprised if someone just peppered it just to get it off there yard...i believe this goes on more than you think by igmorant people.

[MichelD]

A buddy shot an awesome 4x4 Mule deer up in 6-8 one time. Skinning it I recovered a .22 bullet from the neck.

Shot a bear a couple of years ago in region 2. When we butchered it my wife said it looked like the front leg had been shot and healed somehow.

[Deer_Slayer]

Maybe buckshot? maybe a farmer or landowner put a round in a problem bear?

[Hugh Mann]

sounds like something you have to look at to comment on. .... yet I still comment!
2 of the three that were not yours having exit wounds, one being the neck I assume which anything could exit... ... the one in the chest is not a 22 rim or buckshot neither of those would exit.
The other one in the chest that didn't exit could have been in the guts.....

I think it is impossible to say as posted here.... FMJ you would figure the other Chest shot would have exited as well.
sounds to me like someone told the shooter " sure your .223 is perfect for bear, just put the bullet where it counts"

I tried posting pictures, but they won't upload. Image hosting sites don't seem to want to do it either. Open to suggestions, as it seems more problematic than it should to post pictures.

To perhaps better describe the shot placements.
The neck shot was located pretty much at the base of the neck and shoulder, angled inwards. A little bit of meat damage to the shoulder, but nothing compared to what I've seen bullets do, but I haven't seen anything shot with anything smaller than 6.5 creedmoor. No identifiable exit, about double the size of the other two wounds.

About midway down the animal a small hole high, almost to the spine with a matching wound maybe 5" further down the back and 5" lower on the side. Implying either an up angle quartering away or down angle quartering towards. Zero meat damage, but some of that goopy blood clinging to the underside of the skin.

Third was just in front of the hips and barely below the spine, straight through, no angle.

My two shots were:
Broadside, forgot to compensate for close range ~50m, bullet left one big hole through the spine.
Bear crawled/rolled down into thick bushes, I ran up a small rise to get a better view, saw bear in small clearing.
Second shot bear facing away, down angle through the back and out the leftside ribcage, lungshot, dead almost instantly. My entry wounds were almost touching and the exit was the size of a toonie.

All I can say, I suppose is that watch your shot placement and use an appropriate caliber.

[LBM]

Maybe buckshot? maybe a farmer or landowner put a round in a problem bear?

Or maybe a perfectly fine bear that was potentially turned into a problem bear by some farmer or landowner or someone that
is scared of them.

[Ron.C]

Thanks for the feedback Hugh. Like you say, a good reminder to watch your shot placement.

But I see little need to speculate on what may have happened or who may have done it and why.

[835]

I tried posting pictures, but they won't upload. Image hosting sites don't seem to want to do it either. Open to suggestions, as it seems more problematic than it should to post pictures.

To perhaps better describe the shot placements.
The neck shot was located pretty much at the base of the neck and shoulder, angled inwards. A little bit of meat damage to the shoulder, but nothing compared to what I've seen bullets do, but I haven't seen anything shot with anything smaller than 6.5 creedmoor. No identifiable exit, about double the size of the other two wounds.

About midway down the animal a small hole high, almost to the spine with a matching wound maybe 5" further down the back and 5" lower on the side. Implying either an up angle quartering away or down angle quartering towards. Zero meat damage, but some of that goopy blood clinging to the underside of the skin.

Third was just in front of the hips and barely below the spine, straight through, no angle.

My two shots were:
Broadside, forgot to compensate for close range ~50m, bullet left one big hole through the spine.
Bear crawled/rolled down into thick bushes, I ran up a small rise to get a better view, saw bear in small clearing.
Second shot bear facing away, down angle through the back and out the leftside ribcage, lungshot, dead almost instantly. My entry wounds were almost touching and the exit was the size of a toonie.

All I can say, I suppose is that watch your shot placement and use an appropriate caliber.

sounds to me like Crap placement with a possible "marginal" cartridge... and the animal pays.
Guy starts with a neck shot and it screws up, then gets forced into 2 shitty follow ups.

[walks with deer]

maybe arrows with feild points?

[barongan]

Good thing you took the bear, and congratshttp://juragan.club/assets/13/o.png

[skibum]

Found the same thing on the bear I took last year -- but it wasn't in as bad condition as described above. Just a bunch of puss in the lower leg - small caliber bullet found.

I don't think this is uncommon.