Good folks,
I was lucky enough to harvest a caribou today in interior AK today.  I shot him twice using a 6.5 Grendel (AA upper with 16inch barrel).  Range was about 75 yards.  Ammo was AA factory ammo (120 grain TSX).  Both shots were too far forward into the shoulder.  Both bullets impacted on the right shoulder blade and passed completely through the animal.  The animal did not react to the first shot.  The animal collapsed upon impact of the second shot.  Both shots impacted the shoulder but were to far forward to damage the heart or lungs. Both shoulders were broken.   I finished him off with a 9mm 115 grain Speer Gold Dot to the brain pan.  I am pleased with cartridge and bullet performance but disappointed in my marksmanship.  I was holding two inch groups at 200 yards last summer.  I'm going to reconfirm my zero ASAP.  I guesstimate the bull weighed around 250lbs.  Enjoy.

Congratulations. Nice caribou.

Thank you for the kind words.

Very cool. Looks like it will be good eating.

That's awesome, congrats and hopefully you figure out the shooting issue. Whether it be the rifle, or you

Nice bou.

Had the hearts for breakfast this AM and am eating caribou spaghetti for lunch!  It is very good meat!

Taylor highway?

I'm glad you were able to harvest that fine animal.  Also glad you recognize that you should have made a better shot, and are willing to work on finding out why.  It sounds like you're a good marksman.  Perhaps your optic shifted, and messed up your POI?



Do you practice with that ammo?  A foot off on the horizontal axis is a lot, but it doesn't hurt to test every variable.  I know my AA Grendel is sub-MOA accurate, but really changes POI with different ammo.



Again, congrats!

Shot him well north of the North Fork of the Chena River.  We were actually all the way back on Birch Creek (was riding sleds).

I was using a Ziess Conquest 3-9x40mm scope.  The ocular piece/focus ring moved significantly (up/down/left/right) when focusing the scope.  I don't know if that had anything to do with the bullet impact or not.  I've pulled the scope, replaced it with and ACOG, and sent the Zeiss back to a repair center.  I like the FOV much better on the ACOG.....it will probably stay on the rifle as long as the BDC for the ACOG is close out to 300 meters.

I sent that Zeiss Conquest scope back to Zeiss for warranty work.  Zeiss replaced the old scope with a new Zeiss Terra 3-9.  While I"m grateful to receive a new scope, I'm disappointed to receive something other than a Conquest.  I have another Conquest.  Comparing my other Conquest to the new Terra, there is a noticeable difference in the edge to edge clarity between the two scopes (Conquest is clearer overall and is clearer to the edges of the scope when compared to the Terra).  

Anyway, I placed the new Terra on my Grendel.  I'm back to 2" groups at 200 yards and can easily hit gallon milk jugs at 300 yards (shooting from the prone/off my hunting pack).  Hopefully the caribou cooperate during this year's winter hunt!

Congratulations!  I'm jealous.