A lot of people who like the outdoors like to go elk hunting, but you need to know a lot about the game to make a good shot.
One important factor to consider is the size of an elk’s vital organs, particularly the heart. Knowing where and how big an elk’s heart is can make all the difference in killing it in a clean and moral way.
We’ll talk about how big an elk heart really is and why it’s important for people who want to hunt elk.
For hunters pursuing elk, an intimate understanding of elk anatomy and organ size is crucial for making ethical, clean kills. One of the most important organs to consider is the heart. So just how big is an elk heart? What role does it play in the elk’s survival? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the size, function, and location of the elk heart to gain a better grasp of this vital organ.
Average Elk Heart Size and Weight
On average a mature bull elk’s heart will weigh between 0.4 to 0.6 pounds. However, elk heart size can vary somewhat depending on the age sex, and overall size of the elk.
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Young cow elk tend to have smaller hearts averaging 0.4 pounds.
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Mature bull elk hearts are larger, averaging 0.5 to 0.6 pounds.
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Older bull elk with more body mass may have hearts exceeding 0,6 pounds
For comparison, an average adult human heart weighs 0.7 to 1.0 pounds. So the elk heart is quite small in absolute terms, though proportionally sized to meet the animal’s circulatory needs.
In terms of dimensions, an elk heart is roughly the size of an adult human’s clenched fist. The heart of a mature bull elk measures about 5-6 inches long and 4-5 inches wide.
Understanding these average elk heart dimensions is useful for hunters aiming to make an ethical kill shot targeting the vital organs.
Anatomy and Function of the Elk Heart
The elk heart is in the thoracic cavity between the lungs, and it works a lot like the hearts of other mammals. Using its muscles to pump blood around the body, the heart sends oxygenated blood through the arteries and returns deoxygenated blood through the veins.
Some key anatomical features of the elk heart include:
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There are four chambers—two atria and two ventricles—that separate blood flows that are oxygenated and those that are not.
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Valves – to control blood flow direction between chambers and into blood vessels.
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Thoracic aorta – large artery branching off the heart to carry blood to tissues.
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Vena cava – major veins returning blood to the heart.
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Coronary arteries – provide oxygenated blood to the heart muscle itself.
Due to the elk’s high activity level and athleticism, the heart must pump large volumes of blood to service the muscles, lungs, antlers, and other tissues. As prey animals, an elk’s heart rate also elevates rapidly when alarmed or evading predators.
Location of the Elk Heart Within the Body
Identifying the location of an elk’s heart is vital knowledge for hunters aiming to dispatch the animal as ethically as possible.
The heart resides within the thoracic cavity, surrounded by the lungs and enclosed by the ribcage. It is positioned slightly left of the midline in the lower half of the chest cavity.
More precisely, the base of the elk’s heart sits approximately one-third up from the bottom of the chest cavity. This places it just below and between the tips of the front legs when viewed broadside.
The heart sits very low in the elk’s thorax compared to a deer or pronghorn’s chest cavity. This is to accommodate the large volume of lungs and windpipe needed for bugling.
Why Elk Heart Size Matters for Hunters
For hunters, knowing the approximate size and location of an elk’s organs enables accurate shot placement to impact the vital organs and provide a quick, humane kill.
The heart, while small, is one of the most vital targets. A heart shot damages critical blood vessels and quickly bleeds out the elk. But it provides a very small target, protected behind the front legs and shoulders.
With the heart low in the chest and lungs above, the ideal shot placement is centered slightly above and behind the front legs. This should impact the heart and/or lungs to bring down the elk as swiftly as possible.
Hunters must use discretion on longer shots where precision is more difficult. Shots over 100 yards on elk should generally be avoided when possible as the margin of error increases substantially.
Field Dressing and Handling the Heart
After successfully harvesting an elk, hunters will carefully remove the internal organs during field dressing. Handling the heart properly can benefit the meat.
The heart is identified as the muscular organ above the diaphragm and between the lungs. Care must be taken when removing it not to puncture the thin wall separating the chest and abdominal cavities.
Once detached, the heart should be rinsed of residual blood clots and slow-cooked or prepared as desired. Elk heart is edible and nutritious if handled properly in the field.
During field dressing, the hunter should also examine the heart for any abnormalities that could indicate health issues in the elk. This includes lesions, unusual thickness or thinness of the walls, and parasites visible on the surface.
The Importance Of Knowing Elk Anatomy
As a hunter, it’s essential to educate yourself about the anatomy of the game you’re hunting. Knowing about an elk’s anatomy can help you find its vital organs, like the heart and lungs, and kill it in a way that causes the least amount of pain.
Elk have organs that are similar to those of whitetail deer. Their lungs are pretty big, and their heart is between their lungs at the bottom of their chest. The heart is an important organ that sends oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body. A well-placed shot can do a lot of damage and kill quickly.
Elk not only have a heart and lungs, but also four-chambered stomachs that let them digest large amounts of food over time. The liver and spleen are located just behind the heart and lungs area.
Knowing where to aim for vital organs is crucial for ethical hunting. The most powerful shots are fired at an animal’s vital organs, which are in the chest behind the front shoulder. When you shoot an animal in this area, it bleeds a lot. If it doesn’t die right away and tries to run away, it will leave a blood trail that is easy to follow.
In addition to being a good marksman, patience is key when hunting elk. Hunters should only shoot at things that are vital, and they should wait until they have a clear shot before they kill an animal.
How To Aim For The Elk Heart
It’s important to remember that an elk’s heart is in the front half of the animal’s body when making your aim. An inch or two behind the animal’s front shoulder is the best place to aim for if you want to hit it in the heart. This spot will also give you a good chance of hitting the lungs and other vital organs.
When taking a broadside shot, aim for the crease behind the shoulder, about halfway up the body. This spot, where several major arteries meet, will put your bullet solidly in both lungs and above the heart. If you shoot too high, you’ll still hit the lungs above. If you shoot too low, you’ll hit both lungs and the heart. Don’t shoot too far at the shoulder, though, because the leg bone and shoulder blade are hard bones to cut through.
If you’re shooting from a high spot, like a tree blind, aim higher to take into account how far away the animal is. The shot should land in the animal’s vital area when it gets to the lower third of its body.
When shooting from slightly behind the animal as it’s quartering away from you, aim a little further back. This will give you a better chance of hitting the heart and other vital organs.
Make sure you always aim for the right angle and take your shot when you’re completely out of breath for a calm and steady shot. Keeping these tips in mind will help you make a more moral and clean kill when you go after an elk’s heart.
CLEAN An Elk or Deer Heart LIKE A PRO
FAQ
How big is an elk’s heart?
How big is a deer’s heart?
How big is the body of an elk?
How thick is an Elks chest?
What is the anatomy of an elk?
Understanding the basic anatomy of an elk will help you make appropriate equipment and shot placement choices prior to your hunt. Let’s first define the “vital organs” and the importance of choosing the vitals as an ethical shot. The most vital organs of elk and all game animals are the heart and lungs.
What are elk vital organs?
Let’s first define the “vital organs” and the importance of choosing the vitals as an ethical shot. The most vital organs of elk and all game animals are the heart and lungs. A proper shot through the heart and/or lungs will offer the quickest kill, making it the most humane for the animal.
Do elk have vitals?
As with hunting any other big game animal, aiming for an elk’s vitals provides you with the best chance of getting a clean kill, while also killing the elk as quickly and humanely as you realistically can. The “vitals” refer to the vital organs of the animal, which are the lungs and the heart.
Where are elk vitals located?
Check out the elk vitals diagram below for a better look at where the vital organs are located. On an elk, the lungs are the largest target, and they are located behind the shoulders of the animal. The heart is tucked between the lungs and towards the bottom of the body, and it is a smaller (albeit more lethal) target to aim for.