The best laid plans? You say, “I’m just gonna take broadside shots.” Yea right! It’s funny that some game animals, particularly those that have been hunted don’t offer ideal shots.

Many veteran hunters have already planned for a quartering toward shoulder shot. What did they do, you ask? First, thing is to shoot a well constructed bullet. Not your typical cup and core lead bullet. On my 2024 Maine bear hunt, I knew that quarter toward shoulder shot might happen. I was shooting my Browning X-Bolt in 7MM Rem Magnum.

I used Nosler Partition bullets where the nose mushrooms but the rear of the copper partition is antimony hardened lead and just keeps on trucking.

Of course, at 30 yards my bullet was still humming along at 3000 fps. A cup and core non bonded bullet would destroy itself at that speed on a shoulder, but not a partition. My Nosler entered leaving a hole the size of an Italian sausage and exited on the last rib on the far side…leaving a blood trail for 20 yards where the bear lay…very still. Shoulder below.

My new Marlin 45-70 with a 250g Hornady MonoFlex gilding copper bullet would do similar damage and maintain over 95% of its original weight.

I had a similar quartering toward opportunity on a Newfoundland Moose several years back. I used my .375 Ruger and 300g Nosler AccuBond where the core lead is bonded to the copper jacket.

It was during a whiteout snow squall at 100 yards. The bullet hit the shoulder, plowed through lungs and settled on the far side at the last rib under the skin. My guide said, “Shoot him again.” Just as he said that, the bull collapsed right then.

With my crossbow on a recent bear hunt, I had to wait for a broadside shot. The bear was walking toward me at 20 yards, yes, facing me, not an ethical shot with bow and arrow, he turned momentarily exposing his broadside ribs. My arrow was on its way. The bear went 60 yards and piled up. With a Partition or AccuBond, I could have shot the bear facing me under his chin, and dropped him right then. What if the bear never turned, you ask? What would I have done as the bear might be just a few feet away popping his teeth? I had a Glock 10MM pistol on my chest with 15 bear load bullets at the ready. A pretty good backup, you think?

Good Hunting!