Shot Placement on Bull Tahr

Bull Tahr would have to be pound for pound one of the toughest big game mountain animals to bring down.

The bull tahr is difficult to bring down for two reasons, the long hair over their body and their bone structure.

Pre-rut some of the Bulls in their prime will weigh in excess of 300 pounds especially on private land where they are typically not hunted during the summer months. Due to the lack of hunting pressure tahr will come down to the lower country and graze in sheep and cattle country on fresh spring clover grasses. This is where you must use larger centre fire calibers such as the magnums or 30 caliber with bonded bullets to hunt these amazing animals ethically. The hair in winter is thick and matted, with extremely tough skin up to 1/2 inch thick making this combination very tough and shot placement becomes critical.

The shoulders of a tahr are well muscled and larger than their back end, you are shooting into the power house so take your time as you line up your shot placement as you will only get one vital shot, the rest will be just throwing lead. When Tahr hunting ideally you will have an experienced professional guide or spotter with you that has extensive knowledge of these animals. This will allow you the hunter time to concentrate on the proper set up of the rifle and the shot with the guide ranging distance, body angle, and ideal shot placement. You need to break both shoulders and puncture lungs, or at least one shoulder both lungs, yes they are just that tough. A shot back into the green lung (stomach), missing the vitals and or only hitting the shoulders will result in a wounded and lost Bull.

Take your time aiming small and steady, reload and get ready for a follow up shot this is not the animal to chase.  On a mature Bull Tahr, 6 years or over older the hair in winter can hang 9-12 inches down over the leg, 6-9 inches over the bottom of the chest, and 3-9 inches on top of the shoulder.