muzzlestuffer

Just clip the rear of the shoulder blades if you can or just behind the shoulder. The only time I seen deer just drop in there tracks is when I used to use remington copper solids. If you spine shoot your going to waste the best part of the animal Imo unless your archery hunting.

dpv

As others have said, keep it simple. First I would spend enough range time with this set up to know where a shot would hit at different ranges. And to make sure I could hit my mark.It sounds like you have that covered.
Some quick ballistic calculations show that a sierra SSt 300 gr from 0-100 yds you should be within 1.5 inches of your visual bullseye. Placing that shot in the boiler room should result in a dead and recovered deer.
I don't use a slug gun, but I do use a muzzle loader. I use a 250 gr .50 cal (.45 projectile) and my aim is always the heart lung area. If I hit my mark, they very seldom run more than 20-30 yds. More than half of them have dropped within 10 yds of where they were hit. I have only lost one deer with muzzle loader. A nice buck that was the first deer I shot with muzzle loader. I had no scope on that rifle....I'm pretty sure the fault was my shot placement being high.
The only other thing I can think of is that 25 yds is very close unless you have a heck of a lot of cover. Deer are always busting me.

vapahunter

If deer are always busting you then you might want to look at scent control and movement in the stand. If done right they should never even know you are there until they fall down. Just being able to hit a spot on an animal is just a small part of hunting.

super_hunt54

Hunting in PA is what got me using the high shoulder placement. Just too many people trying to get ya deer on public lands. If you don't drop it right there during gun season, you can pretty much write off that deer as when you find it, more than likely someone else will be gutting it.

Muzzleloaderhunter

Simple: shoot the damn head! Take your time and make sure the deer has no idea your there and pull the trigger when your crosshairs on the head. Now, if your not using a scope don't even bother with this shot. I've shot 11 of my 13 deer with head shots. Pretty simple shot if you put in time at the range and are steady and close enough. Don't listen to the people that say don't aim for the head, as they probably never tried and wouldn't be able to hit it. No meat wasted either!

super_hunt54

LMAO@ that crapolla. Let me let you in on a little secret there buddy. Ever seen a deer that has starved to death because some rip roaring moron that thought he was a good shot blew off half a deer's jaw? I have! It aint pretty! And that is more common than making a clean brain shot. Head shots are not advocated by ANY ethical hunters! I'll only take one if it is absolutely the ONLY shot I have or will have and I have a rock solid rest and absolutely zero chance of missing. That aint often and I have over 65 years on the butt end of a rifle. Matter of fact, in all those years of hunting, I can count on one hand how many head shots I have taken on deer, elk, and moose. 3!!! Hogs on the other hand, I go for just behind the ear quite often because there is actually a much larger target area to drop a hog in it's tracks than there is on a whitetail.

rockport

deer heads move too fast and have less room for error.....bad combination and a bad idea unless close enough means closer than I think it probably does.

flags

So to agree with Super, head shots are an ill-advised option. Too much room for error.

Champlain Islander

I agree 100%. I have taken base of the neck where it joins the body a few times but never top of the neck or head.

Muzzleloaderhunter

Well I've never lost a deer that way. Never shot a jaw off or anything. Sitting in a permanent house stand that's been there for 15 years they are used to it and are almost always within 15-20 yards feeding in the food plot. Never missed a head shot. I know my gun is spot on and would feel comfortable with any shot with it.