A shoulder shot with a bow might not be the wisest choice to make. Odds are, that it might kill the deer, but odds are also that it most likely will not. The shoulder blade is not as thick as most people assume. But with a bow, a misplaced shot of only a couple inches (when aiming at the shoulder) could spell disaster.(too many things could go wrong)


(WITH A GUN)
Alot of people have seen deer drop immediately after being hit in the shoulder blade. What they are actually seeing is a (high shoulder shot) and the actual reason for the deer dropping is not because it was hit in the shoulder. It was because there is a major nerve (slightly above yet slightly behind) the top of the shoulder blade.This areais literally rittled with mass quantities of connecting tissues that possesmanynerves. If this area is hit, it will cause the deer to drop immediately (actually paralyzing the deer)
Howevera (bullet) slaming into a shoulder blade can still kill a deer due to the fact that portions of the vital zone are present behind the rearward quadrant of the shoulder blade. And if the vitals are peirced by any projectile, it will eventually kill that deer.

I personally do not like taking shoulder shots. I like to aim right behind the shoulder. It offers me greater surface area of the vital zone. Plush I wont ruin frontal shoulder meat in the process.

There is yet another way that a shoulder shot can bring a deer to stop very quickly (without hitting the nerves in the upper portin of the shoulder). This is actually to have the luck to break (BOTH) shoulders, making a complete pass through. When an animal has (BOTH) of their front shoulders broken, they are not going to go far. This is a method that is used to stop grizzly bears. It offers ultimate stopping power on dangerous game, and so the same any animal (including deer)

Again, I would not take any shoulder shot with a bow. But I personally dont like taking shoulder shots anyways. But thats just me. A shoulder shot will kill deer, but so will a nicely placed shot behind the shoulder as well.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING.