Not sure, but it appear justbelow the orgin of the back straps and just behind the shoulder. I process my own deer as well, and a few years back I sent an arrow at a deer that hit a branch and slipped just below the back straps. My arrow had blood on it, but not much. I couldnt blood trail the deer, and gave up after the day had ended. A month later, I down a doe in the same area, and when I was processing it, I noticed two spots on the deer, just below the back straps, and right behind the shoulder blade. It had been the deer I had shot earlier. It had closed up nicely and the deer seem to have suffered no ill effects.