It is about how high the probability of the shot being lethal and recoverable that determines what is an ethical vs unethical shot, imo. I am sure thereare anectdotal stories to justify just about any shot as being lethal at times, but how many times a particular shot isnot, that is what separates the two.

I am not an expert when it comes to deer anataomy and how if relates to bowkills, but I do know this. People in general have been bowhunting a lot longer than anyone on this board, and over the years the shot in question has generally been accepted as a non ethical shot, which I am pretty sure was derived from the accumulation of trial and error results from many differrent hunters.

If someone wants to go against this conventional wisdom, let your conscience be your guide, but also keep in mind lethal does not make it an ethical shot.

I made that mistake early in my bowhunting tenure and took a chance on a slight quartering to shot. I killed the deer (lethal)and found it about 2 weeks later with the help of crows over 400 yards away from where I shot the deer. For me, a 2 week late recovery of "horns only" is not what hunting is about.(unethical)

Worst feeling I have ever had as a hunter, because all information available to me told me not to take the shot, but I thought I was "better" than the average hunter and could get away with it. WRONG