ORIGINAL: Chuck7
What kind of groups are you getting at 50 yds??
Chuck, if you can place all your shots in a 6" pie plate @50 yds, they are dead!
We've already said that an average whitetail buck gives you about a 10" diameter target. That deer measures perhaps 17" deep through the chest, measured from the top of his back to his brisket. Here are some top of back to bottom of brisket estimates for other common North American game animals taken from various sources, but primarily from Jack O'Connor's book
The Hunting Rifle:
[ul][*]Pronghorn antelope = 14"-15"[*]Small deer = 14"-15"[*]Medium size deer = 17"-18"[*]Large deer = 18"-20"[*]North American wild sheep = 20"-22"[*]Mountain goat = 22"-24"[*]Caribou = 24"-26"[*]Elk = 24"-26"[*]Moose = 30"-36"[/ul]
Given those external body measurements, here are some estimated "vital area circle" diameters that roughly correspond to the approximate (heart/lung) target area:
[ul][*]Pronghorn antelope = 8.5"-9"[*]Small deer = 8.5"-9"[*]Medium size deer = 10"-11"[*]Large deer = 11"-12"[*]North American wild sheep = 12"-13"[*]Mountain goat = 13"-14.5"[*]Caribou = 14.5"-15.5"[*]Elk = 14.5"-15.5"[*]Moose = 18"-21.5"[/ul]