When I hunted State Property with fixed stands I would always go for shoulder shot as I knew the deer would most always drop in tracks. I never had to worry about deer running to adjacent stands for the final kill shot or into marsh and vanish into thin air! That can really suck if its a nice buck(been there done that). It does trash alot of good meat.

Now that I hunt private farm I'm not so paranoid. I have my smoke pole and shot gun sighted so I can most often get a good spine shot. They drop in their tracks and expire in seconds. I've taken 4 deer so far this year and 3 were drop dead spine shots. A good meat shot and humane kill.