I shot this year's buck a little high in the chest and dropped him instantly. I have never done that, and yes, it was great. On the outside, it looks a few inches higher than center. On the inside, it looks like I barely got through the ribcage a couple of inches down from the spinal column. The shockwave from the bullet hits the spinal cord and down they go, and die right away. I doubt there's any pain.

I always aim directly above the front leg, centered vertically on the chest. Frankly, I do this to allow most room for error, not because it's the best kill. The only reason I do not aim low and go for heart is that I'm not that confident.

If it hits exactly where I aim, deer goes no more than 50 yards, if that. Low, I get heart, and maybe 15 yard travel. High, I get instant drop. Forward, I break shoulders and it goes maybe 5 yards. Rearward, deer goes 50 to 100 yards cause I didn't get as much lung. Of course, if it's too far rear, then I get guts and who knows how far they go, if I even get them.

So dropping them in their tracks, for me, actually means I didn't hit quite where I aimed, and I'll bet it's the same on TV, even though it is FUN and you know the buck did not suffer. My son likes to aim slightly high to drop them instantly. He almost always hits where he wants. I am training him to aim lower beacuse he's going to wind up shooting high one of these times.

Go to http://home.mn.rr.com/deerfever/Anatomy.html and you can see how the spinal cord drops as you move forward on the deer.