RE: Shot placement for dropping deer in thier tracks
if you want to drop it in its tracks without regard to ruining meat, hit it in the spine. or, if you want to ruin little meat, aim for high on the shoulder, you will hit it in the bottom of the spine, the top of the lungs, and the main arteries in the back. it will drop in its tracks. if you dont possibly mind tracking 50- yards, then aim right behind the shoulder, it wastes little meat and usually they drop, but sometime you need to track it.
it also depends onm what u are shooting. i can make a shot with my .270 and drop a deer in its tracks, but my dad can tack the same exact shot and it will run 50 yards.