Wimuzzleman

just curious, when a deer is sanding broadside where do you all aim, the neck the shoulder or behind the shoulder. When I hunted with a rifle I always tried to break the front shoulder. Now that I use a muzzleloader I aim behind the shoulder, I have to admit that sometimes I get scared that the bullet might fail on a shoulder hit. Hasn't happened yet but always in the back of my mind.

HEAD0001

A 250 grain bullet or larger traveling at 1600+fps, failing on hitting the shoulder?? I do not think so. Those big heavy slow moving bullets are real shoulder busters. I normally always aim in the front shoulder. They break down on the spot. Tom.

falcon

i always try for a behind the shoulder shot. That has worked well for me over the decades.

lemoyne

At the shoulder will work, but can waste a lot of meat. Behind the shoulder will work and if you place your shot in the never center thats about 3 inches above the heart and just into the very bach edge of the shoulder with a bullet that expands well like a 250gr Gold Dot it will drop them on the spot. Lee

bronko22000

I will never take the shoulder shot unless it is my ONLY shot. I prefer to slip the bullet (or arrow) in just behind the shoulder about 1/3 up the body. This shot placement will take out both lungs and possibly the top of the heart or major arteries. Some of the reasons were stated above. And I've had even premium bullets fail. (You get lemons in them too) A deer or elk or even a bear will not go far if both the lungs are punctured with a 45 or larger bullet.

smokeblower

I aim just behind the shoulder too and generally do not have to track far at all if any. A 45 caliber projectile makes a big hole even with no expansion and no animal is going far with a hole that big in its important stuff. Shooting just behind the shoulder typically helps save meat too unless the angle blows out the opposite shoulder. Having said that, I have shot many deer through the shoulder and they have dropped on the spot as well. Either would be fine and the construction of most heavy bullets will allow you to take an animal with either shot.

cayugad

I like to slip the bullet behind the shoulder with the angle putting the bullet in a path to the other shoulder. I shoot a muzzleloader like I do a bow. I go for the massive organ damage.

If I have to plant them, then I use a large conical and do a shoulder break down. I do this in heavy cover where I do not want to risk tracking into the thick...

If all I have is shoulder, then it is a shoulder. The bullet will bust that down easy.Neck shots work good, but remember your target size. Are you that good. I think a lot of "spine" shots people make are in reality a miss. Granted some people aim for the spine, but my friends that shoot spine, 99% of the time admit they were aiming for the lungs...

sabotloader

Wimuzzleman

falcon

This is also a good technique to use whenyou do not want a wounded deer to take off and be shot by another hunter.

saxman1

It depends on how far it is what kind of woods I'm hunting and what type of bullet I'm using.
I think with a Powerbelt It would be behind the shoulder,something like a Parker Hydra-con it would hit shoulder.
Generally I go for the crease behind the shoulder.
If hes say 50 yards and in a shooting lane surronded by Thick swamp I'll go for a direct shoulder hit and try to put him down right there.