Shot Placement
 

I've been gun hunting for a long time. I've never killed a deer that I haven't dropped. This will be my first hunt with a bow ever. I think I'm ready, but I'm alittle worried about shotplacement. I've heard everything to shoot where the sun don't shine (if ya' know what I mean!;)) to shoot in the heart. Should I put through the lungs or the heart? Thanks!

RE: Shot Placement
 

Lungs are alot bigger target.

RE: Shot Placement
 

If your in a stand aim for the bottom of the lungs/top of the heart. He'll drop within 50 yards.. or atleast he should.

RE: Shot Placement
 

well it's about best to get both. but a double lunger without taking the heart out is just as good as a heart shot.

RE: Shot Placement
 

YEP LEVERDUDE LUNGS ARE ALOT BIGGER TARGET.


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RE: Shot Placement
 

aim at the heart, if the deer drops to avoid danger you may get a lung shot anyway.
if you aim at the lungs when it drops you may miss all together.

the lower one third is the best place to concentrate on. pick a spotbehind the shoulder about 4 inches above the belly.
in my opinion (and with many good results)that is the best place to aim.

PT

RE: Shot Placement
 

with slug i have never shot a buck that has dropped immediately...i have had two heart shots, and one resulted in about 1/4 of the heart being gone with he was dressed....and he still ran about 20 yards. there is nothing wrong with them running a bit...if it is a good shot, you will surely find him.

RE: Shot Placement
 

I like to keep it simple and just go for the double lung shot.

RE: Shot Placement
 

Aim for the exit hole!!

RE: Shot Placement
 

I second what pass threw said, I aim for the heart that way if he/she jumps the string you have a little leeway before the arrow goes over its back...

RE: Shot Placement
 

I appreciate it, ya'll. I think depending on the angle of the shot, I'm going to put it through both lungs. If I do have a problem with what pass threw was talking about I'll go for the heart. I appreciate ya'lls advice! Thanks!

RE: Shot Placement
 

Aim for the exit hole. Imagine whare your arrow will come out the deer and aim to get the most vital tissue inside the deers chest.

It all depends on the angle of the shot as to where you should aim.

Sometimes you need to aim high on the deer to get both lungs but will pass over the heart. Sometimes you get a perfectly broadside shot and can put it square in his chest and double lung him (which is best and results in a quicker kill than a heart shot). Sometimes he is quartering away enough that you need to put it through the rear of one lung and the front of the other lung.

If you take out both lungs but not the heart then the deer still has a pump forcing blood out of its vanes and arteries. If you take out the pump then the blood simply drains out. Would you rather the blood be pumped out or drain out?

However the heart shot is obviously a fatal shot as well.

RE: Shot Placement
 

Just think about this.....When the heart receives trauma, the body shuts it down automatically, when means the heart isn't pumping blood. But when the lungs have 4 holes that are pouring out blood, which results in a loss of blood pressure, the heart will start to beat harder and faster to try and compensate for the loss of pressure, which means more blood will be pumped out, thus bigger blood trail.

RE: Shot Placement
 

A heart is autorythmic (ie. beats on its own), the deers brain cannot make it shut down.... not trying to be a jerk but a deer will bleed just as much with a heart shot

RE: Shot Placement
 

Actually zac, it won't because the heart is designed to pump blood in only one direction. When you put a hole in the heart you cut the valves and chambers and it no longer is able to pump. It simply sloshes the blood around as it drains from the heart.

It still beats but the blood isn't going anywhere.

A deer will bleed the most if you cut the aorta or pulmanary artery just above the heart as every single drop of blood is pumped into the chest cavity either returning from the body to the lungs, returning to the heart from the lungs, or going to the body from the heart.

RE: Shot Placement
 

He'll actually die quicker with a good double lung hit. Atleast in my experiences, a heart shot deer will run flat out until they drop dead. Many times a double lung hit will run at first and then slow pretty quickly and drop within sight.

RE: Shot Placement
 

these are true facts,good pointdouble creek.
because i do aim at the heart, most timesi actually hit it. the deer i hit in the lungs have always died quicker and closer.
i aim at the heart only because i kill more deer.
most times whenever i had aimed at the lung or center of the deer. they drop under the shot.
i hunt to eat therefor i hunt to kill.

PT

RE: Shot Placement
 

So maybye I should aim for the heart. If I make my bow a little bit more quite would that make it suitable to go for the lungs. I mean like by some string whiskers, limbsavers, etc. thanks

RE: Shot Placement
 

No matter where you aim to hit, It always helps to have the quitest bow possible, In all reality Where you aim all depends on the deer, and what I mean is, if the deer is nice and calm and casualy just lumbering along and not on high aleart the chances of him JUMPING the string decrese quite a bit, now if the deer seems a bit edgey and does not looked relaxed then you have a better chance of him jumping the string,, I like to to aim for the Heart that way I still have a better chance of hitting the lungs if the deer pulls under, I think it's best to aim where you will feel more confident and have the best chance of hitting the mark. There is a lot of good advice in here it's up to you to use it what ever way is best for you....

RE: Shot Placement
 

I think bowfreak4life nailed it on the head. I appreciate all your help. Good luck!

RE: Shot Placement
 

As has been said, the lungs are bigger, but deer tend to crouch a bit when they hear the bow.
So, I've subscribed to the school of thought that says to aim at the heart/lung border.
Either hit will kill, but I like theidea of the heart pumping out blood faster with a double lung hit. That makes a lot of sense. Faster loss of blood = faster loss of consciousness.

Remember that bones are an archer's worst enemy, and while you can see the outline of the shoulder through the fur, the spine has to be visualized by just knowing where it is. The spine takes up the top third of the deer's chest, and is not nearly as high as many archers believe. If you hear someone talking about putting an arrow through "the void" in the top of a deer's chest, they simply don't fully understand that they can shoot over the spine, and still hit the deer. Check out the pics below. These are the best I have seen.

Since arrows do notdeliver the blunt trama and shock of a bullet or slug, rapid blood loss is the way they do their job. You are wise to investigate the difference in shot placement before flinging your first arrow at a deer. I salute you for being responsible.

-Bulz

RE: Shot Placement
 

I get the Men's Channel and on one of the shows on there, they advertise a DVD series about shot placement for different angles and such. I can't remember the name of the show that advertises the video, but maybe someone can. This may be something you could check into as well to get an idea of where to shoot in what situation.

RE: Shot Placement
 

So your saying that I should aim inbetween the heart and the lungs? I had thought of that, but I didn't know how much space was between the two organs, and I would hate not to hit either of them! As for being responsible, I wish my parents could realize that!:D I'm 17. You have been a lot of help.

RE: Shot Placement
 

Very well said and done

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This is my first time hunting with a tree climber, first time with a crossbow generally speaking how high should i be? this is my second time deer hunting at 43 years young.

RE: Shot Placement
 

Last year I had a terrible shot on a small 11 point. Hit him in that soft valley behind the gut and in front of the hind quarter. He ran five yards and fell over. Never would I aim there, but must have hit something major.

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So might mite, have you tried it again? I wonder what was back there. It may be the femoral artery. I know I probably didn't spell that right. But I think I'll stick towards the front of the deer.