How many of you guys have actually hit the shoulder or shoulder scapula bone of a deer ?

What were the results ?

How much penatration did you get & with what type broadhead ?

What poundage bow ??


I am real curious to hear some experiances on this - I have not yet been unfortunate to hit a shoulder bone....

IN the late 80's and the 90's I must have hit at least 6 different bucks in the shoulder blade. (back then I was shooting with a finger tab and no sights.)

NOT ONE of those bucks was ever found, nor were there ever neighbors reporting of finding a dead buck with a shoulder wound.

Since I got a new bow in 2002, I shoot w/ release and sights, and I tend to aim farther back and quartering away. However, last year, I shot a doe, and the arrow exit THRU her far shoulder blade. It got stuck about 1/2 thru, but by then, it had already hit the lungs.

To answer your question...my experiences have been that SHOULDER blade hit deer are many times lost due to lack of blood, or the fact that it does not kill the deer.

I could write a book on shoulder hits.

#1 Opposite shoulder on a buck, shooting a 60# compound & alum arrows at about 12 yds. Broke the far shoulder bone, and stopped the head, no exit. Rocky mountain razor broadhead

#2 Again opp shoulder, 14 yds shot on a buck, 70# bow, thunderhead 125 BH, head punched thru skin on far side. The bone was broken on the ridge part.

#3 Doe turned on shot, hit the near shoulder just below the joint. Same setup as above, arrow put a chunkout of the bone, did not break it, but dislocated it from the joint. Got very little penetration, 5" at most. Arrow fell out after 50 yds

#4 Opp shoulder on abuck at 13 yds. Broke shoulder at ridge again, no exit at all. same setup as above

#5 & #6Almost identical shots on does, very close 5yds, arrowblowing thruthe thin flatpart of scapula. Complete pass thrus, with same setup.

None of these deer went more than 80 yds, with most under 50. Deer #3 went well over 200, but had good blood all the way.

Same. Only shot two does on shoulder blades and never did ever find them. There was initial blood, but then nothing after 50 yards of tracking. I've learned over the years to aim a tad further back.

do a search on " spitfire pass thur revisited" and you can find some results for you.

1 buck and 2 does I hit in the shoulder(near side) same old song. Good blood 50 to 100 yds then nothing. The 1 doe I say 2 days later she looked in good health, but was limping. My fault on all three shots, deer were qrt to me and i tried to sneak the arrow in there. I just do not take qrt shots unless the deer is within 10 yds.
Buck I shot this year I drilled but the broadhead was stuck in the far shoulder blade. Deer ran 50 yds then down he went. I have seen deer shot in the guts, butt, neck and be fond. I have made three poor choices over the years put the arrow right were I wanted to and got zip. I like to be farther back, lung, off a little I will either get heart or liver. Just what I do and I am not saying it is the law

Very first doe I shot 2 years ago I hit her in the shoulder. Found my broken arrow. Had a good blood trail. My buddy and I searched for a few hours and never found her.

I hit my buck this year quartering away, arrow entered middle front of the right-side of his rib cage, and exited through the opposite (left front)shoulder, through the center of theball-joint, complete pass-through. The bone was totally crushed, and you could spin his left leg all-the-way around, and hear the bone fragments grinding in the shoulder.

I shoot heavier weight than most (78#), w/ muzzy 100 3-bladers. Not a huge deer, but field-dressed at 130. Not a great blood-trail, but he only went 40'ish yards. I guess that wasn't the Scapula, per se, but a heavy bone nonetheless.

Quartering away, shot high in the rib cage and angled down through the leg bone just below the scapula and above the joint, Complete pass through and the deer only went 40 - 50 yards. Shoulder was completely shattered. Easy blood trail.

70 pound bow, 491 grain arrow with a 125 grain slick trick. Generated 76 pounds of KE.

Making 75 pounds or more of KE I wouldn't worry too much about a shoulder hit. That arrow should easily be able to get into and through the vitals of any deer. If you are making much less KE then you should be worried about a shoulder hit and try as best you can to stay away from the shoulder bones. It all depends on your personal set up.

I would like to know what the set up was on the deer above that were not revovered.

Setup
You are right on the Kentic Energy
I lost the three deer with this setup
27 inch draw
26 inch arrow
100 grain Muzzy arrow weight was 380 grains
70 pounds
10 years ago I had no idea about weight of the arrow.

Now I used 125 gr montec and my arrow 430 grains.

I shoot the heviest arrow I can.