paul when taking a quartering away shot hitting the far shoulder the damage is already done the kill will be clean and quick. A quartering away shot is prefered my alot of people i won't hesitate shooting it but I prefer broadside shots.

I read your second post beretta390 and maybe you are trying to describe a different shot but all things it boils down to "using your best judgement" There are few perfect shots and then at that they are quick and have to be timed. To pass on a shot that doesn't feel right - saves a long track, possible lost deer and lets you hunt that deer another day.

That's the way I like it!

If I stick the arrow in the shoulder and don't get a pass thru, there will be less blood loss. I was under the impression this is what takes a deer down. Bleed to death. Sure it will die, but where and when. I want a pass thru, period. I already tracked my first deer 400 yards with very little blood because I did not get a pass thru shot. Broad side by the way, took out one lung and the heart. Sure it died, but I am glad it wasn't raining out. I spent 2 hours on my hands and knees turning over leaves looking for tiny drops of blood. That was even after the arrow had been knock out by a tree.

It seems that this is slightly contradicting to some of the previous posts I have read. I am correct in assuming regardless of the shot offered to me, a pass thru shot with two holes is always more desirable and what I should strive for. Or am I wrong here. Is it viable to just take any shot that will put my arrow thru the vitals. If I take out both lungs it does not matter where my arrow goes? I am not being a smart ass, I really want to know. This would open up a lot more shots for me. I passed up a nice 10 or 11 point when I shot my seven point because I could not get the shot I wanted. If I would have taken the shot in this thread I could have done it 5 or 6 different times. Instead I chose to shoot the smaller deer because is was broad side with it's head in the weeds.

Or maybe I am making too much out of this and underestimating my bows capibilities. I was trying to use a spitfire mechanical with a 350 grn arrow moving at around 230 to 240 fps, which obviously was not a good combo, but I thought with the smaller cutting dia I could get away with it. Do you guys think the same bow and arrow but tipped with a Steel Force cut to tip head would make it thru a shoulder of a medium sized deer at 20 yards and in?

Paul

Paul,

I may be misreading you last post, but it seems you are under the impression that if a deer isn't bleeding onto the ground, it isn't bleeding. That is NOT the case. Yes, the complete pass-through, double lung, low exit, blood pouring out on the ground through both holes is the Holy Grail of bow shots. If you hit the off shoulder and don't pass through with that same shot, the animal is still bleeding internally and will die just as quickly. It may be tougher to track since it won't spill blood on the ground as soon, but you will find the chest cavity has a lot of blood in it when you gut the deer. In my opinion, your 400 yard track had far more to do with only hitting one lung than it did with not passing through. But we all have to learn which shots we are comfortable with, and stay within those limits.

As for the hard quartering shot, hit the deer at the back of the ribcage and shoot for an exit IN FRONT of the off shoulder and it will pile up very quickly.

I'd drop him.

400 yards on a heart shot?I've watched every deer die with sight of my stand with a heart shot.What did you do just nick the heart?

Paul,With the set up you mentioned at 230FPS you are getting 41 pounds of Ke at 240 it's on 44 lbs.That's not enough KE to shoot Mechs.

I would also rather have a double lung that didn't pass through then let's say a liver shot that did.

Paul, in my opinion, a double lung pass through is the optimum shot. That is the shot I take. Both lungs and two holes are better than a lung and heart with no pass through any day of the week. Especially if you are shooting from an elevated possition where the entrance hole is up high.

QUARTERING AWAY SHOTS ARE GREAT SHOTS BUT I WOULD AVOID THEM FOR BEARS AND GOATS. FOR ME BROADSIDE IS BETTER ON THESE CRITTERS AS I WANT A BETTER CHANCE OF LETTING AIR OUT OF BOTH LUNGS. IF YOU ONLY GET ONE LUNG THEIR STAMINA IS SO STRONG THEY CAN GO A LONG WAYS. AND WITH BEARS IT COULD BE IN YOUR DIRECTION QTR. AWAY SHOT NEED TO ENTER I THE GUT BEHIND THE RIBS OR YOU CAN GET A DEFLECTION OF THE RIBS. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN GET BOTH LUNGS WITH A QRT AWAY SHOT BUT SOMETIMES YOU DON'T. THE ANGLE OF THE QRT AWAY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. IF YOU HIT THE SHOULDER BLADE YOU ARE WAY TOO FAR FOREWARD. ALSO RIB CONFIGERATION(SP) ON SOME ANIMALS IS DIFFERENT.SO THE GAP IS NARROWER.... APPEARENTLY CAPE BUFFULO RIBS OVERLAP SO QRT AWAY IS BEST....HEAR SAY I HAVE NEVER HUNTERD ONE OR SEEN ONE.

I actually had that shot once but it was about 22 yards. Buck was walking quickly
and the broadside shot went away before I
could draw the bow. I got him through the
liver.