Heart or Lungs
 

Just wondering when aiming at your deer do you aim for the larger area of the lungs, the smaller traget area of the heart or any part to get an ethical kill?

I just put it in the lung area... sometimes a bit low... but as long as it is in the "kill" area, I am happy!

Heart shots drop em!

I'll take a double-lunger over any other.

I've had heart-shot deer travel over 100yds. I've never had a double-lung shot deer go more than 40yds.

I'll take the double lung shot any day as well, lot less room for error (bigger target). I've gotten both lungs and the top of the heart and watched deer go over 100 yards. Nothing surprises me with the will power that some of these wild animals have!!

Most people do not aim for the heart because it is a very small target. Often, an arrow piercing both double lungs with strike the heart or the plumbing that lies above it. Aimng a little low on the chest will help to compensate for the deer crouching/ducking at the sound of the shot.

A double lung AND heart shot tells me you were hunting from the ground.

X10!

Im not good enough to put the arrow in the heart spot in all those different situations:s5: Dont think anybody is either, and the margin for error is much greater. Can you imagine trying to think "where is the heart" when you were going to make a shot in a not perfect shot situation...

Id much rather put it behind the shoulder a little higher and let them not be able to get oxygen to their blood...

They are both obvious lethal shots, but the lungs are much larger, and easier to hit 90% of the time...

Derek

High in a tree and a close deer can get you all of those as well depending on the size of the bh... Definately possible, not highly likely.

Aim for the lungs.............

Actually...(and I'm just using physics and anatomy, here)....higher and closer makes it HARDER.

Lungs for sure.

Yeah you are completely correct GMMAT. I was thinking more of if you were trying to AIM for a heart shot, not the 2 lungs and heart. Your right:biggrin:

I aim for the lungs.

2-3 inches behind the shoulder. Heart is to small, much bigger margin for error.

Shane

Adrenalin and alertness makes a HUGE difference as well though Jeff.

For me, I aim for the heart, if the animal is within 25yds, I put my first pin which is 24yds right on the top of where the heart should be. If it drops on the sound of the string, I've still got a double lung, if not, it ain't going very far without it's pump station!!!!

The old girl that used to own this didn't...

Ideally I aim to put the arrow thru the lungs directly over the heart.

Yup, what Ryan said.

that is what i do also and if you get the top of the heart as well
then that is a bonus. definitely possible from a tree . I have done it several times. you don't need to be on the ground to do it

I go for the lungs. As stated before its a bigger target.

Lungs for me.

High forward lungs - has the greatest vascularity.
Straight up the leg - not behind the crease unless 1/4 away.

Steve

Although a heart shot Deer is dead on it's feet and will not go far. The last one I shot through the heart may have made it 35 yards.

I still would shoot for the middle of the Lungs. It's the Best Archery shot you can take as long as angle, etc. are correct.

Dan

Front and low on the lungs for me.

I aim for the lungs.

AirBags!

I've never completely dissected a heart, but do know it's a big muscle that's made up of arteries and if you don't hit a big enough artery the animal "can" run for awhile. Heck my buddy split a heart in half and the darn thing ran 150 yards!!!

Adrenaline if a powerful thing! Not to mention the will to live...

I like to hide in a ground blind and when a deer walks by I plunge a knife hand into his ribcage, rip out his heart, and show him his still beating heart just before he dies. then I spike his heart like a football and do an endzone dance!

If I have a bow I aim just behind the front shoulder and just a bit below center. Of course this (up or down) is dicataed by angle of the shot and whether the deer is alert or relaxed.

Lungs, bow or gun. That being said, if I could pin point the placement every time with bow, I'd go for the Femoral artery. I have never seen a deer bleed out faster than a femoral hit. Trouble with purposely going for that shot is too many things can go wrong.

I aim for the lungs as well.