Spine Shot
 

Old wide ten point ran right under my stand this weekend. He came out blazing from the hardwoods after the goose hunters to my East shot 20 rounds. I usually never get surprised - usually see them coming when they are moving fast- but he got me this time. I pulled the bow out of the holder when he was 10 yards out heading right at me, then he stops dead in his tracks and looks up at me then trots right under my stand giving me the flag as he headed North. He was straight away so I decided not to shoot. Could not stop him with a grunt, he was hell bent on getting out of there.

I have read where others have shot the spine but I don't like that shot, never taken it and would not especially on a moving deer. Any of you have experience with hitting the spine directly under your stand and if so, what was the outcome.

If it was me, and this is only my opinion. I would take the shot where the arrow would exit the chest of the deer. If you miss the spine the arrow would travel through the vitals leaving a huge blood trail. If I dont feel comfortable with the shot I dont take it. So being in the same position I may pass as well but I doubt it. I tend to be trigger happy.

I spine shot a deer this past weekend. Arrow hit a twig and took undesired trajectory. I had to get down out of my stand immediately and put another arrow in the lungs to finish her off. I hate having to do that, but that's bowhunting.

As far as a spine shot between the shoulders while deer is under the stand. I've read that is a good shot to take, but I don't know if I would take it. Seems to me it might end with the deer thrashing on the ground for a good bit. To me that is not a desirable shot.

The straight down spin shot is not a good shot. If you do hit the spin perfectly it will most likely drop in its tracks and have to be put down with another shot. If you hit to the side slightly you will most likely hit one lung and have no exit wound making tracking near impossible. Its very easy to lose a deer shot in one lung and it may even live.

I will not take this shot myself. I commend you on holding off on the shot.

seen them die quick and had to shoot 4 more into others. its a good shot if he isnt running. you get spine and a lung or heart or trachia. to each is own.

Directly under you and your site might be on him but the arrow on your foot.

I have shot deer that got spined and they both went down right where they stood but didn't die and had to put another arrow in them. You did the right thing in not taking the shot. If you missed the spine, you could have wounded it and not recovered the deer. At least now you know that he is out there and just might get another chance at him!

Not an ethical shot because there's so little margin for error. Might as well shoot em in the eye if you're going to take that shot (the target is about the same size). ;) I took one high angle shot like that once early on, and regretted it. It glanced off the shoulder blade and the arrow fell out. The deer was OK, but probably had a nasty pain in the shoulder for a few weeks. I learned my lesson right there: shots with a very narrow margin of error aren't worth it. Respect the deer and wait for a good shot IMO.

Good to know some biology
 

and where a shot should be placed, before going hunting.

If you shoot only one place on a deer, you only know one place.

The shot isn't advisable for the reasons described above. You did the right thing. Watching a spine shot deer thrash and struggle as it slowly dies isn't pretty. Missing the spine from that angle will result in a single lung hit - at best - and a miserable tracking job that may not turn out as you had hoped. Pass those shots and hope you get another, safer chance.

What ?????

Not sure if this comment was directed at me, but my response is still the same regardless. Of course you should know the biology, but you should also know which shots are high risk (of missing because it's a small target) and avoid them. High angle (ie. straight down) shots are high risk because of this...yeah, you if you nail it you're a hero and drop the deer on the spot. You miss it by an inch or two, however, and you have a wounded, possibly non-recoverable deer.

Appreciate the responses even though I regret letting him walk. But I knew at the time the shot presented itself that I might regret taking that shot even more than letting him walk so he got a pass.

I don't practice that shot since it's not something I would normally take. I usually have success letting them walk by and then get them quartering away with the arrow buried in the opposite shoulder.

I spined shot a doe last Saturday, not on purpose, the shot was way high. It only took a minute or two of thrashing around before I made the decision to put another in her. From now on, I will be a lot more careful on making a better shot on a deer cause I don't want to go through that again. It's one way to make a deer go down, but I would much rather have a pass-thru every time.

I took an almost straight-away shot at a buck in 2008. He walked right underneath me (I mean directly underneath me) and I stopped him @ about 5yds.

I leaned to the right to give myself AN angle into his vitals......and released my arrow.

Was I 100% confident in the shot? Yes.

I watched the blood spurting out the entrance wound as he bounded away. He was down in 60yds..

I've also passed shots where the deer was further from my stand (but in a similar position). The further from your stand - the less chance of creating an angle.

If you can get your arrow into the vitals of your quarry....and you feel confident in your shot.....I don't understand how anyone could judge your shot selection.

I would never intentionally aim for the spine of an animal.