I have only taken a few animals with my bow. My official hit, to miss ratio is way out of whack!!!! However I have a new plan to fix this problem this year. After taking a nice turkey during spring season I learned something very important about bow hunting that I didn't quite get before. Concentrate on one spot, and follow through. Don't try to watch the flight of the arrow. I have found that this even has a profound effect while target shooting. I am going on 5 years with the bow, and am still way off in the learning curve. My question to you all is on deer "Where do you put your pin?" on the heart?, on the lungs?, high?, low?.

I may be wrong - but I always aim for the opposite shoulder. I pick a spot in front that I think will be in line with the opposite shoulder and concentrate on that point but visualize the thru shot. Did that make sense?

depending on the shot, if its a broad side shot i aim right behind the shoulder. I have shot deer in the neck and killed them just as quick or quicker. If i have a deer that is skitish, i aim low anticipating that it will jump the bow string and fall right into the arrow. Quartering away shots i aim low and deep for the heart, trying to get aleast one lung.

I like to aim for the exit hole. I have to agree about watching the arrow flight. Last fall I got my first turkey with a bow after I had hit 2 trees when shooting at deer. I was so worried about seeing where the arrow was hitting I was moving the bow. With the turkey I just took my time and held the pin right where I wanted it. 20 yards later = dead bird.

I try to get a double lung. They don't last long then!

For broadside I aim just behind the front leg and in the middle. If he is all wired up I may aim a little low (top of heart)

Quartering away - I aim middle body along a line with his far front leg - entering about the last rib

Quartering towards me a little bit - I aim middle body tight to the near leg bone.

Quartering toward hard - he walks

The closer the shot (when in a tree) the higher I aim - keeping in mind the exit hole.

I never did find a clump of hair to aim for on any deer I shot - I focus on the area I want my pin to be.

Good Luck

All very good points, and very informative.


Thanks a million!!!!!!!!!!!

Try to imagine the flight of the arrow as it passes thru the deer, you want to hit as much of the vitals as possible. The lungs are the biggest vital and with a double lungs shot the deer should be recovered in a distance less than 100yds. With that said your aim point will be determined by the angle of the shot. If you are in a tree stand you may have to hit a little high and imagnine the exit hole so it hits the vitals as it passes thru. On quarter away shots you may have to aim farther back so it passes thru and takes out the both lungs. If you have a 3D target set it up for 1/4ing away shots and practice and visualize the arrows path thru the deer. On a deer that is broadside put your pin on the front leg follow up the leg to where the leg & the shoulder meets then move the pin back approx 4" towards the center of the deer. Don't shoot until the deer has the leg that is facing you forward. When the leg is forward it opens up the lungs & heart, you won't hit the shoulder plate. Then again if you want take the double lung shot if broadside that works and is less of a chance for a bad shot.. Wow that was a mouth full, sorry for the long winded reply.

P.S look at my signature in my post! PICK A SPOT

Try this link it shows the deers vitals and placement of them. Click on the arrow it changes and gives you different looks.

[link]http://home.mn.rr.com/deerfever/Anatomy.html[/link]

That good. You don't need to see the arrow. If you concentrate on the target till the arrow hits, you will know where arrow was placed.

At all costs, I shoot for double lungs. Never heart.