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best spot to shoot a deer

Old 12-28-2005, 03:24 PM
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Default best spot to shoot a deer

I've always shot them behind the front shoulder and never had one run. They just drop right there. Pa, always use to shot them in the neck. I don't know if they ever ran but he killed more deer than anyone I ever knew.

What about with a bow? I have a cousin that shoots them in the head. Which IMO could be the best spot if you don't screw up and shot them in the jaw and wound them for the rest of their life [:@]

What about right behind the front shoulder or in the neck with a bow? the only thing I know of in the neck is a major artery, I guess they could run but you'll have lots of blood is my guess.
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Old 12-28-2005, 03:25 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

i know, shoot is present and shot is past. LOL
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Old 12-28-2005, 03:57 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

Whoever is shooting deer in the head with a bow needs to reconsider themselves, IMO
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Old 12-28-2005, 04:16 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

I've always been taught to shoot deer behind the shoulder. There have been some instances when I was shotgun hunting that I made other type of shots (little buck was getting ready to bolt and could only see its head at 15 yards, and a neck shot on a doe at 20 yards head on).

I would NEVER try to shoot a deer with a bow anywhere else than behind the shoulder.
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Old 12-28-2005, 04:21 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

I agree with Ill. Buck Hunter....
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Old 12-28-2005, 05:35 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

I hunt with bow, .50 cal inline ML and a 12 ga slug gun. I shoot them in the lungs. I go for the same shot placement with a gun as I do with a bow. They always run for me. Between 40 and one hundred yards with the average being around 60 yards.

I may try a high shoulder shot next year with my slug gun, I understand it does a better job of dropping them becuase it breaks the shoulder and shocks the spine. With a high powered rifle, vitals or shoulder should work really well. I am always weary of messing up meat which is why I take the lung shot.

I'm not a big fan of the neck shot, seems a bit risky to me but with a centerfire would probably be effective providing you didn't miss. What if you want to mount it though? I wouldn't want to shoot it in the neck then. In my opinion if you can hit the neck you can hit the vitals, why take the harder shot?

Shooting a deer in the neck with a bow is not very effective, has it been done, sure. I wouldn't suggest it though, it is a pretty risky shot. As far as shooting one in the head with a bow, unless you have seen it I think you are being fibbed to. That is a horrible shot to take with the bow and very high risk. There are so many things that could go wrong. And if you have a weak bow and less that perfect broad heads it may just stick in the head while the deer runs off. Arrows were not made to penitrate a skull. In my opinion the lungs are the only way to go with a bow. Broad side or quartering away. Where I aim depends on the angle of the deer and my height. Always aim for the exit hole, be aware of what the arrow will pass thru on the way thru the animal.

Get a good 3-D target and a diagram of a deers anotomy and practice taking different angled shots. Then look at the diagram compared to your target and see what you would have hit. The scoring rings on a 3-D target mean nothing for actual hunting in most cases.

Paul
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Old 12-28-2005, 05:39 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

i like to shoot them behind the shoulders or in the neck.
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Old 12-28-2005, 05:42 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

when bow hunting ive been told to aim for the opposite shoulder of the deer facing you and gun hunting aim for the shoulder
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Old 12-28-2005, 06:11 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

I hunt with bow, .50 cal inline ML and a 12 ga slug gun. I shoot them in the lungs. I go for the same shot placement with a gun as I do with a bow. They always run for me. Between 40 and one hundred yards with the average being around 60 yards.
I always get mad when I see/hear about deer running when ppl shoot them. I always thought it was because the hunters wasn't shooting the deer in the correct spot. Is this the case? I guess I shouldn't be getting all riled up. LOL. Why is it that deer do run off sometimes then?

As far as shooting one in the head with a bow, unless you have seen it I think you are being fibbed to
I wouldn't doubt it if I were. this guy is one of many that I have run into that always has some stupid story about how he shot at a deer with his rifle and missed or shot it and it ran off and he never found it. If he can't hit it with a gun, I doubt he could shot one in the head with a bow. Your prolly right. I know on my 3d target I practice shooting in the head. I put 6 of my 12 arrows in/around its eye. This is why I only have 2 arrows left LOL. I don't practice it because thats why I am going to shoot at but I figure to practice shooting the hard stuff adn then when i am really going to shoot one, it'll be easier to hit him in a bigger area.


Broad side or quartering away

I've seen those words on this board alot, and I have no idea what the mean????



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Old 12-28-2005, 06:27 PM
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Default RE: best spot to shoot a deer

I doubt a broadhead would even penetrate far enough intothe skull to kill a deer. Never ever go for the head or neck with a bow. For one, deer can dodge the arrow from just 20 yds away, they usualy cant move out of the way fast enough if your going for vitals, but a head or neck shot at 20 yds will more than likely always cause a miss or worse, a wounded deer.
Always go for a broad side shot behind the shoulder with your bow, or quartering away. Quartering means a deer is not totally broadside, more like at a slight angle, qaurtering away would mean he's angling away from you, and quartering too is just the opposite. Quartering away shots with a bow are pretty good shots, you come in from behind the ribcage and go all the way up to the front and opposite shoulder.
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