Shot placement poll
 

Where does everyone aim??? I aim heart/lung for bucks, and neck for does (to save meat).

RE: Shot placement poll
 

I usually aim for the shoulder, about 4" down from the back line, in line with the front leg when standing broadside. The deer tend to fall straight down right in their tracks. I have lung shot and heart shot deer and had them run farther than I care to chase them. Now I know they will be lying down right where I shot at them.

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I like to cause trauma to the vitals, I always shoot for heart/lungs.

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i've never had a deer go any where from a neck shot heart/lung shots they some times run alot

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Heart/lung every time!

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I'll tell you something, I shotseveral deer in the neck, but I have seen deer shot clean through the esophagus and were wounded and took a long time to recover and finishing shots. Truth is it's a small target area shot and one false move at the wrong time on the deers part and you have a tracking hob on your hands. One time a buck came walking by me and his whole lower jaw was hanging down from his face. Seems someone took a head or neck shot and missed, hitting him in the face. This was at first light and the deer was soaking wet, having just come out of a pond he had spent the night soaking in, trying to stop the bleeding and lower his fever. I had to shoot him as it was the only humane thing to do.

After that it was only Heart lung for me also. But since learning the shoulder/spine shot I do nothing else. If I go high, it takes his spine out, low it takes the lungs and or heart out.

RE: Shot placement poll
 

heart and lungs......usually a double lung.....

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right behind the shoulder
the farthest ive had a deer go when i hit them there is 60 yards

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i always go heart double lung

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I don't want to track them, If I have a standing shot I'll shoot high shoulder, or neck/shoulder they drop in that spot.

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I go heart double lung:D!!!

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Heart shot, no doubt.None have got away yet!

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Seems to me your wasting a lot more meat by shooting the neck. If you have a good broadside shot, you only have to go threw ribs, not much meat there. Even a quartering shot taking out 1 shoulder seems like you would waste less meat. If your a good enough shot to hit them in the neck, seems like you would shoot them in the head.

RE: Shot placement poll
 

heart / lung

RE: Shot placement poll
 

I voted "heart-lung only" but only b/c thats the closest answer to my feelings.
I will always take the heart-lung shot when presented with it, but if not and a different shot presents itself, i have to weigh the odds and options before I decide to not shoot. I have passed on dozens of neck shots but have taken and successfully made 2 of them. Definitely not my first choice but was able to see the shot and deem it ok under the circumstances. Also, took one pretty high neck shot that could also be called a head shot. It was actually a high neck shot that entered low behind the ear of a little doe on the last day of the season. It was less than 40 yards, using a 4X scope, standing still quartering slightly away. I held for a while and thought for a while but ultimately made the shot. Dad needed some venison in the freezer and I would have taken the same shot on a larger deer but this was all that was offered that season.

I usually pass on any shot that doesn't make me feel I can pull it off safely for the woods around me and the animals' quick demise, but always look for and hold out for a heart-lung type shot.

RE: Shot placement poll
 

I voted heart/lung only because of the options you listed that is the only one I would take. I think you should have added high shoulder to the list. I think a lot of guys go for the shoulder instead of the lungs because you have a better chance of dropping the deer where it stands. Even if it doesn't die, you broke it's shoulders and it isn't going far if anywhere.

I haven't taken a shoulder shot, but would consider it. I would never intentionally shoot a deer in the neck with any weapon. Nor would I try to shoot one in the head.

Only my opinions though.

Paul

RE: Shot placement poll
 

Being primarily a bowhunter I have trained myself to take a heart/lung shot. Anything else with a bow won't do. With a gun the kill is done with impact instead of cutting. So you can hit in the shoulder neck area and likely drop them in thier tracks. Still since I bowhunt more my instincts take over and I shoot for the vitals everytime. Plus if you off a little with a bullet you've still got a killing shot.

RE: Shot placement poll
 

High shoulder shot.

RE: Shot placement poll
 

heart/lung

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Mainly heart/lung shot but have killed several with a neck shot.

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Front shoulder

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I aim behind the front shoulder.

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The heart or lungs have to be in the path for me now. I don't eat the ribs so I don't see it as loosing any meat.Plus itis certainly less meat lost then a botched head or neck shot. Been a part of a few of them and now refuse to take these shots unless it is basically a pointblank/finishing shot.

RE: Shot placement poll
 

I always aim right behind the front shoulder with a bow, but with a gun I'll do the same for buck so I don't ruin the cape. With does, and a gun I'll head shoot them if I get the chance. Doesn't ruin any meat!;)

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Heart / lung for sure.

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Does get neck shot.. Bucks will to if the oppurtunity presents it self. But I will take a heart/lung shot on a deer if I don't have a good rest or the deer is walking..

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Heart/Lung

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I'd hold about 5" right of the previous post.

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What no Texas heart shot option?

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I have always went for the lung shot... but right now I'm faced with a situation... I'm hunting a buddies farm which borders another guys' property who absolutely despises anyone shooting what he considers to be "his" deer. He has already let it be known that any deer shot and then running back onto his property will not be searched for, they will just become coyote bait. I guess, I'm going to try one ofthese high shoulder shots I keep hearing about... if I was a little more confident with my muzzleloader (like my woodchuck rifles... 22BR and 223) I'd take a quick ear shot and have it over with. We'll see what happens I guess.

RE: Shot placement poll
 

Actually you would be better off with the shoulder shot than a head shot. For one a head shot is very tricky to pull off with a deer, and another is the deer can still run with a head shot. Ever watch a chicken run around with no head.

Same thing can happen with a neck shot. It may drop and it may not, but if it doesn't it can still run until it bleeds out.

In most cases a good shoulder shot will anchor the deer because you broke one or both of it's shoulders, even if it isn't dead. It's pretty hard to run if your front legs don't work anymore. And if you transfer enough energy to the spine and central nervous system it will be knocked unconscious as well.

Dear rarely die on the spot when you shoot them. They may fall where you shoot them, but it still takes a little while for them to die. They get shocked so hard they simply can't get up or respond until it's too late.

Paul

RE: Shot placement poll
 

for those of you intereste in neck shots here is a story for you. we were on the trail of a buck a friend had gut shot and we found another deer shoot only in the neck and was never claimed. yhis nice six point was ruined. i would have gladly taken the deer and tracked it to claim it. my point is maybe these "neck" shots are not so good and maybe we should just stick to the heart and lung shots

RE: Shot placement poll
 

heart lungs

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heart And lungs bigger targets

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These discussions kill me.... Seriously people are aiming at something other than the bread basket?!?!?

There is no other shot than the heart/lungs, period.

Only variation is to take out the shoulder, if I have enough time I try to do that... There is no reason not to shoot the deer in the vitals!

Neck shots are just careless!

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Deffinately lungs! There your biggest vitals. Shooting at the neck is asking for it, to much room for error!

RE: Shot placement poll
 

neck shots - under 100 yds - small to large calibers
vitals -over a 100 yds - large calibers.
vitals under 30 yds - archery.
head shots- pigs

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When you put it through the lungs they don't run far, it's the best shot without a doubt and the biggest target!!!!

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Heart and Lung shots for me.

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Double lung,you don't have much meat to waste on the rib cage anyway,only way you are going to waste meat is if you aim to far forward and hit the shoulder.