shot placement
02-10-2009, 04:46 PM
#11
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079
RE: shot placement
Depends, 75 or less yards and if it is a buck I don't intend to mount, I will shoot them in the neck. After that it is usually behind the shoulder. I shot a 5 point meat deer last week in the neck and I think if I had of just cut the hide around the neck the whole head would have fell off.
02-11-2009, 06:19 AM
#14
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 215
RE: shot placement
If it were a perfect world and I had a perfect broadside shot, I would trace up the back side of the crosshairs and shoot about an inch behind the front shoulder. What really happens is I take a shot when I get the opportunity even if the deer is quartering. Then I try to visualize the heart/lungs and put it where it will do the job as quickly as possible.
02-11-2009, 08:01 AM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,462
RE: shot placement
I aim a little under halfway up right at the shoulder crease. I usually don't have deer drop on the spot to much but rarely do they go more than 40 yards. Plus, I rarely ruin any meat at all. I low lunged a doe this year and she made it about 100 yards in an open Bean field but that is the longest Ive had one go on me. Ive seen articles and pictures that say more of the vitals are located in front of the shoulder crease than behind, but Ive been aiming at the crease since I started hunting and it hasn't failed me yet!
02-11-2009, 08:17 AM
#16
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 564
RE: shot placement
ORIGINAL: Andrew_outdoors
Depends on what you are using. If your bow hunting hitting the shoulder isn't going to do you or the deer much good and you should aim just behind the shoulder. If you have a rifle, taking out the shoulder presents you with an opportunity at the heart, and possibly breaking the shoulder, preventing the animal from getting too far.
Depends on what you are using. If your bow hunting hitting the shoulder isn't going to do you or the deer much good and you should aim just behind the shoulder. If you have a rifle, taking out the shoulder presents you with an opportunity at the heart, and possibly breaking the shoulder, preventing the animal from getting too far.
Not sure what anatomy book you looked at, but a shoulder shot ain't gonna give you much chance at the heart unless you are at a heller step angle.
02-11-2009, 09:18 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,445
RE: shot placement
You'll learn the benefits of the shoulder shot if you hunt public lands. We've all heard the stories of fatally hit deer being taken by other hunters, 150 yds down the bloodtrail.
With a gun I generally shoot to hit the offside shoulder.
With a gun I generally shoot to hit the offside shoulder.