Front shot with a bow

[rmundt]

I have bow hunted for 15 years. I have harvested about 10 deer with my bow, i have only lost 2 deer, one a doe 10 years ago that i hit too far back and was located a week later. The other was last year and a shot I should i probably should not have taken.
I have no ideal how bad i hurt the dear but it was never found.
This was the biggest deer I ever had a shot at, i would estimate 160-170 p/y and 300 lbs. I know i will open myself up to criticism but Am seeking advice if I find my self in this situation again.
The buck follwed a doe to with in 12 yards of my 15 foot elevated stand,i was down wind , he froze when he winded me, and was obviously prepareing to bolt I took the shot straight on and put 16 inches of arrow in the middle sternum on a downward trajectory( I found the arrow broken off later). I was able to follow a light blood trail fo 1/2 mile into a crp field when iit got dark.I came back the next day and busted the deer out of the CRP and he took off like he was not even hurt. I have only taken quartering shots in the past( except one straight down), and have never had a deer go more than 50 yards.
So, Is there any front shot(with a bow) you would take?
I had 2 close close calls with good bucks that same week, they both came in bad wind straight to me with 20 yards but bolted before quartering leaving me no shot.
I also use scent look and dead down wind, although I believe these produsts help I dont believe any thing works on a mature buck down wind of human scent?

[Wac'em]

On a coming in shot you gotta place the shot between the neck and shoulder. Here is one I had this deer didn't go 10yds. Good luck..........

[Nick Roehl]

On coming shots are possible but I wouldn't recommend them. You have seen first hand what a bad shot can do. You just end up wounding a potential trophy buck. I just wait for a good high percentage shot or let the buck walk. I a minimum I owe the buck that much out of respect.
I definitely think scent lok helps to mask odor and so do scent killers, but the most important thing is playing the wind right. I spray a ton of scent killer on and I have had bucks come in downwind and not smell me until it was too late or not smell me at all.

[Halsty6]

Fever... dead.jpg (221.88 KiB) Viewed 243 times

I'm a big fan of taking good quality shots too... but I had about the exact scenario that you described happen to me except mine worked out. I had him at ten yards and he had me busted looking straight up at me. I would never even attempt to shoot a deer with a bow through the brisket but the neck is a different story. If you are close enough so they can't jump your string (10 yards) and shoot a very fast bow (Z7) with a big cutting diameter broad head (rage) you can pull it off. The buck that I attached rolled 20 yards down the side of a hill after I released the arrow. The shot was devastating. It took out his trachea, jugular and spine. I didn't have a big target to aim at, but since I have shot competatively for years, I felt comfortable with my own ability to do so. Right or wrong it was one of the quickest and humane kills i've taken. On the flip side, I did shoot a buck with my rifle that had a arrow sticking out of his brisket a few years back. I think that one needs to have a serious conversation with urself and evaluate your skills and experience before you take a straight on shot.

[hatenslickheads]

I pretty much just stay to quatering away or broad side I've learned that even if you make a tough shot there is to much bone that blocks the vitals especially on quatering towards I know some of you guys may disagree but I lose sleep over and I'll be mad at myself for several days if I injure any deer