Shot placement

[bambeklr]

I was wondering where youall prefer placing your arrow in a deer. I myself like to shoot for the arm pitt. If its a large deer I like the front shoulder. What do you all think.

[progers]

Yea, right in there with a bow. I tend to like neck shots with a rifle, depends on the distance! But, I assume you are just talking about bows?!?

[DeerBustn]

Im with ya on the armpit thing, Big deer though I tend to go TIGHT behind the front shoulder, STAY SAFE,HUNT HARD,.....Deerbustn

[bambeklr]

The reason I like the shoulder is that it akes out there running gear. I dont want him to be able to travel very far. I shoot 82lbs and I usually get passthrews on shoulder shots. I only had one arrow not passthrew on a buck and he was well over 200lbs dressed. I shot him in the shoulder and the arrow was hanging out the other side. He didnt go far though. I think I just like hearing the loud "SMACK" after the shot. This always lets me know I hit my mark.

[KwackWacker]

Tight and low against the shoulder on a perfectly broadside shot. I have been known to shoot them in the neck with my bow when I couldn't get any other shots.

[bambeklr]

Man I always thaught that the neck shots with a bow were kinda risky. When a deer is large and in full rut there is alot of neck there. I may be misunderstanding you, do you mean bow or gun.

[bambeklr]

I have killed 2 deer with head shots with my bow. 2 doe's that never made a step, just rolled around. Both of them were within 15 yards. The one I shot right between the ears on the top of her head, the arrow didnt pass threw it stayed half way in and hung out the bottom of her jaw. What a mess, I even cut her tonque off. The skull and with the arrow and braud head are in my shed. Looks pretty neat.

[progers]

I was refering to a rifle and Kwack was refering to a bow. I can tell you that I have not bow hunted near what tha Kwack has and I would not attempt it, yet. It is something that takes years and years of target practice before you should attempt it with either weapon. Once you understand the anatomy of their vitals, you should understand more about the neck shot. I probably killed 40+ deer over 15 years with a rifle before I started the neck shot. I have proabably taken 20 deer with a neck shot using a rifle and I had one bad incident. I had one at about 20 yards, and I took the easy shot forgranted. I grazed him just knocking off a little hair! He, a spike, took off like a rocket. He waited a few minutes then stepped right back out to see what just bit him. I then dropped him in his tracks at 35 yards with a neck shot. There is two results in shooting at the neck. 1) It will be a clean miss and the deer will live to see another day or 2) he drops in his tracks. Usually, the first thing that hits the ground is their head. Even if you miss the jugular and spine and windpipe, the shock of the impact will break the neck. If you shoot for the center of the neck, you will be cleaning a deer that day.

[bambeklr]

I must say I beg to differ. I shot a 7pt 2 years ago at 13 yds in the neck with my 12 gauge. 1 1/4 oz lightfeild slugs. I shot him in the neck first and he dropped,kicking around abit. Later he started kicking again and I shot him in the neck again. When I gt down and went behind a tree to sneak up from behind him he got up and ran away. He was hurt bad crashing overy saplings and all but he kept going. I found his rack the next year. I have also killed alot of deer in the neck but still one getting away is unaccepltable to me. I also shot and 18 inch wide 5 point at 60 yds in the neck. He dropped and then I heard a deer running down the hill. Another buck at 15 yards I hit the trigger and the deer skidded to a hault. When I pulled the trigger I saw the big whole in his shoulder. I then made sure the deer was dead and went to go get the other nice buck I shot first. Got there and there was no deer. I found a blood trail from where he was standing right to the other buck. Sure enuff there was a slug hole in the middle of his neck. He got his stuff together and went on. He just ran the wrong way. I still think there is a gray area where the shot is not fatal. I just shoot for the head or the shoulder now. I know whats gonna happen then. I guess it like I always say do what you know best right.

[truk]

i have only shot 1 deer in the neck and it was with my bow. She had busted me (i was on the ground) and had went from broadside to staring right at me, i was already at full draw and my arms were getting tired so i focused on a spot right in the middle of the white spot on her neck and let fly (it was a 25yd shot) the arrow went right where i aimed but i missed the spine, she covered 100 yards leaving a trail of blood a blind man could follow, when i field dressed her,there was less than 4 ounces of blood inside her.

[progers]

All I can say is weird things happen. I have had deer that I shot in the shoulder and they run 100 yards or more before they collapse and have their heart hanging out their chest. I have lost deer that were obviously lung shot. I have lost several deer that were perfect broadside shot. It sometimes happens in either case. It happens in both cases. I only hunt with a high pwered rifle and I have never had one take a step after I shot it in the neck.

As I said, learn the anatomy of a deer and make your shot count. Don't push the deer because you stand a chance of loosing it! I'm not saying that one shot is better than the other. I only neck shoot deer up to around 60 or 70 yards, with a RIFLE. And I never attempt the neck shot if the deer is moving or if it a big buck. You stand a chance of never finding a deer after you pull the trigger, it just happens and it will happen to you eventually if it hasn't already.

I can't say that the deer that I neck shot was any more dead than the deer that I shot in the chest! Shoot at where ever works best for you. Both are effective if they are done right!

[artjaggard]

Hi folks,

About a half a dozen years ago I was hunting with a friend in an old quarry. He went storming into a woods by a creek and I climbed an old lay down tree to wait for him. Fifteen minutes later a doe and two fawns came piling out. I shot one fawn at about 40 yards and the doe took off. The other fawn ran right at me and I shot her in the chest as she came. The 30-06 completely removed her heart. She ran another hundred yards, and there was no blood trail. I never worked so hard for 30 pounds of meat.

Debbie cooks those fawns medium raw and you can cut them with a fork. MMMMM

Art

[KwackWacker]

I meant with a bow, I don't do it all the time, but I will take the neck shot when I have to. I'm extremely comfortable with it and have never lost a deer doing it. It's also important to know that I WILL NOT take any shot at a deer with my bow more than 30 yards. When I was younger I shot at one at way too far and the next year I killed a crippled deer with half an arrow in it. I made up my mind then and there to never shoot at a deer more than 30 yards.

[todd malabanan]

That old Double lung shot seems to work too. You don't have to worry about the shoulder getting in the way.

[bambeklr]

As far as I am concerned the shoulder is a helpful tool in recovering my deer in a timely fashion. From what I have experienced If they are hit in the shoulder they can run to far, before they have to lye down. If you dont spook them and give them a while he will be laying not far from you when you are ready to go get him. I guess if you look at it as long as the vitals are hit and you dont push the animal you will find him. The greatist thing I learned is to be very patient and never be in a hurry. A blood trail is like a book if you read it thoroughly you will get the whole story correct the first time!!!

[progers]

What I found that works really good is that I use a "flip-up" picture of Carnivore! It's fast, effective, and drops them in their tracks. No meat will be waisted, unless you eat the eyes!

[T-bird]

1/3 of the way up the body, just behind the shoulder --- hits both lungs every time on a broadside shot, and makes for a really short tracking job too ---- otherwise, it depends on the angle the deer presents ---- and I almost NEVER shoot at a moving deer

[Digger]

A third of the way up the body 4 to 5 inches behind the shoulder when broadside or quartering away.

http://home.mn.rr.com/deerfever/Anatomy.html

[carnivore]

excelent link Digger.