Deer Hunting, what is the perfect shot placement?

[swd]

Whether it's a squirrel, coyote or a deer I go for the double lung/heart if it's available. The bigger the target area the better.

 

[Rustystud]

Entrance wound from a 308 Win., and Barnes Tipped Tripple Shock 150 GR


Exit Wound from same bullet this was 125 pound Whitetail

You don't need a bigger gun, shot placement, controlled expansion bullets are the key elements to quick humane deer harvests.
Nat Lambeth

 

[people]

Entrance wound from a 308 Win., and Barnes Tipped Tripple Shock 150 GR


Exit Wound from same bullet this was 125 pound Whitetail

You don't need a bigger gun, shot placement, controlled expansion bullets are the key elements to quick humane deer harvests.
Nat Lambeth

Those are cute baby holes! Granted dead is dead.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Not everyone hunts for the same reasons or has the same opportunities. Not everyone has the option to sit on a field in a nice stand and wait for a perfect shot on deer that are not spooked. Some of us have A-hole neighbors that push everybody and their brothers land and to be successful at filling the freezer one needs to get off the behind and pound the brush.. To assume everyone has a perfect situation is unrealistic...


Ray

 

[Syncrowave]

At close range, I shoot deer in the neck. Once I tried to shoot one in the neck, and she must have lowered her head just as my 270's trigger broke and I hit her in the head (which made one eyeball pop out). Either way, instant kill.

 

[Erik Cortina]

At close range, I shoot deer in the neck. Once I tried to shoot one in the neck, and she must have lowered her head just as my 270's trigger broke and I hit her in the head (which made one eyeball pop out). Either way, instant kill.

So you missed your intended target? A miss is a miss!

I once had a guy tell me that he should be a sniper because he shot a deer in the neck at 200 yards. I was somewhat impressed until I asked "Where did you aim?" He said, "Behind the shoulder, but I got it in the neck, which is a heck of a shot!" That's where we disagreed! Lol

 

[Down South]

At close range, I shoot deer in the neck. Once I tried to shoot one in the neck, and she must have lowered her head just as my 270's trigger broke and I hit her in the head (which made one eyeball pop out). Either way, instant kill.

So you missed your intended target? A miss is a miss!

I once had a guy tell me that he should be a sniper because he shot a deer in the neck at 200 yards. I was somewhat impressed until I asked "Where did you aim?" He said, "Behind the shoulder, but I got it in the neck, which is a heck of a shot!" That's where we disagreed! Lol

Come on Erik, that was a heck of a shot......Not where he was aiming but a good shot none the less....... ;D

 

[Brute]

Another vote for the high shoulder shot.

 

[L.Sherm]

+1 what agr516 says, high shoulder all the way

 

[Joe Maisto]

I will never switch, because I have proven to myself (the most important person) the best shot on a deer is right behind the shoulder, or any angle that accomplishes the same bullet path with hopefully a complete pass through. That's it, pure and simple. 8)

Although that is meat in the freezer, If I have a choice, I will always go for the lungs and rib cage. Two reasons, one in particular, and that is, they can't run very far if they can't breath, and (2), no meat loss. We enjoy venison and there is simply too much damage with a shoulder shot when a lung shot will do the same thing. You'll not have to chase them more than about 50-60 feet with either shot placement, depending of course what caliber and projectile you are using. For me it's a .270 with a 130 gr. bullet.

 

[Changeling]

At close range, I shoot deer in the neck. Once I tried to shoot one in the neck, and she must have lowered her head just as my 270's trigger broke and I hit her in the head (which made one eyeball pop out). Either way, instant kill.

So you missed your intended target? A miss is a miss!

I once had a guy tell me that he should be a sniper because he shot a deer in the neck at 200 yards. I was somewhat impressed until I asked "Where did you aim?" He said, "Behind the shoulder, but I got it in the neck, which is a heck of a shot!" That's where we disagreed! Lol

That pretty much says it all . 8)

 

[djtjr]

For trophy hunting (which I rarely do), I'm aiming for the biggest available target in the middle of the vital triangle. I use a cartridge/bullet combination capable of reaching the vitals from any angle at any range up to 300 yards.

For meat hunting I will use a brain shot at ranges of 200 yards or less if conditions are good enough -- plenty of time, steady rest, animal not moving or likely to move, no significant wind. Otherwise I shoot for the heart/lungs. Unless the animal is perfectly broadside I often lose some bloodshot meat on one shoulder, which is why I prefer a CNS shot for meat hunting under ideal conditions.

For this "deer" it was heart/lungs all the way, .300WM with 180gr Barnes TSX.

+1 for me but rather than brain i go very high neck scull juncture. Gives me the same size target left and Right windage but a lot more room in the vertical. With good bullets the shock alone in the neck shot will do the trick so this gives me a greater margin of error with the same results as the brain shot.

 

[Joe Maisto]

Whether it's a squirrel, coyote or a deer I go for the double lung/heart if it's available. The bigger the target area the better.

Squirrel ?? What ever happened to the head shot on squirrels ?

 

[mr45man]

Whether it's a squirrel, coyote or a deer I go for the double lung/heart if it's available. The bigger the target area the better.

Squirrel ?? What ever happened to the head shot on squirrels ?

The brains are really yummy would be one reason.
John H.

 

[alintx]

Come on guys, in the words of jim camichaels wife, " Put the pointy end in forward,and shoot em in the front half !" (After listening to him ramble about shot placement.) Jim said he could do nothing but humbly agree !

 

[rpierce]

+1 on the high shoulder shot. DRT

 

[Immike]

I try to shoot through the ribs as close to the front leg as possible to avoid meat damage. I use a 7mm mag with 162 Amax so the exit wound is near fist size. I haven't lost a big buck yet with that combo and they don't take off far either. About 20-50 ft is it.

 

[xswanted]

I like to have the deer facing me if at all possible. Shoot him in the chest/neck junction.

Lights out instantly on every deer I've shot this way and its still a darn big target.

If he's broadside, into the shoulder or just behind it. Lots of kill area on a deer sized game.

 

[d.id]

Double lung for me.
Head or neck or high shoulder are all reasonable if the shooter and situation allow.
.
I have not had a need to take a head shot on a dear, I did take a head shot on an a cow elk at 360 yards but only as a follow up to a perfect double lung that dropped her. After watching a few: I concluded she was still alive although immobilized so I sent a follow up......... had bean shooting an elk skull at 900 regularly anyway for practice.
.
Tried a high shoulder shot once and was not impressed as it required a follow up shot and waisted a good deal of meat.
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While I see them all as viable, I prefer the most certain= A: largest margin of error. B: least likely to damage meat or antler...................that means a double lung.
.
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If you can't hit them where you mean to: you need practice.
If you can hit them where you mean to but it doesn't do the job: you need more gun.
If your hunting without enough gun or enough practice, Your a jerk and need to nock it off.

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

Every creature that has ever lived on this earth has died from the same thing...lack of oxygen to the brain. Making that happen ASAP is prudent.

You can shoot at whatever you like. Started bowhunting in '66 and have always gone for center of the lungs with rifle, pistol, bow, etc. It affords the largest margin of error and will kill quickly by destroying the oxygen supply. Any blood trail that shows pink, frothy blood, generally will not go far.