Deer Hunting, what is the perfect shot placement?

[onelastshot]

Over the past 40 plus years or so, improved rifles, scopes and ammunition has resulted in a tremendous improvement in overall accuracy; for most of us, the time of the 30-30 has long since past. With that in mind, what do you consider as the perfect shot placement when hunting deer?

I ask, because the subject recently came up with a fellow hunter who prefers a high neck shot for quick humane kills. On my last hunt I opted for a shot behind the ear, the distance was relatively short (less than 100 yards), no meat was wasted and no tracking was involved. Just curious if most hunters still prefer the double lung shot as optimal.

 

[Erik Cortina]

To me the perfect shot placement is one that you can guarantee 100% success rate. So neck and head shots are out.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

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.

 

[stacy]

FOR ME IT'S A HIGH SHOULDER SHOT OR NECK SHOT =DEAD DEER!!!!!

 

[Changeling]

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)

 

[40X Guy]

X 100 what Changeling said, I've always shot my deer just behind shoulder and they always die. Guys who go for head shots are risking a miss or a wounded deer especially with a hunting rifle that may be able to shoot a pie plate sized group at 100 yards... There are some nimrods out there..

Frank

 

[onelastshot]

X 100 what Changeling said, I've always shot my deer just behind shoulder and they always die. Guys who go for head shots are risking a miss or a wounded deer especially with a hunting rifle that may be able to shoot a pie plate sized group at 100 yards... There are some nimrods out there..

Frank

I respectfully disagree. You are categorizing or grouping all hunters together. Many "hunters" have no place in the woods because they don't practice and can't hit a pie plate at 50 yards. That being said there are many hunters who practice regularly and can comfortably hit a neck or head shot at reasonable distances. I've practiced weekly all summer and am comfortable obtaining a clean head kill shot. I don't take a shot unless I'm certain all conditions are appropriate.

The person who dusts his rifle off once a year and often neglects to sight the rifle in before the season is more likely to gut shoot or wound a deer than effectuate a clean kill. For them it doesn't matter where they aim.

 

[XTR]

Right behind the shoulder - heart/lungs.

 

[civil82]

"It is what it is", but I've seen too many jaws blown off by accomplished shooters taking head shots. Under extremely ideal conditions, I'd still break the shoulder and knowingly lose 2-3 pounds of meat that's getting ground into burger than have one run off with its jaw dangling. Different strokes for different folks depending on conditions of terrain, hunting pressure, etc.
With all that said, I'll be using the usual 25-06AI and 100gr. NBT or 270 Win and 130 NBT.

 

[40X Guy]

X 100 what Changeling said, I've always shot my deer just behind shoulder and they always die. Guys who go for head shots are risking a miss or a wounded deer especially with a hunting rifle that may be able to shoot a pie plate sized group at 100 yards... There are some nimrods out there..

Frank

I respectfully disagree. You are categorizing or grouping all hunters together. Many "hunters" have no place in the woods because they don't practice and can't hit a pie plate at 50 yards. That being said there are many hunters who practice regularly and can comfortably hit a neck or head shot at reasonable distances. I've practiced weekly all summer and am comfortable obtaining a clean head kill shot. I don't take a shot unless I'm certain all conditions are appropriate.

The person who dusts his rifle off once a year and often neglects to sight the rifle in before the season is more likely to gut shoot or wound a deer than effectuate a clean kill. For them it doesn't matter where they aim.

And thats exactly right and what I am talking about. Guys who's equipment or load practices or lack of quality trigger time correspond to poor results on the target. Most of the time a head shot is not even doable in the space and time or distance allotted. Always safer to go for the behind the shoulder shot. You and I and probably 99% of the people on this board can kill deer with a shot to the head or neck as most of us reload and have quality equipment. But in my 42 years of deer hunting I have seen some nimrods at sight in day etc. and guys chasing wounded deer that they had no business pulling the trigger on... I'm not grouping anyone together, just relating to what I have seen. And some of it isn't cool.

Frank

 

[jim_k]

It depends on a lot of factors. The surest shot is the shot through both shoulders (not counting head shots, but head shots will not always be an option. Quartering to you, the shot is the one that exits just behind the far shoulder. High or low on the body, it all works. Any shot in the chest that exits through the chest on the other side will do the job. Neck shots are good, but the neck moves more than the body during usual feeding, for whatever animal it is. It also depends on wind, weather, the rest available, whether the animal is jumpy or calm, what type of bullet is in the chamber, distance, size of the animal, vegetation and terrain in the area where you will have to track the animal, just a lot of factors, so there is never going to be a "best shot" that can cover all situations. The shot I mostly try to make is the "high shoulder" shot, in which the bullet traverses a point between the shoulders, and 4-6" below the back. My friend Nez calls this the "off switch." Do not be afraid shoot one pointing straight at you through this spot, even though it does not hit either shoulder. It still hits spine, major vessels, and lungs. The rest and trigger pull must be steady enough. Usually DRT.
Jim

 

[Randy L]

For me its just behind the shoulder in the boiler room. This goes for both bullets or broadheads.

 

[bheadboy]

68 years of deer hunting and taking meat home, I have a firm condition, weather facing, going away, angled sideways, or hanging from a vine, I ALLWAYS go for the bullet to travel through the mid to lower lung area no matter where it enters the body,

never lost a deer after shooting, and don't care for "showing just how good a shot I can make" even if I can and I can!!

Bob

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I have seen animals walk away from a neck shot and never be recovered. Head shot is also a big risk. Me? Double lung.. Gets em every time

 

[JimT]

So lets see, the first response to the OP's question is posted by a very accomplished marksman and lays out a hypothesis that is without question right on the mark. But, but, but, several succeeding posters take exception and post opinions that ignore the facts present in any hunting situation. That is, you are shooting at a living creature that deserves 100% diligence with regard to a HUMANE and statistically proven lethal kill. Please refer back to the first response to the OP and learn a lesson.

 

[people]

The perfect spot depends on the angle. I like the bullet to hit the heart if possible. So the angle depends where I will fire. Sometimes I just shot for massive damage. When the conditions are right it is head shot all the way.

I do not chase deer or have them driven for me. I shoot fully supported. Nothing happens fast when I am out.

 

[LHSmith]

The perfect spot depends on the angle. I like the bullet to hit the heart if possible. So the angle depends where I will fire. Sometimes I just shot for massive damage. When the conditions are right it is head shot all the way.

I do not chase deer or have them driven for me. I shoot fully supported. Nothing happens fast when I am out.

Based on 50 years of hunting whitetails (minimum 2 full weeks every year since I've been out of school), I've learned that a deer can move faster than I can pull the trigger. BTDT on head shots......the results were grotesque...and I always shot all year round at varmints and targets.
Shooting Competition BR for a dozen years reinforces the fact that there is no 100% absolute guarantee where that first shot will go.....and that's with a full blown 13.5 # BR rifle off a Farley rest with 3" front bag, 40x scope, and concrete bench .......with windflags every 35 yards.

 

[agr516]

High shoulder shot. Never had one walk away from it. Miss forward and you hit the base of the neck = dead. Miss low and you have two broken shoulders = dead. Miss back and you pass through the chest cavity = dead. Miss high and you miss completely = no wounded deer.

 

[people]

LHSmith if you shoot enough you will learn where your rifle shoots if you do it properly. The thing that truly counts is that first shot. Do you know where it will go? Clean or dirty? What about that second shot, third, or fourth?




If your deer twitchy you may need to go center mass. I like head shots because it saves meat. If you are a hunter you should not read my posts about shooting game.

 

[Chappy]

Deer are relatively easy to put down but I'm an elk hunter. For me, If that elk doesn't present a good broadside shot (most don't) in the timber, I usually Have two options. If here's quartering towards me, high shoulder shot has always knocked them down for me, followed by one finisher in the neck or head.

If he's running away, I put the hairs right on his stub of a tail and send it (I'm using heavy, strong bullets when hunting elk, don't try this kind of shot with a bullet that is not constucted for elk! Stick with A-Frames, Partions, AccuBonds, Fail-Safes etc etc.) this has brought down a lot of elk for myself. Then again a finishing shot.