Where to shoot a deer.

[Foggy47]

OK. This has been discussed a time or three over time....but I did not see a thread on it. I think many folks do not know about "the high shoulder shot" for use with a high power rifle and / or do not fully understand the "how to". In my experience.....this is the best way to anchor a deer....and NOW. I'm color blind...and not very good at tracking. Thus I have become a huge believer in this shot for big game with a modern high-power RIFLE. It's not for archery.

Rather than me tell the positives on this place to shoot a deer.....I think this may be the best video on this topic. If you have had trouble recovering deer.....or have neighbors that may not let you track deer (or other reasons you may have) this way to shoot a deer may be best for you. Have a look.

 

[swat1018]

I only archery hunt now. But, when I gun hunted I never did. It is too hard on too much meat. I don't know how guys have such a hard time killing a deer with a gun. A well placed double lung with appropriate ammo works just fine. I guess if you are hunting on a property line, I see your point. Most people's problem is they buy their ammo on Friday night and hunt Saturday morning.

 

[Tree Spud]

I have shot over 125 deer. I have always focused on that area to shoot and I don't think I have ever had a deer go farther than 60 yards before dropping. Like to refer to this area as the "boiler room". The heart, lungs, and arteries all exist here. A shot here essentially creates catastrophic damage to all critical life support functions.

 

[Bszweda]

I attempted to shoulder shoot a deer at 25 yards three season ago with my muzzle loader. As the smoke clears I see it laying on the ground and thought it was dead, a minute or two goes by and it springs back to life and takes off running down hill. ( Not a drop of blood either) I must of shot high and stunned it. I'm amazed at the lack of blood gun shots produce alot of times. I heart shot my deer this year not a drop of blood for 30 yards. I started second guessing myself did i miss completely. Finally found blood by walking the edge of field. Once I found some the deer was 10 yards from it, and dead deer. When I gutted the Deer it didn't have a heart just jelly.

 

[Nimrod]

Heart shot deer generaly have weak blood trails....the heart has stopped pumping and the blood stops flowing.....

 

[West_Fork]

Never shoot a deer in your living room. What mess.

 

[bigboreblr]

If you shoot a bit higher in the chest, sometimes the blood just stays in the body. I almost gave up on a deer that went 50 yards or so from where I shot it. Barely any blood trail and the deer went under a big shrub and layed down like a dog, hiding it's white belly to the ground.

Muzzleloading, immediately reload. I always approach the deer with the gun in the low ready position. I have had them go up, or try to go back up when you approach. 2 dollars of ammo is well worth it. Worried about meat damage. Kneel about 30 yards away and do a neck shot.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Was on a flight a few years ago and got my fill of sportsman’s channel and box blind food plot deer shooting shows. In the course of one flight I saw 3 attempted high shoulder shots not land where they wanted to. I assumed these guys wanted a dramatic bang flop for the cam but it was a good illustration to me that even tv hunters suck at shooting and should probably take the bigger target and aim for center of lungs.

 

[bjseiler]

I tried it this year. 50 yard shot with my 6.5 Grendel. It did drop immediately but the doe didn’t die. Head kept moving even though the body was clearly paralyzed. After a minute I shot her in the neck to end it. Bullet hole seemed to be spot on. Maybe not enough umpph in my round…. I don’t think I will do that again with that gun.

 

[356]

At a recent Field to Fork event with the NDA and MDC, the high shoulder shot was recommended for rainy days where tracking might be difficult. While I had to waste meat, its a good ethical placement. My one gun harvest this year was a lung/heart that dropped immediately. Later in the season I mentored a first time hunter who’s lung/heart shot resulted in the deer running into a ravine. After recovering that deer, I wish he had shot the high shoulder :-)

 

[Telemark]

Was on a flight a few years ago and got my fill of sportsman’s channel and box blind food plot deer shooting shows. In the course of one flight I saw 3 attempted high shoulder shots not land where they wanted to. I assumed these guys wanted a dramatic bang flop for the cam but it was a good illustration to me that even tv hunters suck at shooting and should probably take the bigger target and aim for center of lungs.

I don't think TV hunters are particularly good hunters. There are a few exceptions, of course. I think Ben Rising is legit. A few others are the real deal as well.

Most of the TV hunters are unethical hunters and media whores.