Shot Placement

[DairyLandDeerHunter]

Well I'm happy for all of you that have had head/neck shots that didn't go bad. But having the the unpleasant task in the past of finishing off several deer that others had tried these kind of shots on and didn't so so well with, I'm not as positive. I'm talking about lower jaws shot off and dangling, and eyeballs hanging out or shot away. Yes, they ARE killing shots if you place them right, but if you miss........bad ending for the deer.

And I'm not saying that you folks in particular are guilty of this, and I sure hope you aren't, but just by the fact that these ARE percieved to be "drop 'em where they stand" type shots, there may be a tendancy for some to think that if they shoot at one this way and it doesn't go down immediately that they missed them, which maybe they in fact hadn't. Like I say, I had to deal with first hand the results of these kind of shots gone bad.

Give me the boiler room. Bigger target, bigger margin of error.

I understand where you are coming from Woods Walker. It is totally up to the shooter and his/her competency. For me, I do not hesitate on a neck shot. I've done it many times and have never lost or injured a deer. Like you said though, to each his/her own. I don't believe hunters should take the shot unless they are confident in their shooting abilities.

[Cut N Run]

I'll take head & neck shots if they're best shot I'm offered. I practice shooting out to 300 yards at the range and am confident taking longer shots, only if they're good ones. This Fall I shot two does broadside with the crossbow this year and watched both of them drop in less than 70 yards. I also shot two does with a rifle with head shots and dropped both where they stood...both less than 90 yards.

One of the does was looking straight at me and stomping her foot. She had busted me twice in that same area during archery season and I wasn't about to keep her in those woods. The clearest shot I had was straight on, so I set the cross hairs at the throat patch under her chin and made a clean, quick kill. She never knew what hit her and she certainly didn't suffer. I didn't ruin any meat either. If I had waited on a broadside shot, she probably would snorted and taken off running. I just won't take a running shot that far through the woods.

Jim

[Woods Walker]

I'm saying or debating that head/neck shots aren't deadly. They most certainly are. IF you place them right. Trouble is, if you DON'T, especially at longer ranges, it's hard to tell if you even hit them. And then it gets ugly. Like I said, the difference between a very dead deer dropped in place and an ugly, and most likely unrecoverable fatal wound is mere inches...or less.

[Cut N Run]

About 5 years ago, one of the guys I hunt with tried a head shot on a doe and did not hit where he intended. He ended up losing that deer. I found it during turkey season 300+ yards from where he lost it. It was a waste to everything but the scavengers. That was his last head shot attempt too.

Jim

[garyo]

Hey Guys
another angle on the shot placement,there a lot who never have range time,to understand their bullet drop,or scope set up per type of bullet, they just go hunting, and i'am glad they get to go. But you need range time or a lot of hunting time to know your bullet impact areas, if you shoot for small areas 2-4" ,that can change you comfort zone , A body shot 10" area,makes 200 Yd plus shot ok,then we throw in the elements, tha'ts calls for more practice,or thought to control the shot, In final I'll do break down shots in areas where they could go into deep cover,,valleys,,and across property. lines, my shooting distance depends on my comfort zone. If their out of it they get a free pass for the day.but I sure enjoy their visit.

[Buck Commander]

Boiler room is tride and true. I usually try for upper shoulder/neck though when using a rifle

[joe12180]

I shoot heart/lungs only. I don't worry about tracking jobs as the farthest I've ever had a deer go after the shot is 20 yards or so. I don't worry about waiting for a broadside shot; I just place the bullet so as it will go through the boiler room from whatever angle my shot is. I don't worry much about deflection by twigs or such and not hitting exactly where I aim, and that happens more than I like, as even off a bit the deer have never gone farther than 20 yards. I don't worry about ruining meat because I can eat right up to the hole. Big heavy blunt bullets traveling at medium speed do the trick.

[a molasses golem in a jiffy lube shop]

This is where I aim:


I recently shot an antelope with a 'perfect' behind the shoulder broadside shot placement on him. Only problem is that he didn't die instantly and instead ran over 2 miles before finally dying. By run I meant literally ran and hauled ass the entire time. I thought I had made a terrible shot on him, but the shot placement was great, and when I skinned and gutted him, his lungs were tore up, etc. It was probably a fluke, but I know if I had shot his shoulder, he would not have ran that much. I believe if you make a shoulder shot on them, the bullet will wreck the shoulder, breaking bone, ligaments, etc., so that if the animal doesn't drop instantly and runs, it will have severe difficulty running very far when it doesn't have usage of one of its legs.
Just my 2 cents.