Deer Shoulder Shot

[Archetype_wyo]

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

Archetype wyo What I meant was a shoulder shot was "not" presented. Yet the traditional shot was possible behind the shoulder "breifly" but I didn't take it either.

Oh gotcha, yeah I hear you there. Its really hard sometimes to try a different type of shot as the behind the shoulder is the preferred shot and I just don't have the confidence of a different shot. Although, I will admit I haven't had any other type of shot besides a broad-side behind the shoulder shot. Except for one deer that jumped over a bullet...Yeah I said it. He jumped over my bullet. I was standing and walkin around the rim of this cut-bank over a spring and my dad goes "Bill theres one...shoot it!" I pulled up, shot and I'll be damned if he didn't jump forward over the bullet!!!

[wirehunt]

High 1. Low 1 can go wrong and you have one gut shot deer.

[moosemike]

neck, shoulder, behind the shoulder, they all work well. it's the head shots that I think are highly unethical and I won't hunt with someone of that philosophy.

[jerry]

[ArkansasHunter]

Yuck !!!! Lol !

[chesterwin]

I agree totally with rimfirenut. Shoulder shots often often ruin a lot of meat. I try to stay behind the shoulder if the deer is broadside. 150 grain .308 ballistic tips basically explode the lungs from that angle. If the deer is head on, a heart shot lower mid chest is preferred. If the deer is angling away I grunt and hope it turns so I can get the lungs. They don't go far either way. I can't tell you how pissed I got the last time I found a deer that had been "shoulder shot" and the "hunter" only took the hams and backstraps. Neck, shoulders and tenderloins left to rot! Where's the ethics in that?

[chesterwin]

I just glanced at the photo's before making the prior post. After looking at the photo's again, I think that's a spine shot not shoulder.

[lefty o]

in the heart , or in the brain. there is absolutely nothing unethical about shooting them in the brain, it is instant death.

[jerry]

Originally Posted by chesterwin

I just glanced at the photo's before making the prior post. After looking at the photo's again, I think that's a spine shot not shoulder.

It was a downhill shot. The 12ga foster slug entered the high shoulder area, fragmenting with a sizeable chunk diverted, busting the spine. The entry wound looks a little high because the deer was hanging and the skin stretched out past the entrance wound.

Hope that helps

[moosemike]

Originally Posted by lefty o

in the heart , or in the brain. there is absolutely nothing unethical about shooting them in the brain, it is instant death.

Yes there is. You may think you are that kind of marksman ( and maybe you are) but a deer can slightly move it's head the instant you squeeze off and you just missed the brain.

[forestgleaner]

I like the behind the shoulder shot. Have been tempted to try a head shot when that was the best shot to take, but never wanted to leave one wounded cause it turned it's head at the wrong moment.
The head shot was always prefered by the poachers, the deer drop on the spot and the poachers tend to shoot very light guns, with little noise. I am not saying everyone that shoots for the head is a poacher,

[WLew]

Between me and my Dad we've killed close to a hundred deer in the last 20 years with the "high shoulder shot". It's deadly! We've used 22-250, 243, 270, 7mm-08, 7mm rem mag, and 50 cal muzzleloader. The results have always been the same, whether it's a 90lb whitetail doe or a 275lb mule deer buck, they're DOA when the bullet hits em. We do use premium bullets like partitions, accubonds, and the barnes X in all calibers and I firmly believe that helps.

[wirehunt]

Originally Posted by chesterwin

I can't tell you how pissed I got the last time I found a deer that had been "shoulder shot" and the "hunter" only took the hams and backstraps. Neck, shoulders and tenderloins left to rot! Where's the ethics in that?

This is standard procedure here, only time they come out whole is if they are a young animal or it's to late in the day and your really pushed for time to get back out, then it might be back wheels off, back steaks off and go like stink. Or else hump that sucker whole.

[SightNSqueeze]

When hunting with my .30-06, I always aim for what I can see and what will work at the time...or I let him go altogether. I would naturally prefer a high behind the shoulder shot, but there were times when I aimed for, and hit, squarely in the shoulder to bring down deer. Saving meat is nice, but getting him down is the priority.

When hunting with 00 buck out of a full choke at a running deer in a deer drive, I always aim for the head. The 00 buck stays together for quite a while. Its generally a clean kill or a clean miss.

[dman24]

I use the behind the shoulder shot most of the time. The first deer I shot was like that, he ran up the fence line then back down and dropped. I shot one doe, the slug went high and to the left and went right through her jugular. Kinda felt bad about it, it wasn't what I wanted to do, and I felt like I had done wrong. It did drop her, and was almost instant death. That same morning I took another doe, shoulder shot her and she also dropped in her tracks and didn't even kick. Use what you feel comfortable with, learn the anatomy of the game your hunting, and always make it as quick a kill as you can.

[Farmer]

im with big shrek, head shots are my choice, its hit or miss 99% of the time, i have hunted with so many people who tell u they aimed for the heart of shoulder only to gut shoot, once i get them into head shooting they 1, shoot better and 2, hit or miss.

[Metronome]

Originally Posted by big shrek

Since I don't trophy, I go for headshots. It's either a clean hit or miss

I might save a rack now & again...but I'm never going to mount anything. Never liked it.

I'm in this camp too, I am hunting for meat; the only place I keep animal remains is in my refrigerator. Two of the last 3 deer I have seen taken were headshots, they go down fast, but sometimes their skullcaps split and a trophy is out of the question at that point.

Shoulder shots are fine and all, I just think your goal has to be deer salami.

p.s. that diagram is great, but the antlers are all wrong - you people and your Whitetails...

[rebel727]

Originally Posted by Farmer

im with big shrek, head shots are my choice, its hit or miss 99% of the time,

What happens the other 1% of the time? Head shots are too iffy even if you're right up on them. I'd rather see a deer gut shot and die in a matter of hours bad as that is than see one with his jaw shot off to die from starvation and pain days later. I've seen the results. The target is too small and the deer can move at the wrong time. I have nothing but contempt for head shooters.

[ArkansasHunter]

Originally Posted by rebel727

What happens the other 1% of the time? Head shots are too iffy even if you're right up on them. I'd rather see a deer gut shot and die in a matter of hours bad as that is than see one with his jaw shot off to die from starvation and pain days later. I've seen the results. The target is too small and the deer can move at the wrong time. I have nothing but contempt for head shooters.

BRAVO !!!! My feeling to. Now I think were over reacting to shoulder shots. The meat loss is not that great.
You do have some meat full of blood and I guess from the bullet impacting the animal.
As I enter in to older age I have became tender hearted. I to have probably killed close to a 100 or more Deer legally and in my teenage years Illegally. WHAT !!!!!!!!
I have repented of my past and am no longer a Slob Hunter and I give every game animal a sporting chance.

The shoulder shot to me is the best shot to take to anchor a Deer in his tracks.
We own it to game animals to humanely kill them where they want suffer.

Like I said as I grow older I'm more tender hearted and don't mind wasteing a little meat to instantly kill a Deer.

[moosemike]

Originally Posted by rebel727

What happens the other 1% of the time? Head shots are too iffy even if you're right up on them. I'd rather see a deer gut shot and die in a matter of hours bad as that is than see one with his jaw shot off to die from starvation and pain days later. I've seen the results. The target is too small and the deer can move at the wrong time. I have nothing but contempt for head shooters.

Right on. My feelings exactly.