Texas Heart shot

So, I had this conversation with a co-worker recently and I explained some reasons why I won't take one. This video is a few years old but he does a good job explaining hydrostatic vs hydraulic shock and touching on other reasons why you shouldn't take that shot on a deer.
Thought I'd share it for any newer hunters or anyone who doesn't know why it's a bad idea.

Gday hugger
I'm not sold on it's a bad idea
& it's a shot that we should all understand on how to do it or variations of it

So let me explain my thoughts & position
For a meat hunter it still can be good & trophy hunter most definitely on culls it's where you find it's useful a lot of times also

So how is it a good idea because you get to recover your critter if you do it correctly & use the appropriate pill for your choice of shot placement

Still not convinced I'd be thinking
Well let's take these type of shots

going for the high shoulder shot you've hit actually above the spine & give the critter spine shock & it collapses on impact & you think all good start going over to critter & it gets up & starts moving to heavy cover or swamps etc & your left with one option of now or never & all you see is the tailpipe

So do you shoot or not shoot & punch your tag hoping the critter survives or take that shot

Yes I'm taking that shot as I don't really know with a 100% I was high as it may have been a pill failure also or a low shot breaking the front leg or a shot that was to far back in the ribs yes sir I'm a bad shot & can't pick 100% of the time exactly where the pill went ( I'm not that bad of a shot but I have shot enough to know Murphy will get you eventually )

So now to actual placement
Jarrod in the video is correct on some parts with certain pills but placement on different types of pills is critical to understanding what they do & what you need that pill to do

Aiming for a perfect tailpipe involves basically shooting the pill through up the anus & through the pelvis hole & not busting bone & this is very limited on pill choices & calibers to get it done effortlessly & consistently which the critter basically won't move yes it collapses on the spot

Now also if you do that as jarrod said with a lot of the pills you guys use ( don't know yours ) you will get that basically gut shot critter that will take a long time to die
Yet if you aim to the side ( nearest leg if it's on a slight angle ) where the leg bone & pelvis meet you hit that & even with a frangible it will immobilise the critter quickly
& if you take the femoral artery out it's pretty quick killing considering all things
Now yes you'll loose meat but better that than the whole critter right

Here's one that bangflop from a single shot & this critter was a cull & had to go due to poor genetics for which only shot offered after a couple hours
& here's another that was immobilised extremely quickly


So I like to show people all angles & dosent matter on type of bullet as I'll take that shot with a frangible no worries just need to change my point of impact a touch but predominantly the monos do a better job if you choose wisely also but a true good solid that shots pretty incredible how quickly it puts a critter down
The deer was a 30 cal
Bovine was a 375
Move to 50 cal & that's my problem solver lol

Just something to think on but understand anatomy & pill capabilities is one that is advisable

Just how I go about things & understand not for everyone but a valuable tool one may need one day if not someone will is my motto

So I don't dismiss the Texas shot but it's also not my go to if I have a choice

No offence intended just showing options

Cheers

I ultimately agree with that presenter, but that video was about 10 minutes too long to get to the point. I would also like to know what mammals aren't "water based". Sounds like someone who likes to make things up to make themselves look credible.

@fordy points out the best way to TX heart shot in that you don't run it up right through the anus and guts. I'm still not a fan, but at least that's a better option. I would just make sure to use enough gun for that job.

Just never liked the Texas heart shot. If I can't wait for a better angle I prefer going over the back and hitting the base of the neck. Or even a head shot.

I've never had a deer that didn't turn and give me a better angle if I yelled at it.
I've gut shot enough deer to know it can ruin meat, can ruin the taste of meat, and definitely unpleasant to dress. Things happen sometimes, but it's a slower more painful death that I'm going to avoid if possible.

Brathany said:

I ultimately agree with that presenter, but that video was about 10 minutes too long to get to the point. I would also like to know what mammals aren't "water based". Sounds like someone who likes to make things up to make themselves look credible.

@fordy points out the best way to TX heart shot in that you don't run it up right through the anus and guts. I'm still not a fan, but at least that's a better option. I would just make sure to use enough gun for that job.

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You are taking for granted that most people know our bodies are composed mostly of water. He explained it in more detail than you or I needed because he's aware there are so many who actually do not understand basic anatomy or ballistics.

Texas heart shots have killed quick with the Barnes TSX and TTSX that I have used in 85g 6mm, and 140g 7mm. The 85g traveled the length of the body and was under the hide on front shoulder. The 140s were never found on 100-120 lb does.

Turpentine21 said:

Just never liked the Texas heart shot. If I can't wait for a better angle I prefer going over the back and hitting the base of the neck. Or even a head shot.

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I haven't seen any videos on head shots yet, but I do have personal experience. I have made several head shots over the years. Obviously you don't want to head shot something you would want mounted. Most all of my head shots were does or young bucks.
A few years ago I took one that made me decide not to do it anymore.
I shot a doe about 80yds away and the shot blew out her eyes and completely blew off her lower jaw. I think it also blew her ears because she didn't react to my approach until I was right on her and even then she didn't try to get up.. She didn't know what else to do so she just bedded down in place.
I don't know how long she would have lived that way but she was otherwise not mortally wounded. I ended her ordeal behind her ear.
When I thought about what would have happened if I had only blown her jaw off, it changed my thinking a bit.
That experience made me decide head shots were out for me. Not saying I'll never ever take another one, but it's not likely.
I'm a hunter for life, but I also love animals and do not like seeing them suffer. If the day ever comes when I don't feel just a little twinge of sadness and respect for the animal I killed, I'll stop hunting.

Hugger-4641 said:

So, I had this conversation with a co-worker recently and I explained some reasons why I won't take one. This video is a few years old but he does a good job explaining hydrostatic vs hydraulic shock and touching on other reasons why you shouldn't take that shot on a deer.
Thought I'd share it for any newer hunters or anyone who doesn't know why it's a bad idea.

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Neither of the two elk that were taken that way complained.


Though one was a bad shot and I lost a lot of ham. I took a hurried shot from a very bad position on a running elk. Missed the bullseye by a couple of inches, other than the lost meat…it was quite effective.


Shattered the pelvis and hip socket, moved on through the diaphragm, took out a lung, exited at the foreleg pit, re-entered the upper leg muscle, and stopped beneath the hide on the opposite side. It's a shot that is not recommended for most thin skinned, high bc, cup & cores on elk or moose. But, everyone already knows that or do they! memtb

memtb said:

But, everyone already knows that or do they! memtb

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I learned a long time ago not to take for granted what someone else knows or doesn't know.
To be honest, I knew from experience what happens when you take that shot and the bullet doesn't make it to the heart. But I never really thought about the effects of hydrostatic shock vs hydraulic shock on the guts until he covered it in the video.

Hugger-4641 said:

A few years ago I took one that made me decide not to do it anymore.
I shot a doe about 80yds away and the shot blew out her eyes and completely blew off her lower jaw. I think it also blew her ears because she didn't react to my approach until I was right on her and even then she didn't try to get up.. She didn't know what else to do so she just bedded down in place.

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Something similar happened to my wife many years ago.

She preferred a head shot over any other shot…..until about 30 years ago.


She saw a young buck Mule Deer bedded on a hillside, took the headshot…….instant death.

When we got to the deer, we found that his lower jaw had been shot off days earlier. He had no bulge in the abdomen area…….his intestines completely void of plant material.

Since then…..no more head shots for her!

How long had that deer suffered with his injury? memtb

Hugger-4641 said:

I learned a long time ago not to take for granted what someone else knows or doesn't know.
To be honest, I knew from experience what happens when you take that shot and the bullet doesn't make it to the heart. But I never really thought about the effects of hydrostatic shock vs hydraulic shock on the guts until he covered it in the video.

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Since '93……I've never considered using a bullet that wouldn't full-length most NA game animals ….. much to @fordy's dismay! memtb

Hugger-4641 said:

I haven't seen any videos on head shots yet, but I do have personal experience. I have made several head shots over the years. Obviously you don't want to head shot something you would want mounted. Most all of my head shots were does or young bucks.
A few years ago I took one that made me decide not to do it anymore.
I shot a doe about 80yds away and the shot blew out her eyes and completely blew off her lower jaw. I think it also blew her ears because she didn't react to my approach until I was right on her and even then she didn't try to get up.. She didn't know what else to do so she just bedded down in place.
I don't know how long she would have lived that way but she was otherwise not mortally wounded. I ended her ordeal behind her ear.
When I thought about what would have happened if I had only blown her jaw off, it changed my thinking a bit.
That experience made me decide head shots were out for me. Not saying I'll never ever take another one, but it's not likely.
I'm a hunter for life, but I also love animals and do not like seeing them suffer. If the day ever comes when I don't feel just a little twinge of sadness and respect for the animal I killed, I'll stop hunting.

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It certainly isn't my first choice either. A mistake there can get the jaw, eyes, nose, and result in a lot of suffering. I don't want to see anything suffer, ever. I'll take the base of the neck if that shot is available or go to the head/neck junction from behind or white throat patch from the front. A head shot only if I'm 100% sure and have a solid shooting position. Most times I just wait for a little turn of the head or body that gives me a better shot. Or just pass until the next time.

Hugger-4641 said:

I haven't seen any videos on head shots yet, but I do have personal experience. I have made several head shots over the years. Obviously you don't want to head shot something you would want mounted. Most all of my head shots were does or young bucks.
A few years ago I took one that made me decide not to do it anymore.
I shot a doe about 80yds away and the shot blew out her eyes and completely blew off her lower jaw. I think it also blew her ears because she didn't react to my approach until I was right on her and even then she didn't try to get up.. She didn't know what else to do so she just bedded down in place.
I don't know how long she would have lived that way but she was otherwise not mortally wounded. I ended her ordeal behind her ear.
When I thought about what would have happened if I had only blown her jaw off, it changed my thinking a bit.
That experience made me decide head shots were out for me. Not saying I'll never ever take another one, but it's not likely.
I'm a hunter for life, but I also love animals and do not like seeing them suffer. If the day ever comes when I don't feel just a little twinge of sadness and respect for the animal I killed, I'll stop hunting.

Click to expand...

I saw a hog that had been shot in and out through jaws and teeth apparently a week or so before we were able to put him out of his misery. It was bad. I realized right then head shots are not to be taken lightly.
But I really don't relish the thought of being shot straight up the hind end either.