shot placement

[geo4061]

On my first deer hunt I lung shot two of the biggest bucks I have ever seen on the hoof(30-06). One went down. I put my gun down and it got up and ran. The other stumbled, left a fist size piece of lung and ran off. I spent two days looking and never found them. From that day I decided no more tracking and no more lost deer. I shoot them in the head or neck. It turns the lights out on the spot.

 

[gary olson]

thanks: what type terrain you in, you hunt from tree stands, ground stalk. other . good hunting

 

[geo4061]

South central Texas. Lots of large trees with deep draws. Brush so thick in these areas you would swear a rabbit couldn't go. Ground blinds.

 

[gary olson]

my wma area is like that , I hunt draws & ridges, rds, my reason for asking is what I call a shooting window, it is hard to get at times ,at the same time this is how I blend in so I try use as small a shot window as I can. & still do it right, good hunting thanks, I use ground blind when cold, other wise a set down.

 

[Greyfox]

I think that bullet choice and velocity plays as much, if not more than a role in shot placement flexibility. There's a lot to be said about familiarity with a carefully chosen rifle/load in order to build up a knowledge of shot placement under a wide variety of ranges, angles, and animal sizes. I have stuck with the same set up for over 5 years and I've found that it had made a big difference in my DRT results. Every animal I encounter seems to present a different sight picture and the perfect broadside shot is a rare occurrence.

 

[gary olson]

thanks Grayfox: I have been useing my 2 rifles & same loads for 4 years, I try to field shoot all weather when I can . just to know the effects it has on my raise & fall in my shot window, iam in some thick timber, steep draws & ridges, I hunt on the ground. I agree with what you said, I got a lot to learn again thanks.

 

[jehu]

Center neck is DRT every time, even with a 22-250. If it's a Trophy the taxedermist can fix it.

 

[gusd]

I have hunted in Wisconsin on public land for many years and found front shoulder is the best way to put one in the ground.
I have had to many double lung shots run just a little to far and the next guy it runs in sight of shoots at and calls it his.
Head neck shots are great if everything is perfect but, I have finished off 3 deer in my life that came past with their jaws blown off waited for the original shooter to come get them but they never do no blood trail to follow.

 

[86alaskan]

I like the head on center chest shot, catch the top of the sternum if possible and it delivers a ton of knock down right to the heart area. Or if the head is down right forward of the shoulder junction on the top of the back, they fold up and there is very little meat damage. I guess it all depends on angle and distance. I really hate to pin the shoulders because with a 25-06 at less than 100yds there is a lot of bloodshot meat and damage. I really like a quartering shot where I can send one between the front legs, nail the heart and a lung and avoid all that meat damage, much like a bow shot.

 

[myers129]

I prefer boiler room shots but last year I hunted a farm that required DRT so I went with high shoulder. I works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI33V4Xsmig

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtMgg8BgshM

 

[MadMarty911]

For bow, I like a boilermaker shpt. Just behind the shoulder crease and avoiding any leg/shoulder.

For rifle I did straight boilermaker - I like to only shoot on decent broadsides irregardless of whether or not I want that particular specimen. I have recently (last year and this year) started angling a modified boilermaker wherein its like a quartering away shot but not as severe an angle. I hope to hit both lungs and maybe heart but the end result is I want to hit the opposite shoulder. Less chance of tracking - something I usually never have to do but makes sense in my mind

 

[geo4061]

Gusd, I would bet the deer you found with their jaws shot off was because someone took a very bad shot. For example at a runner or perhaps not sighting in. I practice weekly and I know I can hit one inch at 200 yards. If I missed the head or neck I would be amazed. So I guess the lesson here is to practice practice practice and do not take a shot unless you know you can properly place the shot and will be amazed if you miss.

 

[gusd]

geo4061 I agree with you crappy shot, not sighted in, many reasons why but, the biggest one I think with head shots is deer move their heads a lot and very quickly. When you are trying to hit what I would say is a 3-4 inch target, and the head is bobbing and weaving just not a great choice in most cases IMHO.
Not saying I wouldn't take a head shot because, I have and will continue to take them just saying the conditions need to be perfect.

 

[snookntarpon]

I like to shoot them mid body right above the leg. Break both legs. I like to err on the forward and high side as this tends to result in more DRT.
Also like quartering a little towards or away, and I aim to break the off side leg/shoulder.

The traditional behind the leg shot is deadly but i like to maximize the DRT instances, and behind the leg that is rare.

Have no concern for lost meat when bones break as I always prefer a freshly hung deer than one i recover the day after.

Nathan Foster has a great database on bullet performance (basllisticstudies.com) but an even greater chapter on shot placement in his book The Practical Guide To Long Range Hunting Cartridges.

A must read, and I say that after reading it for the third time. It was the last chapter i read as I thought it would be a waste of time. After all, I have killed close to 200 heads of big game and I'm not going to learn anything new about shot placement. right? Wrong. Read it.
SNT