Shoulder shots

[MagnumManiac]

I have always used the high shoulder shot so the spine is struck.
Very little meat is lost in 99% of cases I have witnessed.
The only time I don't use a shoulder shot is on frontal shots, where I aim just below the chin centered on the chest.

Even on pigs, goats & DG I want to anchor the animal right there with both shoulders hit if possible, but one hit shoulder is often all that's needed for loss of locomotion.

Cheers.

 

[Onesock]

I've found it generally takes more than most realize to reliably reach the vitals through much bone.

Construction, shape, terminal velocity, sectional density, and sheer mass all play a role.

The question needs more specifics than a yes or no answer.

 

[Onesock]

Shoulder shhots for me have always cost allot of meat. Since I started shooti g Bergers I shoot 6 inches behind the front leg at mid body. Animals collapse on the spot and no blood loss

 

[keithcandler]

Hard for a deer to run if his running gear has been shot out from under him. If quartering, I aim for the opposite shoulder, they get knocked down, and don't get back up.

 

[nmbarta]

I don't shoot for shoulders, especially if it's a long range shot. I prefer to shoot for center of kill zone on longer shots. I like to eat them, so I lean toward neck/head shots for close shots, if that's not an option, I aim for the lower back side of the kill zone, it doesn't ruin much for meat.
The shoulder does anchor them pretty good if that's all your looking to do. I've missed my mark and hit the shoulder pretty hard on a few and they don't go far, but I don't get my bone-in shoulder roast when that happens, that's always a bummer.

 

[WildRose]

First off just want to ask how many guys here try to shoot animals in the shoulder? Secondly I want to know why? Not trying to be a dick just would like to see the reasons behind this.

Depends on the situation and the cover.

Animal in the wide open such as a wheatfield or meadow? Heart/lung.

Animal you must drop where it stands to avoid losing it? Now that I have finally found bullets that won't do too much damage to the meat and I'm sure will give me a complete pass though I won't hesitate in the least to go for the shoulder/spine shot.

If there's heavy cover, dangerous game, mountain critter that could fall hundreds of feet etc you cant' beat the shoulder/spine shot as long as you have the right bullet.

 

[WildRose]

Have you ever watched the Beyond Belief videos with John Burns. He is one of the first to go high shoulder shots with the Bergers. Absolutely puts them down. I have experienced this as well with lots of o bvb e shot kills on elk and deer

o bvb e

?

 

[Hand Skills]

Keep it below the blue line;

6" is scaled to a mature whitetail buck

 

[WildRose]

Keep it below the blue line;

View attachment 165725

6" is scaled to a mature whitetail buck

I only see a green line there. Where's the blue line? The only blue I see is the spinal cord which is often my primary target when I need to drop them without a step.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I only take shoulder shots if im hunting in an area with lots of water which would make tracking really hard.

This along with posted land issues make a high shoulder shot the most likely no travel hit available. I hunt in wet bogs all season 17" boots a must and the home of any smart pressured bucks. I'll shoot a smaller buck or even a doe if time is running out and meat on the table is desired. However mature bucks are the target and most of the big ones have come in or on the edge of nasty wet bogs or flowages where most hunters avoid. Scapula shot will put them down right there. I spoke to my meat cutter who does my deer and asked an expert what he thought about meat loss, he's a full time butcher year round and told me if a cutter is good and not lazy they will produce about 10-12 lb's from the shoulder. However depending on the cutter you may lose much less as much of that meat will go in the scrap barrel not your packages.

So in the overall pic if fat plugs a hole and water prevents me from finding a deer I lose 10 times that amount, if we find the deer and have to drag him out thru some pretty bad stuff or deal with property line issues I don't need that hassle for 10 lb's of deer burger. We all see it different but I learned many years ago that for where and how I hunt it works best for me. Ticks are a much bigger concern. Dave

 

[bamban]

High shoulder shots waste a little meat but no tracking

This? Lifted the picture from the errornet.

 

[stx]

As I've mentioned in other posts, in the South Texas Brush Country, we need whitetails DRT......so it's always shoulder shots. I don't like feeding coyotes!

 

[Backcountry sports]

First off just want to ask how many guys here try to shoot animals in the shoulder? Secondly I want to know why? Not trying to be a edited just would like to see the reasons behind this.

 

[Backcountry sports]

Great spot when there hit there they drop if your a little off you hit lungs or spine and no meat damage and also they dont run off and die and will make recovery tougher