Whitetail POI...... What’s your intended Target?

[FatOldMIHunter]

If the deer is quartering away, I try to shoot through the lungs to take out the far shoulder. If the deer is quartering towards me, I try to take out the near shoulder. If the deer is broadside, I try to take out both shoulders. I am a meat hunter but I don't worry about shoulder meat loss because I use solid copper bullets and I can feed the bloodshot meat (cooked) from the shoulders to our dogs. Deer do not go far with shoulder shots.

 

[Quinncannon]

I always go for the shoulder shot, usually with a 165 grain Game King in a .308, always a one shot stop, usually right in their tracks. 30-06, the same and I've even shot them with 75 grain .223's, same results. Usual range at 200-225 yards.

 

[Calvin45]

head shots drop'em in tracks

Provided you never ever botch a shot in the field by more than 1 inch. Sooner or later you'll see or do something that makes you feel sick.

 

[flyguy1]

For many years I did neck shots (you really have to know your anatomy though) if < 200 yards, double lungs if further. And like someone's kid said, if I shot the heart they'd have thrown me out of elk camp, as that was day-of-the-kill dinner. I have seen several deer heart shot, though, and they do seem to run much farther than if shot through the lungs.

And I primarily hunt for meat; have some nice racks but that was coincidence. Wouldn't have passed up a nice plump 3 point if that's what I had seen first.

 

[Calvin45]

Amazed of all the "meat" hunter quotes combined with the shooting skills of this forum and only one person said head shots. If truly meat hunting and I often am, deer and antelope get head shots or base of the head where the neck and head meet. They go nowhere and you lose no meat. Well I guess if you are a brain eater you might, but with rampant cwd, I haven't heard of anyone eating brains in decades.

I've been most encouraged to see few opt for headshots. The shooting skill level of this forum is above average and apparently so is the aversion to risking prolonged horrible animal suffering. A headshot that's off by 2 inches is incredible cruelty. A chest shot that's off by 2 inches is a dead animal, maybe one that made
It a few more yards, maybe not. And I don't believe anyone is never even 2 inches off when shooting in the field, regardless of bench rest prowess.

 

[DPSTX]

Upper neck.it's a small target,small margin of error. Yes, you are more likely to miss but more likely to be a clean miss. No gunshot.virtually NO trailing of deer because the target is the spine, with little around it.Typically, if you wound, it is either a flesh wound which they will likely survive or its a jugular which will leave a good blood trail.95%of the time they go down Right There, Right Now. I've been shooting deer there for 35 years and had the best results. I believe it requires less gun to get the job done. You jar that spine and they are going down. I shot a doe in the head 35 years ago, we never found her. She died. No bottom jaw. Trailed 3/4mile.Point is, jaw, nose, liver, gunshot, There are lots of things you can hit that will kill them, but when and where? When the options are drop right there or clean miss, I'll take the upper neck everytime. Hunting is supposed to be what you do before you take the shot, not after.

 

[Plowboy85]

I have personally started hitting for midways up the chest and about 2" back or the legendary high shoulder shot. Attached is a photo of a butterflied heart (in my hand) from a 230 Berger out a 300 Norma. Shot was about 300yds on an old meat doe in Kansas. We were wrapping up the hunt and she showed up so I squeezed one off, she ran about 200yds and left minimal blood trail. Buddies were picking and telling me I missed, I was starting to believe the poking almost lol. With a gun no more heart shots for me, a bow seems to kill them well there though.

 

[Plowboy85]

I can shoot well enough for a head size target but I have never been able to bring myself to risk it on game. Predators is a whole different story!!!!

 

[elk 1]

I shoot mostly does and when gun hunting try to wait on on a straight broadside shot so I can shoot a couple inches back of the crease . We have a long enough season with plenty of deer around to wait on the right opportunity . But if a old buck happens to comes by I will take about any angle I think my bullet will make it through the lungs . I just dont like messing with bloodshot meat when butchering if I can help it .

 

[GLTaylor]

6? Six? Wow that's something!
Wish we had those regulations but unfortunately we can only harvest, now get ready, 1 deer.
Yup just one , unless u apply for the controlled hunt in an area I have no land.
We used to get an archery tag, gun tag, and black powder tag, but that changed long ago. I just have to be picky now otherwise it's over much too quickly lol

Guess it would hurt your feelings to know we can shoot 3 bucks per year and one doe per Day for the season.

 

[huntinghuasna]

Lungs, heart, neck or head. Depends on what area presents itself and distance. Lung is first choice, larger margin for error and heart for dinner.

 

[Will Gray]

I shoot high and forward in the shoulder to hit big bones of the ribs or the bottom of the spine to shock the spine or on occasion the neck near the body: shock the spine. I shoot a 35 Whelen or 358 Winchester at 200yds or less. DRT every time.

 

[Stgraves260]

I would say within 700 yards I go for the neck if wind conditions are right. ( It saves the most meat ) Past 700 yards I go for high shoulder. If winds are higher I limit myself to 500 yards for a neck shot. That's just me though. I know what my equipment and I are capable of. Every shot and situation is different for each hunter. If I can not see my target clearly then I don't take the shot. If I see sky inside my optics with my crosshairs on the target I will NOT take the shot.

 

[swilk14]

Improved Shot Placement for Enhanced Hunting Success | National Deer Association

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