Using a 30-06, I have had one or two deer drop in their tracks with behind the shoulder lung shots using 150 grain Hornady SSTs and have had a couple only flinch, take about 5 steps, and keel over with extremely poor shots that were too far back and hit the liver using 180 grain round nose core lokts. Usually in those situations they run a random distance....sometimes a lot. If you are in decently open terrain its not usually a factor.
In the last few years I have been hunting on leased timber property in South Carolina that has pretty much zero visibility once you get off the roads. I've done more tracking than I ever imagined, for both myself and others because even if the deer only runs 50 yards you have to trail him because you sure don't get to see him fall. I've become a big fan of the shoulder shot.
Last edited by RJY66; 09/28/16.
