Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting What is the motivation to shoot deer in the shoulder?

I shot this mulie facing me, straight into the chest. Somehow, the Nosler Partition turned into the left shoulder leaving this:



Not sure what happened but it looks like the bullet fragmented after hitting the shoulder bone(which also would have likely fragmented) Either way, that shoulder was unuseable and left to the wolves, bears and coyotes.

That's wasted meat.

I realize, some states (NC included) have very generous bag limits and if one chooses to NOT collect all the useable meat, well, that's one thing in situations of abundant game, not that I agree with wasting meat.
However, out west, most guys get ONE tag good for ONE deer. I feel we have a responsibility to collect pretty much all useable meat with few exceptions. Shoulder meat can be ground and makes just as good burger or sausage or jerky as any other portion.

I don't like losing a shoulder, sometimes things just happen that cannot be explained, sometimes we miss our aim point, sometimes circumstances may dictate a shoulder shot, sometimes the shoulder is the only shot presented.

Personally though, I avoid shoulder shots unless that was the only alternative. I just don't like intentionally ruining meat.