Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting High Shoulder Shot????

My favorite shot, especially if I want to get multiple deer. Drop them, and wait for the next one. The only thing to watch for is hitting a little high. You can just stun them, and they will get up and run. Usually for a LONG way. Err to the low side, and you may have to track, but you will kill the deer.I used a muzzleloader, and could shoot them there without a lot of meat loss. Have not used a centerfire on deer yet. Also had the rifle set up for a 100 yard zero, and most shots were only slightly over, to very close. I pretty much knew RIGHT where the bullet would go, within that range. Nice, easy, reliable shot.

I have to chime in and say that I am with Bob on this one. Deer are not hard to kill. I generally take the shot they give me, whether it be a neck shot, shoulder shot or a shot through the slats. I'm not even bashful about chest shots if that is all I have.

To stay on track with the OP though, the high shoulder shot is indeed deadly and quick. Even if one shoots the 243/6mm and 257 Roberts class of cartridges. (I can only speculate that the 30 calibers will work likewise.)

I only shoot to do the least damage to meat.

IF I were to see a once in a lifetime, I might be convinced to take a shot that did more damage to why I typically shoot them, the meat.

But I just shot the largest buck of my life and I waited almost 10 minutes to get the angle that clipped rib in, rib out and no major bones.

No surprise he ran a bit. Maybe 30 ish yards. But no big deal.

You rarely get a DRT with bow and I don't mind trailing, its part of the ticket for me.

Anotehr reason I avoid the shot is it has little room for error in 2 directions, leaving nasty flesh only wounds.

If you can hit that dot every time, just shoot em in the head....

Man....ya learn something new every day. I've never heard of this. I'd be afraid of getting a spine shot. I hate that because then they're down, but still alive with all of that adrenaline pumping through the meat.

A couple of weeks ago, I shot a 6 pt. dead center in the shoulder with a muzzle loader, only about 3" or 4" below the spot marked on SKane's picture. He ran about 50 yrds and piled up (in a giant green brier patch no less). He didn't go far, but I had to track him because I didn't see exactly where he went down. It was real thick in there. But I had a lot of blood and was easy.

I'm a bow hunter. I've had bad experiences sticking the arrow in the shoulder or duck paddle with no penetration. So I have a tendency to aim right behind the shoulder in the middle to get a double lunger.

Compare these pics. The red dot is exactly on the spine and both scapulas. That'll floor one every time. Slightly higher will badly injure the deer but it could still go a long ways. Slightly lower will clip the lungs which come all the way up to the spine. It will die but it might take a while as the lungs fill with blood.

I'm just now reading this thread. Thank You for posting this illustration of anatomy. The top (upper end) of the scapula is where the meat is the THINNEST, so there's less to damage.

That's my favorite shot when it's possible. Since 2012 I've been hunting private property that's surrounded on 3 sides by property that I can't hunt.

SO it's important to me to drop or stop deer from crossing a fence.

Otherwise I PREFER the ribs/lungs shot whether they run or not.

I have pics of some of the deer that I've used the Hi Shld shot and a few have been posted in this forum and 1 other. Here are only 2 pics and they illustrate why I like the shot.



This doe is laying facing a fence less than 40 yds. away.

Internal damage - minimal



Jerry

Internal damage minimal? Take a better look at the spine. The spinal cord has to be hashed.

Damn, somebody was in a hurry to get the antlers off, and look at the bullet hole. miles

Correct -

I 'should' have said MEAT instead of internal.

I didn't lose a double handful of meat.

It works.

Jerry

An ADDENDUM -

I'm stating my experience with this shot. I recommend that others TRY it, IF they can confidently hit the spot.

Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.


Jerry

What's going on adrenaline wise when a double lunged deer is running around for a while?

tag

I double lunged an eight point buck with a 225 grain Sierra bullet from my .35 Whelen, he went about 30 yards leaving a large blood trail to either side. If there was any adrenaline involved in his death run it did not have any effect on the quality of the venison.

My thoughts and experience exactly. I would add that I do not carry a rifle to field that I do not have confidence in a less than perfect broadside offering as well. I've killed plenty with angling shots. No problem, given good bullets in most cartridges.

those poor blade roasts. possibly my favorite part of a deer to eat.

It's like flipping off a switch.

I love it.

twofish

I shot four of them with a muzzle loader in 2014 that I wanted dead in their tracks. Used Barnes T-EZ 250 grain bullets loaded down some to be a little quieter. All four hit the ground dead and didn't move.

I have shot a few high shoulder with cup and core bullets and that will cost you some meat in the shoulder. The Barnes have yet to destroy any amount of meat worth talking about in the last ten years. The old cup and core Barnes did though. Never had a deer move after a high shoulder shot.

I hate wasting meat since I shoot for my table or someone else's when I am reducing a population like the last couple of years at home. I will shoot deer just below the skull to clip the brain stem with an accurate rifle to preserve meat, but I don't do that with a muzzle loader because you just don't know if you'll get a slightly delayed ignition.

not instant death as many believe, though it looks like it. it shocks the CNS dropping the deer, and because of the vitals/arteries in the area the deer quickly succumbs before it can move. It does take a minute or two to expire, but most of the time people aren't to the deer yet. Somewhat of a moot point I know, but one worth mentioning.

high shoulder shots are fine, I personally prefer a simple shot to the boiler room, rarely do they go far and often enough I've seen them tip over either on the spot or within a few yards. Of course some of that is credited to using plenty of gun with my ruger .243

I really don't recall ever missing a head shot. But then again mine are all from rests of one type or another, bipod at a minimum.....

The spine shot just destroys to much meat for my tastes and if you err, you ain't in the biggest target spot of all.

RE Snubby saying his shot just touched the bottom of the spine, thats where a LARGE artery is and will bleed em out super fast. Never seen a shot just under the spine where they made it far or lived long. inch under the spine is another thing though.

I shot this blacktail in Oct. High shoulder shot. 25-06. Dropped right on the spot. Bullet caught the top 1 inch of the shoulder blades. He screamed like I've neer heard one scream. Was about 150 yards from me and I had to finish him when I got there. I don't think I ruined a pound of meat.

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