Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting SHOT PLACEMENT

I've shot two whitetails just below the spine both were bang flops as was a mulie buck I shot just behind the ear. Double lung shot deer that I have shot went less than 60 yds. and left a blood trail a blind man could follow. This fall's whitetail was a quartering shot, the bullet entered just ahead of the last two ribs and passed diagonally thru the chest winding up just under the hide on the opposite shoulder, The deer managed to run 40 yds. when we field dressed him the lungs literally poured out of the chest cavity, the cartridge was a .35 Whelen handload using a 200 gr. Hornady RN bullet.

I like to shoot tight against the shoulder,just a tad above the mid point of the body.I have found it will deliver shock to the spine and sometimes it will also rupture the large thoracic artery that lies just below the spine.This gives you a double whammy and will drop them on the spot with shock to the CNS and extreme loss of BP.I've shot deer just a little lower and it kills too,but they will usually run.I think what happens is when the bullet enters the chest cavity,the shock not only spreads,but it also tends to want to rise. I think the lungs being spongy, absorb the shock and it doesn't really get to the spine.These pictures show where I like to shoot them.
Entry


Inside



Exit

Need more bullet info, not only where....

The one in the picture was shot with a 7mag using new version 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Tight behind the shoulder for me, if possible. Hitting the shoulder works just the same, but results in a lot more meat damage, in a general sense.

HEY Baldhunter.....THAT is EXACTLY where i aim and hit deer...5.56mm.... 6.5 Grendel....7mm-08....308....30/06.....drops them in their tracks......carry on....

Pete

DRT? Head. Just don't hit the jaw.....

I guess I've been lucky, for 35 years.
Neck shots with anything work.

I used to be tight behind the shoulder but loving neck shots now. Where I hunt 100 yds. is a long shot and 50 is common.

My mentor when I was learning to bow hunt taught me to aim for the exit (wound). I learned that it translates well to rifles too. If the deer is quartered to or away, aim so that the bullet/arrow passes through the vitals between the shoulders. With a rifle, high and tight behind/in front of the shoulder has given me the most DRT's. I learned the hard way that aiming behind the shoulder on deer even slightly quartered to you gives you an exit through the paunch. If the deer is quartered away hard, I either wait for a better shot or let them walk.

I like to hit them about 2-3” to the right of the green cross to take out the top of the heart and all the big heart plumbing. If I can, I also like to take out a shoulder either going or out.

If within in 50 yards and slowly feeding, I prefer head or neck shot. Most of my hunting is over a large field with deer moving thru field to or from bedding area. Just above the heart is the location of most of my shots. Most DRT results have been from a soft bullet from a 270. Last week I took a neck shot at buck walking along the woods at 190 yards with 243 Win using 95 gr Horndy SST bullet. After being hit he ran 275 yards into neighbors woods. Upon dressing the deer, I found damage just below the spine in front of the shoulder. After that experience, I will go back to the HEART as point of aim. I must add that the meat is primary importance and not antlers. Yes a heavier bullet from a higher velocity caliber might have put the deer down and also destroyed more meat. Venison is our primary meat for the year.
It takes a very good shot to consistently hit the vital spot in head or spine of a moving deer at distance.

Exactly how I was taught along with understanding the anatomy and how I have taught my son.

double lung when ever possible,puts them down fast,no meat loss.

Imagine a tangerine, an oriental eggplant9the long skinny ones) and a small watermelon, constantly moving forward, backward, one way, the other way and up and down. The tangerine is about the size of the brain, the eggplant the spine in the neck or high shoulder and the watermelon, Sherwood's X. 2" off on the first three, one misses, wounds or possibly kills. The X 6" off and a kill! If it makes you feel good shoot tiny groups from a bench. If you want game, shoot watermelons. capt david