Deer: to adjust my shot placement or not?

vpsalin

vpsalin

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I'm wondering if I start to adjust my shot placement on my deer, using a rifle (.308), if I stand to gain something or not. I'm looking for the most dependable point of aim with maximum margin for error. On the picture which I posted, I've always traditionally aimed for the circle marked 'A' where the shoulder muscle meets the abdomen. My eye seems to naturally gravitate there and in my mind it's the shot with the most margin for error. I'm wondering if I move my shot placement slightly forward and down on the circle marked 'B' if I would stand to increase even further my chances of recovering each deer that I shoot?

I guess it comes down to, if a poor shot is made, is 'A' more forgiving then 'B' you think?

deer_sot_placement.jpg
 
Out of your two choices I would stick with "A" its a larger zone with big vitals and you have less loss of meet. However if the deer you have pictured had been looking forward and not directly at you, the neck would still be a large area to hit and you would have no valuable meet loss and an instant humane kill. Aim small miss small.
 
What a messed up question.
Not sure why you would even ask this.
As an ethical hunter you should have already read up on the vital organ location of the animal you are considering shooting.

Shot placement isn't really multiple choice.

If your scared of poor shot placement, practice more at the range and pass on a live animal if your just going to cause it pain and suffering
 
People need to stop being Internet heroes making 300 yard running shots in thick cover at dusk with a blanket of fog and focus on shots that are workable.

Most hunters shoot 2 weeks a year and should only be making 75 yard shots in bright daylight
 
Rascal said:
What a messed up question.
Not sure why you would even ask this.
As an ethical hunter you should have already read up on the vital organ location of the animal you are considering shooting.

Shot placement isn't really multiple choice.

If your scared of poor shot placement, practice more at the range and pass on a live animal if your just going to cause it pain and suffering
Click to expand...


You know what, this isn't a helpful response.

The OP is doing exactly what the ethical hunter should. Evaluating all his options to make the cleanest most ethical kill and trying to improve his skills.

Moreover, he is planning for the real world where things go bad sometimes. He wants the option with the most room for the unexpected (I won't say "error" because you'll just spout off about "go to the range more"). Show me someone who claims to make a perfect shot every time he pulls the trigger and I'll show you a damn liar.

Insisting that "He ought to already know" is both narrow minded and self-congratulatory. Perhaps the only "acceptable" way to learn to hunt is from one's "Pappy and Gran-Pappy on the farm"??? If a guy didn't grow up in a hunting household, well I guess he's just SOL. Goodness knows it is a crime against nature for someone to try to learn from the internet.

And in case you didn't notice - the OP already knows damn well where the vital organs lie - look at the picture he. Blue ovoid for lungs, red ovoid for heart, gray ovoid for liver.

Of the two, I like A better, not because the animal will be 'more dead' but because a miss 'low" at B is likely to break a leg - slow and painful demise. A low miss at A may still be painful, but less likely to be crippling.

my 2 cents

Fat
 
Barnard308 said:
Out of your two choices I would stick with "A" its a larger zone with big vitals and you have less loss of meet. However if the deer you have pictured had been looking forward and not directly at you, the neck would still be a large area to hit[B] and you would have no valuable meet loss [/B]and an instant humane kill. Aim small miss small.
Click to expand...

I beg to differ Sir, I used to think the same and go for the neck and slow cook the neck roasts for my dogs, until one time I said to myself, dam that pull-a-part venison looks so good, and tried it! Now, the neck is one of the most valuable parts of the animal to me! Infact, I have 2 neck roasts in the slow cooker as we speak, they are for my family's tonights supper!
Try to hit the heart for an instant kill. I used to cook the heart for my dogs, still do if there is enough left of it!
 
fat but funky said:
You know what, this isn't a helpful response.

The OP is doing exactly what the ethical hunter should. Evaluating all his options to make the cleanest most ethical kill and trying to improve his skills.

Moreover, he is planning for the real world where things go bad sometimes. He wants the option with the most room for the unexpected (I won't say "error" because you'll just spout off about "go to the range more"). Show me someone who claims to make a perfect shot every time he pulls the trigger and I'll show you a damn liar.

Insisting that "He ought to already know" is both narrow minded and self-congratulatory. Perhaps the only "acceptable" way to learn to hunt is from one's "Pappy and Gran-Pappy on the farm"??? If a guy didn't grow up in a hunting household, well I guess he's just SOL. Goodness knows it is a crime against nature for someone to try to learn from the internet.

And in case you didn't notice - the OP already knows damn well where the vital organs lie - look at the picture he. Blue ovoid for lungs, red ovoid for heart, gray ovoid for liver.

Of the two, I like A better, not because the animal will be 'more dead' but because a miss 'low" at B is likely to break a leg - slow and painful demise. A low miss at A may still be painful, but less likely to be crippling.

my 2 cents

Fat
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
My aim point is the point of the elbow, and 1/3 of the way up the body, which puts my chosen point a little below yours I think.

Works for me, and easy to teach to the newbs that I have had out to get their first deer. I tell them to aim for the spot on the other side, through the deer, if it is at an angle.

I have smashed up my fair share of leg bones and the odd spine, on deer, and find that my aim point as above tends to reduce the mess, though the heart is often not salvageable.

Nice clean, in and out on ribs broadside, preferably while they have their head down eating.

Cheers
Trev
 
With a rifle, A all the way, more wiggle room if you mess up your shot a little. With a bow I aim a little lower than where your A is.

I've had deer drop on the spot with a double lung shot and deer run 100yds with 3/4 of their heart blown to pieces. In my experience and opinion, any deer hit in the lungs makes for a quick recovery, either way A or B works, A leaves you more margin for error.
 
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Go with A. Just got my first deer last week. Perfect shot right through the heart. He ran for about 20 yards and left a very distinct blood trail that led rig to him, there was almost no blood left to drain,And you wont lose any delicious deer meat.maybe a touch lower though. But A will probably go through his lungs, which will drop him, but make sure you see which way he runs.
 
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