Shot placement

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vanderkalin

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Hey guys. Kinda getting into this later in life ( I’m 55). This could apply to any kind of game I guess. All the YouTube stuff on shot placement seems to say aim for the heart and lungs. Out of curiosity, does anyone try to avoid the heart with the intention of eating it? I’ve never seen this mentioned in either a video or a comment section.
 
can’t beat most of the time a Double Lung shot 👍 I’ve done a few neck and head shots at real close animals with great success . Deer Moose Elk etc ! NOW with bears I do a shoulder shot on my first round to bust them down and hopefully keep them out in the open -then give them another into the lung area too to finish them off if needed . Dead Right There is BESTEST ! JMO 👍
 
I have always found the animals go further with a heart shot. The best is higher if you can get into the lungs. When I shot a lot more I did a lot of neck shots, and they are extremely effective. Again lungs is larger area to target, so it helps with margin of error.
 
Shovel said:
Its a pretty close area. Ive read blood loss is higher just above the heart which is better
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The fastest blood loss to the brain, other than a brain shot, is just under the spine and at the top of the lungs.

There are two major arteries, just under the spine, and when a reasonably close broadside shot is presented, if you place your bullet about 4-6 inches (8-14cm) down from the top edge of the back, it will usually separate those arteries, damage the spinal cord, and make for a close to instant drop. The animal doesn't walk far. At the very least, the rear legs will quit working, and the animal will start losing its balance on impact.

Even if you miss the "sweet spot," the bullet will still take out both lungs or break the spine. It's a very good spot to aim for, even if you hit a bit to far back. Mind you, a gut shot Deer will run a long way, and often doesn't leave a blood trail.

The "boiler room" is about the best area for most shooters to go for, if possible. It's about an 8 inch (17cm) circle, in the middle of the chest area between the spine and the bottom of the rib cage.
 
If you're trying to avoid the heart, I would go a bit further behind the shoulder and hold mid body.

Heart is excellent! My son was almost in tears when we discovered where he hit his first buck, he loves heart that much. This kid keeps the hearts out of grouse and fries them up as soon as we get home lol

oyQWKKm.jpeg
 
todbartell said:
If you're trying to avoid the heart, I would go a bit further behind the shoulder and hold mid body.

Heart is excellent! My son was almost in tears when we discovered where he hit his first buck, he loves heart that much. This kid keeps the hearts out of grouse and fries them up as soon as we get home lol

oyQWKKm.jpeg
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Bird hearts and gizzards, now we talkin' some good eatin'... (y)
 
I always try to aim a smidge further back than the heart, mid lung vertically, the plan for me is for the round to go between the heart and the diaphragm on a broadside animal. Pop both lungs, no meat damage other than to the ribs on the exit side, but the butcher doesn't cut that out anyways.

If they're quartering to or away that complicates things a little though. I aim for the round to just skim the diaphragm either on the way in or out but that doesn't always go according to plan. Last year I obliterated the heart on a big whitetail with a 1 1/4 oz slug just because of the angle he was quartering away at. Hit just forward of the diaphragm on the way in, destroyed the heart and lodged itsself just behind the far side shoulder. Knife hit lead as I was skinning it, that slug was a #### hairs away from making it through the hide.

Always err on the lung side though, gutshot animals are no fun in a multitude of ways.
 
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For me head first, then the heart... well heart lung. Default is boiler room shot or if things are not right it's a pass.
Shot placement depends on knowing, the distance, knowing where your gun hits at that distance, not a best guess. A ((honest)) assesment of your shooting abilities and the rifle. What the animal is doing or acting, wind. Then the shooter, are you calm or excited, out of breath or at rest, offhand or have a good rest.
 
90% of the time I shoot the green circle.

shotplacementdeer.jpg

Leaving the pump intact can help getting a faster bleed out.

Red circle is the 'off' switch . Margin for error is a lot smaller and it'll waste some meat, but it will drop them in their tracks when I don't want them going far.

Deer-Anatomy.jpg

Light blue line above represents the spinal cord - there is no vital tissue above the blue line.

To make a vital shot, bullet must be below the blue line.
 
Lots of great advice/opinions in here so far. You guys must all be a lot better shots than I am. I mean, off the bench I don't have any problem with keeping them MOA with my rifle, but out in the field, unsupported (or at best using a tree branch) I don't know if I can be that selective at 200 yards. I aim for the heart/lung area and that's what I generally hit. But to say that I'm going to put it in the heart, or 2" above the heart, or 3" behind the heart....really?
 
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