Texas heart shot

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How many gunnutz have made this shot before.? I have made the Texas heart shot only twice in 30+ years of hunting.
Both shots were on deer running straight away from me,one fell from a well aimed shot from No5Mk1, and the other from a sporterized No1Mk111.
 
I haven't but came close two years ago. I had a deer running straight away. I raised my rifle to shoot and whistled. It stopped and turned very slightly to look back and I shot it just past the hind quarters (good meat there) and put a bullet into the chest cavity entering slightly back of the rib cage.

If one was disposed to such shots - which I'm not - I would think perhaps premium bullets like the TSX or partitions that unquestionably will penetrate would be best.
 
Last years bear was almost....

She was coming towards me and being a novice "big game" hunter, I went for a heart shot but wasn't thinking clearly I shot the liver. As she turned and walked away from me (with 180gr of lead in her right hip) all I had for a follow up was her ass, she turned ever so slightly. My second attempt at a heart shot, went in the same hole as the first shot ( as far as we could tell from the post mortem) , travelled through one lung, along her neck and out her forehead, just above the right eye! She died pretty quickly!
 
I shot a small bull a couple of years ago like that. 35 yards up the hoop. Never again. He cleaned up real nice and there was no meat damage. He tasted terrible though and I think the meat was tainted from the stomach contents.
 
I personally don't like that shot as it's usually a very messy gut job.
I have & do regularly shoot deer running away from me, but as most hunters know if you shoot 3' low from the centre of the tail when it's on it's highest arc you will put the bullet up thru the belly when the deer is coming down front first into the heart & or lungs with-out all the ####tty mess a texas shot does.
 
I don't have to take a shot like that ever, I would rather pass and wait for the next one. But that's just me......
 
senior said:
I personally don't like that shot as it's usually a very messy gut job.
I have & do regularly shoot deer running away from me, but as most hunters know if you shoot 3' low from the centre of the tail when it's on it's highest arc you will put the bullet up thru the belly when the deer is coming down front first into the heart & or lungs with-out all the s**ttty mess a texas shot does.
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HUH?:runaway:
 
joe-nwt said:
I don't have to take a shot like that ever, I would rather pass and wait for the next one. But that's just me......
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definate x2

whistling or even putting a shot in the air (unless thats what started them running) stops them more often than you might think. And I learned that from an OLD school hunter, a guy whos "300 yards" actually measures 300 yards.
 
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done it on a couple black bears, with 175 gr X in 7mm Rem Mag. Both times the bullet exited the front of the chest

not a shot Id be proud to take on a deer or moose, unless it was previously wounded and was about to get out of sight
 
todbartell said:
done it on a couple black bears, with 175 gr X in 7mm Rem Mag. Both times the bullet exited the front of the chest

not a shot Id be proud to take on a deer or moose, unless it was previously wounded and was about to get out of sight
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I have had the opportunity to make the Texas heart shot on big game while packing a .338 mag, but I passed because I knew it would be very messy.
 
I can vouch for some of the other comments about mess. I shot a large buck last year with Black Powder 45/70 and 340gr. hollow point, just as he was disappearing into the brush. He went down and died instantly , bullet exited in front of left hip, and made a huge mess of internals. The animal didn't suffer though, and the 125yd. shot is just average distance out here. Won't do it again unless it's an even bigger buck.
 
like others have said I would only take this shot on a already wounded animal.but I don't ussualy take a shot on a deer running broad side eather.I would rather go hame empty handed and know that the big guy is still walking then think I might have mortaly wounded him but not be a ble to recover him.but every one is diferent and what I might think is an un ethical shot with too much chance for deflection/error might be a fine shot for a better marks man.
 
impala said:
like others have said I would only take this shot on a already wounded animal.but I don't ussualy take a shot on a deer running broad side eather.I would rather go hame empty handed and know that the big guy is still walking then think I might have mortaly wounded him but not be a ble to recover him.but every one is diferent and what I might think is an un ethical shot with too much chance for deflection/error might be a fine shot for a better marks man.
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Oh well, if any of you guys come to central ont I'll take you out to one of the many club ranges that have a "running deer" targets set up, maybe you can improve your skill to the point you won't have to have a rest & a sleeping animal to shoot at :evil::D
 
My partner pulled it off on a young bull moose that I'd already hit. The moose spun around after I shot and stated to run when buddy let fly at the back of the head with his .270Win. At that moment the bull stepped into a ditch and as his ass came up it met the 140gr Interlock. Dropped him on the spot as the bullet went up the poopchute, hit the spine, then richocheted down and exited just below the center of the ribs. Hellava stinky mess, but with gin poles, a winch and 6" of fresh snow it cleaned up quick.

improve your skill to the point you won't have to have a rest & a sleeping animal to shoot at
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You forgot to add "...then you too can take running shots :50cal: at animals with confidence that you shouldn't leave too many wounded, gutshot animals behind when you return to the suburbs..." ;) :D
 
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I shot two big Mulies out of their beds last year. Funny, I thought that was the whole idea. Pass on many bucks, find the big boys hidy holes and take them from where they feel safe. Isn't it a little tough to evaluate running deer?
 
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