Shot placement

[Dewey]

Am I high in a tree or shooting at ground level? Makes a big difference for shot placement.

[Jackson Marsh]

Am I high in a tree or shooting at ground level? Makes a big difference for shot placement.

Good point, shot angle is huge. I assumed as pictured and I'm on the ground.

[Dewey]

Am I high in a tree or shooting at ground level? Makes a big difference for shot placement.

Good point, shot angle is huge. I assumed as pictured and I'm on the ground.

On the ground I would be aiming for 3. My goal is to center punch the lungs and not crowd the shoulder blade. Too bad shot’s are rarely as easy as this one. Textbook perfect except for the deer looking at you and being alert. Depending on that situation it may be wise to aim a bit lower since the buck will likely drop a bit after the shot. Looks real close range so probably won’t even matter.

[Razorhead]

My spot to pick is 3. Looking for a pass trough shot on both lungs. Tucking up to close in the crease behind the shoulder is risky to me if something doesn’t go quite right at the moment of truth (but when does something not go exactly right when bowhunting?) Also depending on the position of the opposite front leg could eliminate your exit wound if you hit solid bone on the far side.

[EllieTheChubb]

I picked 3 but where I would actually aim is in between yellow and 3

[Lockdown]

I tried to imitate #3 on this diagram. IMHO that’s getting awfully close to guts if your shot goes right. Sure you’ve got liver, but a liver hit deer can easily live for hours. I’ve read up to four hours. If blood is sparse that makes for a long grueling track.

Btw they show the heart way too far forward in this diagram. It sits on the bottom of the chest cavity protected by the “elbow” joints

Yes that diagram isn't exactly right. For me the trouble with the yellow is a touch forward and you can hit the shoulder and not get the deer. If I go a touch back from 3 then I will still get the deer but maybe just have to wait a little longer. Usually the deer will drop a little which will still put you in the lungs then. Of course I seldom miss my aiming point by more than a 1/4"

IMHO, the yellow dot is in the center of the kill zone left and right. If you shoot too far forward, you’ll hit bone and the deer has a legitimate chance of surviving. Too far back, you get guts and he will die 100% of the time. Most gut shot deer don’t bleed good at all, and without a tracking dog the odds are definitely not in our favor. Heck I’ve double lunged more than one deer that doesn’t leave squat for a blood trail. Then when you gut them their chest cavity is filled with blood.

In my mind, choosing #3, if you shoot 8” back you get guts. You could shoot a foot forward and it’s smoke city. Yeah a shot that hits #3 will put him down quick, I just feel it’s a tad too far back to aim there.

[Lockdown]

Am I high in a tree or shooting at ground level? Makes a big difference for shot placement.

Good point, shot angle is huge. I assumed as pictured and I'm on the ground.

On the ground I would be aiming for 3. My goal is to center punch the lungs and not crowd the shoulder blade. Too bad shot’s are rarely as easy as this one. Textbook perfect except for the deer looking at you and being alert. Depending on that situation it may be wise to aim a bit lower since the buck will likely drop a bit after the shot. Looks real close range so probably won’t even matter.

Yes shot choice as pictured.

[AfootTrack56]

Between the yellow dot and the 2 from ground level.

[isitseasonyet?]

2 with a rifle all day,

With the bow right between yellow dot and 3

[Brokenarrow1980]

I shoot a crossbow with a extremely heavy setup. I shoot for the yellow dot, if I hit shoulder the worst case scenario I blast thru one, but usually I get a pass through with 120 lbs kinetic energy. If I catch heart and both lungs it usually results in less then 50 yard trail job.

[csoult]

3

[Rich M]

I said yellow dot but like it to be a little bit higher and a tad right.