Unread postby raisins » Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:58 am
Shots I won't take.
1. Deer moving beyond the most leisurely stroll imaginable (I'll shoot if they are slo-mo walking to where they might only be an inch or two forward of where they were at time of arrow release). I won't shoot deer walking at a normal clip nor anything faster. I have resorted to saying "hey deer!" to get them to stop when a mouth bleat didn't do it.
2. Deer facing totally away. They have to be quartering at least to the point where I can easily get 1 lung or through liver and center of diaphragm and up into lungs.
3. Any neck shot, so I won't shoot where I can only see head and neck.
4. strong quartering toward where I can't get at least 1 lung and liver by going behind shoulder. I won't shoot in front of shoulder.
The controversial bit is I have taken quartering toward shots (45 degree) where I only got strongly 1 lung, diaphragm, liver, and then out the guts. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never had a deer go more than 100 yards after such a shot.
I am ambivalent about straight down shots. I have taken 2 buck right under my stand. I centered the spine and dropped them on both occasions, and then followed up with 1 to the heart. I have to think I was lucky that I did not center a vertebra that might have stopped the arrow. In one case, the broadhead extended down 9 inches into the lungs. In the other case, I only got a few inches past the spine.
For context, I shoot a fast bow at 29.5", 63 pounds, but my arrow is only 375 grains and I shoot a grim reaper 1 3/8" mechanical with the chisel tip (used to shoot muzzy). I spend a lot of time tuning and working on my form so the arrow hits straight on. Penetration hasn't been an issue so far. Having said that, I am strongly considering revamping my setup in the spring and going to a 450 grain arrow with a single bevel 2 blade head. I just love watching that fast arrow and being able to set my single pin at 25 yards and use that pin easily from 0 to 30 yards.