Where to aim

[Stumpkiller]

See if this works here:

I've been looking for a good representation of bones vs. vascular vs. vitals display of a deer. Came across this one at[url] www.whitetails.com[/url] and it slide-shows through everything (for a broadside).

In the image above I like to put 'em in just above the elbow (the foreleg giving a reference line) and below the shoulder, taking the lungs and all the arteries/veins above the heart. I wasted too many shank roasts and shoulders playing at getting the heart, and even a direct hit there seems to allow more distance travelled before they pile up. Now I do what I must to get both lungs

For other angles I try and visualize a spot inside the center of a deer's lungs and aim for that. As always, the actual spot/shot depends on the situation, and a good hunter always remains flexible and adapts as needed.

 

[mglampson]

One of my favorite gun writers, Jon Sundra, once wrote you should visualize a soccer ball nestled in the center of a deers chest. Then aim at the center of that ball, no matter what the angle. As long as you have enough gun to penetrate the needed distance, you should get the deer. I tend to agree with him and your diagram sorta bears this out.

 

I recently read an article in a magazine that said with a gun, the best place to shoot a deer is in the scapula. Apparently, if you hit the scapula with a bullet, it breaks and the deer can't move, and the shock and damage nearly instantly kills the deer. So, broken scapula means no blood-trailing, etc., as the deer drops where it stands.

I can't say from experience how this works, but the article I read was very convincing.

 

[bob1961]

thats better then my pictures i have....i like them...............bob

 

[raiderred]

In October, I shot a good sized spike with a .54 muzzleloader and broke both scapula--the deer still ran about 40 yards before he went down. It didn't take another shot,but he did run.

 

[rabjr]

I am a firm believer in that shot. Most of the deer I have shot this way have dropped where they stood. The couple that did not, dropped within 30 to 40 yards.

 

[oomcurt]

Er..I am not a vet or a surgeon...what/where is this scapula?

 

[davy]

Er..I am not a vet or a surgeon...what/where is this scapula?

I am not either .. but I think this is the area discussed... :hmm:

Davy

 

[Stumpkiller]

Yep.

But, being the pragmatist, you hit one scapula you loose four pounds of boned shoulder roast. You hit the one on the other side going out, you loose eight pounds of shoulder roast. Putting a ball through the ribs you loose a pound of stew meat or ground meat. :hmm:

My trophies are all the wrapped parts in the freezer.

 

[roundball]

Yep.

But, being the pragmatist, you hit one scapula you loose four pounds of boned shoulder roast. You hit the one on the other side going out, you loose eight pounds of shoulder roast. Putting a ball through the ribs you loose a pound of stew meat or ground meat. :hmm:

My trophies are all the wrapped parts in the freezer.

The high shoulder shot is an almost foolproof percentage shot for a high powered centerfire rifle which deliveres tremendous energy & shock to the region, typically blowing on through and destroying the spinal column producing instant death, deer drops in it's tracks.

However, a round ball may enter the scapula but miss the spinal column and the results can be completely different...I've dropped a couple deer in my early years using round balls in high shoulder shots like I used to do with my CF rifles...but to my surprise, they were just paralyzed on the back half of their bodies...didn't happen to hit the spinal column solid enough, and without a ton of energy to shock the region, they were still alive, had to shoot them again...since then I always go for the heart...smaller target but a shorter drag.

 

[tg]

That "intestines" part looks like the biggest target....

 

[davy]

That "intestines" part looks like the biggest target....

W'all ... you will only shoot and clean that gut shot one once voluntarily! :cursing:

Davy

 

[roundball]

That "intestines" part looks like the biggest target....

:rotf:

 

[Stumpkiller]

You'll want to borrow Squire Robin's 1" bore for that shot, so that you'll either rupture the renal arteries and veins . . . or at least carry away the worst of the mess in the blast. :haha:

 

[Catof9tails]

I guess we all have our favorite spots for the shot. My dad always went for the neck, but I always went for the heart. Even using a muzzleloader I go for the pump. Heart shots can be difficult at times, depending on how the front legs are placed and the angle of the game. I like to place the shot just behind the elbow of the most forward placed front leg to my side. I get the pump, then I get a nice blood trail which usually ends up between 20 to 50 yards pile up. I loose the heart, but I retain the shoulder meat.

Heart shots are my preferred method. Just my opinion.

Cat9

PS: I've had one gut shot by shooters fault and don't won't to gut another one like that. PEW!

 

[biliff]

I recently read an article in a magazine that said with a gun, the best place to shoot a deer is in the scapula. Apparently, if you hit the scapula with a bullet, it breaks and the deer can't move, and the shock and damage nearly instantly kills the deer. So, broken scapula means no blood-trailing, etc., as the deer drops where it stands.

Not sure who the author was on that article but I don't think I'd deliberately aim high and hope that "shock and awe" would drop the deer. Not with a muzzle loader. The behind the front leg, 1/3 to 1/2 up from the chest gives you the largest target on vital tissue and a lot of lee way if you misjudge something. That and tracking a deer a few yards shouldn't be that big a deal.

 

Just to clarify... the article wasn't specifically aimed at muzzleloaders... so the guy was probably thinking of high-powered centerfire rifles when he wrote it. He did mention not using the shot with the bow, but didn't say anything about not using it with a muzzleloader.

 

[skeetabop]

I usually try a heart shot, if I miss it usually hits the lungs. Either way, my 58 caliber will knock it down. Neck shots are the best, they are dead before they hit the ground. I hunt with a group who only uses shotguns. This year (my 26th year carrying a gun) I used my smokepole and my fellow hunters shook their heads in disbelief. My first deer I shot at was 150 yards and I shot it thru the heart!! I turned a lot of skeptics into beleivers!! Looks like there will be more of the group carrying muzzle loaders next year.

 

[bpollock_sr]

Damn! son, just center his chest and give it to him. It'll get the job done,.

 

[roundball]

Reminds me of an old saying usually told to youngsters starting out:

"Just aim for the middle of the biggest part of the deer's front"