best shot placement on a deer
12-04-2003, 08:43 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: waterville/barre vermont USA
Posts: 337
best shot placement on a deer
hey guys, i would like an opinion or two on this. in october, i took a 25+/- yard shot from the ground. i had snuck up on the deer, and it gave me a quartering towards me shot, head to the left. i chose front shoulders, and watched my arrow drive it home, heard the crack of an impact. never found the deer, even with use of a tracking dog. this saturday, bow season starts again, and i still think i took the right shot, better than a gut shot, and would do it again. the tracking guy says that my arrow probably hit the shoulderblade, and never really got through. would you have taken this same shot, or places it someplace else. i know one thing, i was that i could have shot it, at that range, with a gun. the freezer would look a bit better.
12-04-2003, 09:01 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Flatwoods, WV
Posts: 185
RE: best shot placement on a deer
I'm sure some people will disagree with me but in my opinion a quartering towards you shot is not a good shot with a bow. I would have waited for a broadside or quartering away shot. Your goal should be to get a double lung shot.
You need to study deer anatomy and learn where the vitals are and what major bones come into play with different shots
Check this site out, it will help alot.
http://home.mn.rr.com/deerfever/Anatomy.html
You cannot compare a bow with a gun, just hitting the deer is not good enough with a bow. This is part of the challenge.
A good bowhunter can be judged by the shots he passes on... not the shots that he takes.
If I can help you in anyway just give me a shout. Have a great day
You need to study deer anatomy and learn where the vitals are and what major bones come into play with different shots
Check this site out, it will help alot.
http://home.mn.rr.com/deerfever/Anatomy.html
You cannot compare a bow with a gun, just hitting the deer is not good enough with a bow. This is part of the challenge.
A good bowhunter can be judged by the shots he passes on... not the shots that he takes.
If I can help you in anyway just give me a shout. Have a great day
12-04-2003, 09:02 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
RE: best shot placement on a deer
Quartering to are low percentage. I have killed a few that way, but they have almost all been one lung/liver hits...which can sometimes result in a long tracking job. If you hit far forward and heard the crack...you probably didn't get the penetration you needed (especially with not finding him even with a dog). Personally I wait for broadside or quartering away shots only now. Much higher percentage shot.
12-04-2003, 09:04 AM
#4
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southeast Central Illinois USA
Posts: 6,969
RE: best shot placement on a deer
A quartering towards shot leaves a much smaller margin for error, most likely you definitely hit a shoulder.....tough as nails. In my opinion a quartering away shot is best followed by the broadside shot.
I am gonna catch heck for saying this but, I would rather take a frontal shot than a quartering towards shot.
I am gonna catch heck for saying this but, I would rather take a frontal shot than a quartering towards shot.
12-04-2003, 09:34 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Smyrna De USA
Posts: 175
RE: best shot placement on a deer
have to agree with the rest, quartering away or a broadside shot are the best, a shot with the deer coming towards you has too many variables.
i'm going to let cougar man off the hook and not comment on a frontal shot.[:-]
i'm going to let cougar man off the hook and not comment on a frontal shot.[:-]
12-04-2003, 11:21 AM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 7,571
RE: best shot placement on a deer
this saturday, bow season starts again, and i still think i took the right shot, better than a gut shot, and would do it again.
And FWIW, a one lung hit is tougher to track then a stomach hit. Not that either should be intentially taken.
12-04-2003, 11:24 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Peterstown WV USA
Posts: 2,541
RE: best shot placement on a deer
It s one of the worst shots to take I did take one this year that way but he jumped the string went in right behind the shoulder and out just in front of the rear leg striking the rear leg dead canter leaving the arrow in the deer he ran about 250yds I almost didnt find him. Nope I wouldnt take it.