wis_rifle_hunter

i would never take that shot. i would wait until he turns broadside or quartering away

Kathwacckkk

I have with a rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader. Couple to many variables (i.e. small string jump) to try with my bow. I put the sights directly centered on the chest cavity. I do practice a lot and feel comfortable with this angle knowing the guns power and ballistics. It does make for a messy gut job though.
I think it was in the original Die Hard movie: "If you have a chance to kill someone, don't hesitate".
If I have a chance to kill a deer that I want to take and I know I can kill it quickly... I take the shot take the shot.

smokems

For the longest time, the biggest buck I had shot was shot in the neck. I was sitting on the ground under a cedar tree and he was facing me at ......maybe 10 feet. He never saw me, sat there smelling the wind, and munching on grass for what seemed an eternity. I waited for him to pick his head up sniffing, and squeezed the trigger. He went straight down and was dead in a matter of seconds. The bullet hit his spine and never exited. The taxidermist fixed the hole and you cannot tell where it was shot. The angle on it was good enough that if the bullet did exit, it would have came out the back of its neck. I wasnt about to have to purposely gut shoot a deer.

BarnesX.308

What were you shooting that it would enter the throat at 10 feet and not make it through the spine? Gotta' be a bow, right? They don't make a riflle like that, do they?

timbercruiser

I've shot deer straight on before with no problem. I wouldn't take the shot at more than 150 yards or so.

Gangly

Lost a great buck last weekend doing just this. I shot dead center at the chest, but right before i shot, he angled slightly off. Instead of putting a bullet in his chest and it going from front to back, I put it in his chest and it exited behind the shoulder without hitting vitals. We tracked the deer for a quartermile through the worst thicket you have ever seen before his blood trail dried up. Searched all day and part of the nextfor that deer and never found him. I should have been more selective and patient with my shot, waited for him to quit trotting,but Iwasnt, now there is a wounded deer running around that I am accountable for. If i had waited for him to quit moving (which he probably wouldnt have since he was chasing multiple does through a thicket), i would have dropped him in his tracks, butI got too impatient and thought he would be gone if I didnt shoot right then. I wish I hadnt now. I guess what im trying to say is, dead center in the chest isnt a bad shot, IF youcan take your shot when they arent trotting/running and you have the time to line the shot up to where it will take out vitals after entering instead of angling off to the side and exiting before hitting any vitals.

BuckShooter

I like neck shots in that situation. In fact, I like neck shots anytime I can get 'em. No tracking neccessary when you disconnect all four wheels. Very clean kill too..... IF, you can get 'em. Not for the long shot, only the sure thing.
Hope this helps.