heart/lung shot vs neck shot ?

[JeffB1961]

Thanks again folks . I have a bog deathgrip for a rest . The tripod trigger stick looks very nice for adjusting vertical and lateral sighting and being much quieter/stealthily for actual hunting ...... been eyeballing it for a while .

 

[Widude]

Several times I have had deer, or an elk, kinda close with the usual vitals covered up with whips, saplings, or twigs. The few that come to mind were inside 50 yards. I remember one years ago, I tried a traditional shot to the heart/lung area. After the shot the deer jumped a few feet then stood there, I shot it in the neck, down it went. Later while skinning I expected 2 bullet holes, only found the one. That 1st shot was deflected. Mind you it wasn’t a minefield of whips, but enough to be a concern, plus they were relatively closer to the deer, less distance to deflect, shooting a 308.

Later I had two similar scenarios, I kept my shot above the whips, to the neck, much better results. These were both under 50 yards.

In general, if I’m shooting at a nice buck, I don’t screw around, right to the heart/lung area. Of course when out hunting, shots offered vary a good bit. That can even vary up to the point where no decent, workable shot is offered. I know it can happen, but I really try to avoid wounded game running off, unrecovered. Most places don’t have enough big bucks where one can afford to be wounding any.

 

[Ninering62]

Thanks again folks . I have a bog deathgrip for a rest . The tripod trigger stick looks very nice for adjusting vertical and lateral sighting and being much quieter/stealthily for actual hunting ...... been eyeballing it for a while .

I got the Shocky's Trigger stick tripod 2 yrs ago. Its a decent product so far, though I've read quite a few negative reviews on their quality level. I've not had any issues with mine, but at 150.00 they cost more than double what they should. I got mine on sale for 130.00 & still think I need my head examined for paying that for it.

 

[DKasprzak]

My favorite shot on a deer is straight on with head down. I am for the spine between the shoulders. Next would be broadside with a high shoulder shot. Both of those shots result in a DRT by taking out the brachial plexus (I think I have that right). Third choice is the heart/lung shot, usually the deer will run and that’s why I don’t like that shot plus I’m getting too old to trail deer.

I ALWAYS shoot using shooting sticks or a rest of some sort and never shoot over 50 yards (iron sights and old eyes).

I don’t trust a neck shot and have a terrible story about the one time I tried it.

 

[mnoland30]

If you want the deer to be DRT, use a heavy soft lead bullet. I've used 350 and 400 gr bullets on deer, and never had one go more than feet after a shot. PRBullet sells the Dead Center bullet at 340 gr. It will expand to over an inch and generally won't exit. It isn't my favorite bullet because it doesn't exit, but on deer, that hasn't mattered. I have hit small Coues deer in the heart with a .270 and watched them run 75 yards.

I like to hit the scapula. It does waste some meat, but it drops them in their tracks, and still gives you room for error. I'm not a good offhand shot, but I hit an elk in the spine at 100 yards this year with a 405 gr. bullet. I love that feeling of instant gratification when they drop. Once I started using 405gr. .45-70 bulllets for elk, I've never had one go more than 35 yards. When I was using 400 gr. QT bulllets from PRBullets, I shot a few that ran off with no blood trail. It is possible I missed, but I hate not knowing for sure. I've shot two in the heart with that bullet. The bull (shot at 220 yards) walked 10 yards and lay down to die, and the cow (shot at 90 yards) ran 75 yards. Neither bullet exited, so no blood trail. I hit a cow on the point of the shoulder at 90 yards and it cracked the ball of her shoulder and spiit in two pieces. She ran 75 yards like she wasn't hit. One peice of the bullet went into her neck, and the other into her lung. Lesson learned, don't shoot the shoulder with a soft lead bulelt.

 

[.45er]

I'll take whatever shot I believe to be a kill shot. Not picky but the lung shot does go easier on the venison.

 

[Okie Hog]

Won't do neck shots or head on shots. Also try to avoid quartering to shots.

From 2000-2020 i killed 4-8 deer every year. Most were shot in the heart-lung area and about 50 percent were bang flops. Never lost one deer. For about five years i used the excellent 240 grain .430 XTP bullet, then switched to the 250 grain SST bullet.

My most used inline rifle is a .50 Encore. My powder charges are heavier than those of most hunters. Currently i use 120-140 grains of Black MZ powder. There are exit wounds on smaller deer but none on deer over about 150 pounds. The bullet fragments, tearing up the heart and lungs; the spleen and liver are often damaged. Over 2,000 foot pounds of energy are expended inside the animal.

Years ago i began doing some high shoulder and high just behind the shoulder shots. When these shots are properly executed the animal bang flops.

About every year i kill a deer using a conventional .50 or .54 rifle firing patched round balls. My powder charge is 90 grains of Black MZ.

BTW: During the rut a running whitetail buck will stop 100 percent of the time by making the Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa sound.

 

[Idaho PRB]

I'm with the heart / lung crowd. Too many things can go wrong with a neck shot in my opinion.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I wont rule out a head/neck shot, has to be the right circumstance. Heart/lung is preferred tho. I have twice made head shots. First was a mature doe at a small pond. She had her head down and was only 30 yards away, i was prone and using my Mossberg 500 12ga, rifled, scoped, ported, tack driving, deer slayer with Hornady 300sst slugs. Put it right in the top of her head. Her legs just folded up. Second was another very close 40yard shot at the back of the head of a 4point with my 30-30. Again, just folded. The only other shots ive taken that folded up a deer like a head shot, were head on right in the chest. Those kind of certain shots are not common tho. And my hand ain't as steady as it was.

 

[MrTom]

The only other shots ive taken that folded up a deer like a head shot, were head on right in the chest. Those kind of certain shots are not common tho. And my hand ain't as steady as it was.

And they make for a real treat at gutting time.

 

[chubby ninja]

I was trying to fill a doe tag a few years ago. I was sitting on a small rise overlooking a swamp.As the light waned,I saw a couple of deer moseying away.With nothing to lose I grunted at them,a big mama doe was curious and investigated.The only shot I had was straight on.I aimed for the white patch below her chin . She did a bang flop, after checking her out it was a head shot , the bullet entering the mouth and taking out the spinal column.My processor called it a "butcher shot".No meat wasted.Not a desired shot but the only one I had.My preferred aiming point is a high shoulder shot .Hunting small woodlots in So. Michigan it's easy to lose an animal . Even a mortally wounded critter can run off my property,resulting in a loss. The meat loss of a high shoulder hit is better than losing the whole thing.Just my 2 cents.

 

[toytruck]

I got the Shocky's Trigger stick tripod 2 yrs ago. Its a decent product so far, though I've read quite a few negative reviews on their quality level. I've not had any issues with mine, but at 150.00 they cost more than double what they should. I got mine on sale for 130.00 & still think I need my head examined for paying that for it.

I also have a tripod trigger stick, won't go deer hunting without it.

 

[alternate]

When given a window I'll go for the lungs every time. With a center fire the deer is DRT but with slower bullets like shotgun slugs the deer might run a hundred yards. When the blood level in the lungs reaches the bullet holes (in and out) it leaves a blood trail Stevie Wonder could follow. The higher your shot the longer it takes for the tide to come in and for the blood to start pumping out. I've also done broadside spine shots when the deer was behind a wall or blowdown and even a few spine shots from the rear. I've done between the antler spine/lung shot with the deer running right at me. I'm not a fan of neck shots (especially lower neck) with arrow or slow moving bullets because there's a lot of neck with no vital stuff in in. With out the shock of a fast moving bullet it's possible to miss the windpipe and spine and just poke a hole plain old meat. I've only lost 2 deer in my life. One was an xbow neck shot and the other was a 45-70 neck shot at 1320 fps. In both cases I hit where I aimed but my aim point was poorly selected.

 

[CatamountRob]

I killed this deer in MD a couple years ago, it’s missing most of its lower jaw. That’s the problem with head shots.

 

[citanhable]

My favorite shot on a deer is straight on with head down. I am for the spine between the shoulders. Next would be broadside with a high shoulder shot. Both of those shots result in a DRT by taking out the brachial plexus (I think I have that right). Third choice is the heart/lung shot, usually the deer will run and that’s why I don’t like that shot plus I’m getting too old to trail deer.

I ALWAYS shoot using shooting sticks or a rest of some sort and never shoot over 50 yards (iron sights and old eyes).

I don’t trust a neck shot and have a terrible story about the one time I tried it.

If you hit high and just get lungs, it takes a few seconds for them to fill. That's why the run. But if you go lower in the HL area and hit the boiler room, they just stand or jump, look dumbfounded, and drop over. Gotta hit the boiler room.

 

[Pathfinder60]

Too much of a hassle. A crossbow is the most clumsy thing i've ever handled. A cocked crossbow cannot be transported: Got to uncock the crossbow by firing a blunt into the dirt or something.

It's sounds like you have your mind made up about a crossbow but I think you're using old technology because many current bows have decocking mechanisms built in that make shooting them unnecessary. My TenPoint Vengeant S440 has Accuslide built in which allows me complete control over the cocking/decocking process. Furthermore, cocked it's only 6.5 inches wide... much easier to wield.
Something to consider.

 

[jlynch75]

I killed this deer in MD a couple years ago, it’s missing most of its lower jaw. That’s the problem with head shots.
View attachment 24445

My son did the same thing on his first and only deer.

 

[JeffB1961]

I killed this deer in MD a couple years ago, it’s missing most of its lower jaw. That’s the problem with head shots.
View attachment 24445

i'd HATE to do that to any animal .

 

[CatamountRob]

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “either they’re dead right there or it’s a clean miss”.
I’m sure whoever shot at that deers head shrugged it off as a clean miss.

i'd HATE to do that to any animal .

 

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

Not picky but the lung shot does go easier on the venison.

I do not eat the ribs, because they are the target.