Shot Placement?

[rugerbh103]

I have access to about 70 acres to deer hunt. The land that it borders changed hands about two seasons ago. The new owners are opposed to hunting. The best area to hunt is a hardwoods flat bordering their land. They will not allow anyone to recover shot animals on their property. Negotiations are pointless, they would rather the carcass, "return to the earth", than fall into a hunters hand. I've checked with my local game warden and confirmed they are under no legal obligation to allow a deer to be recovered. These folks are ruining a great place. They blast the music and call in poaches nearly every time I'm there. Luckily, the Deputies stopped looking for me and just send a text if they have a question. Going elsewhere isn't an option, as this is the last place I have access.

Now to the point, what would be the best shot placement in my scenario? I hate to loose meat, but I'm thinking through both shoulders with something heavy. Thanks for any feedback.

 

[MrTom]

Now to the point, what would be the best shot placement in my scenario? I hate to loose meat, but I'm thinking through both shoulders with something heavy. Thanks for any feedback.

Or, if feasible, the head.

 

[Ninering62]

I have access to about 70 acres to deer hunt. The land that it borders changed hands about two seasons ago. The new owners are opposed to hunting. The best area to hunt is a hardwoods flat bordering their land. They will not allow anyone to recover shot animals on their property. Negotiations are pointless, they would rather the carcass, "return to the earth", than fall into a hunters hand. I've checked with my local game warden and confirmed they are under no legal obligation to allow a deer to be recovered. These folks are ruining a great place. They blast the music and call in poaches nearly every time I'm there. Luckily, the Deputies stopped looking for me and just send a text if they have a question. Going elsewhere isn't an option, as this is the last place I have access.

Now to the point, what would be the best shot placement in my scenario? I hate to loose meat, but I'm thinking through both shoulders with something heavy. Thanks for any feedback.

Head, neck & high shoulder shots all drop them in their tracks.

 

[Okie Hog]

My favorite deer and hog stand overlooks a trail 30 yards from the property line: Absolutely can't go there. i've killed 15-20 deer from that stand, none went over the fence.

Deer shot high in the shoulder or high behind the shoulder with .50 or .54 round balls bang flop.

 

[Bushfire]

Head, neck & high shoulder shots all drop them in their tracks.

Took the world out of my mouth.

 

[Bushfire]

I have a block I hunt that’s bordered by military grounds. They do their best to harass hunters in the neighbouring private properties, driving up and down the boundaries during deer season, yelling out to hunters on neighbouring private, tooting horns etc. and generally anything to scare off deer.
one spot has bedding areas on their side and feed area on our side. When they realised we hunt it, every year at opening they now camp in tents on their side of the fence to deter the deer from coming into our private. Mind you we have never stepped foot on their side nor given indication we ever would.

Needless to say we can’t allow deer to make it on to their side. Anchoring shots are a must.

 

[rugerbh103]

Where do you aim at the neck?

 

[Bushfire]

Where do you aim at the neck?

Anywhere if you understand the anatomy of deer and know where the spine runs. But I often aim for the base of the neck where it joins the shoulders.

High shoulder is my main target. I've shot 5 deer with the flintlock this year, 3 were high shoulder and one was frontal so shot him through the neck. All down on the spot.

 

[snapbang]

Head, neck & high shoulder shots all drop them in their tracks.

Yep, those are the targets. Make sure your gun is shooting very good and you may want a rest (sticks) to shoot from. If in doubt maybe brush up on the anatomy.

 

[smokepolehall]

If your tick toter is facing you center the white throat patch. If broadside high shoulder hit. Lose several lbs. meat but ya get the whole deer. 12 years ago before i got crippled up, i was good enough to shoot them in the eye if sideways to me. If the were angled a bit i would put it between the eyeball n ear hole. That use to solve the feet running mode they have when shot. Now i don't mean trying to reach out yonder. Most of mine were 50 yards or less, make a good clean shot. I am a big time believer in supporting my rifle anyway i can to keep it steady,

 

[rugerbh103]

I'll look at the neck again, seems like a big target.

I almost always have a set of shooting sticks I made from dowel rods. Almost always use them, unless things happen quick and close.

 

[sheriffjohn]

Behind the elbow lies the heart. Sideways shot always through the heart. Ruins the heart for eatin', but saves the liver. .45 or .50 PRB usually makes them DRT - dead right there.

 

[Ninering62]

Behind the elbow lies the heart. Sideways shot always through the heart. Ruins the heart for eatin', but saves the liver. .45 or .50 PRB usually makes them DRT - dead right there.

I've never seen a deer DRT from a heart shot. Not with a 12ga slug or a high power rifle round. I've seen them run up to 200yds with a round thru the pump station. I shot one buck with a 12ga slug & hit a tiny bit low on a broadside & just hit the bottom 1" of the heart. It not only split the heart right up the whole side & blew off the bottom of it, it blew out underneath it so that a lot of its insides fell out along with buckets of blood & I watched that deer try to run staggering for 110yds before it finally dropped. That was the last lesson I needed to start targeting the central nervous system for real DRT instead of the pumphouse & rely on blood trails & tracking.

 

[ElDiablo]

Central nervous system shots are the only shot that can be counted on to put an animal down on the spot.

 

[MrTom]

It not only split the heart right up the whole side & blew off the bottom of it, it blew out underneath it so that a lot of its insides fell out along with buckets of blood & I watched that deer try to run staggering for 110yds before it finally dropped.

I think a heart shot at absolute broadside is a good hit but as just mentioned in the above reply that heart is very close to the paunch, and if a person gets off by very little they have themselves a mess, unless that person is very well aware of the deer's anatomy. Even then there's a chance of hitting that elbow wrong and deflecting the bullet into the gut. Like Ninering, I've had heart-shot deer walk and run off with blood pouring out of them like crazy. Learn where that spine lies in the neck just ahead of the shoulder and you'll put that deer down on the spot every time even with a hit that doesn't squarely connect with the spine.

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

Behind the shoulder at spine hight you will lose meat but they shut off and drop where they stand. Base of neck behind ear at the brainstem I've done that on a bunch of times. It's lights out with that one to. You have to be on in your shot placement while doing these shots. I do the same on yokes with a 22 lr and hollow points.

 

[smokepolehall]

A Head shot breakdown, scramble the gray matter . No leg functions just total Fubar.

 

[Ninering62]

Central nervous system shots are the only shot that can be counted on to put an animal down on the spot.

Exactly!

 

[archer36]

Central nervous system shots are the only shot that can be counted on to put an animal down on the spot.

Agree

 

[archer36]

High shoulder shot but will ruin some meat. Neck shot (at the base) since it doesn't move around too much.