Shoulder shot

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One of my favorite places to hunt Whitetail would be a perfect place to Utilize the High shoulder Shot, But i stil can’t make myself do it.

I am already looking Down in an Ole Logging Cut here, 99% of the Deer i see here Pop out on the Far Tree line, Which is Quite the Drag out as is. That Tree line is also a REALLY STEEP Bank line, it Drops straight down to a Creek bottom about 200 or more Feet. EVERY Deer i have killed here end up Down there
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Here i am at the VERY Bottom with a Buck, This one actually got across the Creek, i had to Wade over and Drag him across, I usually shoot right before Dark (Typical Stand hunting Whitetail) By the time i get a Deer Dragged up out of this HELL Hole, then Across the Old Cut Bottom, and UP to my Truck, it’s WELL after Dark. A Head Lamp is part of my Gear
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This is why i do it though, I like to Eat the Front Shoulders, It is REALLY DIFFICULT for me to make a Shoulder Shot, I was taught from a little Boy to Shoot just behind the Front leg, Through the Lungs. The Reason i am Hunting is to Eat the Meat from the Deer or Elk i harvest. There is a LOT of good Meat on the Front Shoulders, a Shoulder Shot usually destroys the Majority of it
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I think f I was shooting deer at the red arrow and seeing them head back into the timber I'd be bringing that rig with the plow [sans the plow] to do the pulling.
 
if done right it breaks the spine nothing to do with breaking down the legs
At least the shock disturbs the spine enough to put it down.
When I was younger and hunting in Wyoming I always aimed for high shoulder. The .243 nosler always left a small hole going in and about 3 fingers wide coming out the opposite shoulder. A good release of energy. Most of the time the feet would come up before the body fell.
 
I think f I was shooting deer at the red arrow and seeing them head back into the timber I'd be bringing that rig with the plow [sans the plow] to do the pulling.

At that Red arrow (The timber line) it Drops off STEEP, 200 Ft or more Straight down to the Creek Bottom. I’ve been down in it several times retrieving Deer. I swear it gets Steeper & Steeper every year :D
 
Regarding how far a deer will "dead run" . I've always heard that even if a deer has had both lungs and heart destroyed, it will go 10 seconds before it's "lights out". Over the years that seems to be pretty much true. The distance will vary depending on how fast it's moving. I can see the advantage of a bone breaking shoulder shot if you don't care about a little meat destruction and want to "drop it in it's tracks" but I generally prefer a behind the shoulder hit - makes for a "cleaner" kill. Then there's the neck shot - that drops 'em and doesn't ruin hardly any meat. Pick your shot - aim true. Good hunting!
 
I've used the neck shot alot with my center fire drops em in there track ,elavation is not a problem you got about 6 inch's of that,if your off one inch or so windage it will still drop em,I always aim right at the bottom of white patch on there neck,O deer lord I think I'am getting buck fever just was sittting here.
 
I did a high shoulder shot this year and it killed her instantly. 290 grain Barnes bullet, 2 50 gr pyrodex pellets. I was impressed.
Nit Wit
 
If i am hunting high pressured deer on public land, I will shoot them halfway up in the shoulders so they dont run. If I am leaving for back home in an hour I will do the same. If I have snow on the ground, I will always go the boiler room. I dont get blood shot meat and the meat tastes better with a lung shot. When I eat a shoulder shot deer, I can taste the blood in it. It tastes just a bit like liver, not that I care, cause I love liver.
 
At that Red arrow (The timber line) it Drops off STEEP, 200 Ft or more Straight down to the Creek Bottom. I’ve been down in it several times retrieving Deer. I swear it gets Steeper & Steeper every year :D

For years I was always under the impression that the "small" white tails were small and would be no harder to put down than a small mule deer doe.
Then I went hunting with you :)
Remember how far that little buck ran dead?

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I was stunned that the buck went that far. After seeing that I changed my opinion how tough those animals are.
 
For years I was always under the impression that the "small" white tails were small and would be no harder to put down than a small mule deer doe.
Then I went hunting with you :)
Remember how far that little buck ran dead?

ZJpjLZ8.jpg

HFgBfp4.jpg


I was stunned that the buck went that far. After seeing that I changed my opinion how tough those animals are.

I remember that like it was Yesterday Ron, I think about it everytime i drive through that Area. You Hit him REALLY HARD, He Wheeled and headed down the Mountain on a Dead Run!
 
My favorite shot on a deer is when it is quartering toward me. I aim at the base of the neck where it meets the body. Every whitetail I have made this shot on has dropped in it's tracks. The best part is, there is usually no meat damage. The bullet typically exits about the last rib.
 
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