Posted: 11/5/2009 4:35:15 PM EDT
|
Ive been hunting since i was prob 5 and have never really had a prob taking down a deer with a clean shot, but ive always wondered if it would be better to shoot them directly in the shoulder or just right behind the shoulder like i always have been, ohh and im using a savage 110 in 30-06 by the way shooting 150g remington core-lokt's, ive noticed a couple of times that my round has just blown right through the deer and not expanding like it should when i shoot them right behind the shoulder, and it took quite a while to track cause of poor blood trail, so would it be better to shoot them directly in the shoulder, maybe making the bullet expand more and taking out both front shoulders and most of the vitals
thanks in advance guys |
|
I've taken a bunch of deer in my time. I have noticed that the classic behind the shoulder double lung shot does kill deer but it takes a little bit of time for it to happen. If I'm using a relatively explosive bullet (Nosler ballistic tip) deer will run 10 to 20 yards before piling up. If I;m using a more controlled expanding bullet like a Partition or regular soft point I can count on adding a few more yards to taht figure. This is with .308, .45x209 muzzleloaders and a .350 Rem Mag.
I've taken a bunch with shots that are farther forward. I've been aiming about 1/3 vertically up the body of the cavity, and taking out the heart, major arteries and a good portion of the lungs too. Depending on the angle at which this shot is taken its not unusual to take out a leg/shoulder as well. You get both legs on a broadside, and usually get the offside leg on an angled shot. In almost every case the deer drop in their tracks. Literally. The fasted shot has beenthe following: Deer quartering towards me. Aim for the base of teh neck/body juncture, passing through the heart/lungs and out about behind the offside leg. They literally die before hitting the ground. If you shoot the shoulder there are severl things working for you. You have more tissue, and more bone. Bullets seem to expand better. You take out some of the skeletal system. Its hard to run when both front legs are wiped out. And the shot to the skeletal system seems to tranfer energy better. I've never ever been concerned about blood trails with this shot since I don't have to track deer. They literally drop dead right there. For what its worth I've shot em a lot of ways. My experience has been so positive with the "directly through the shoulders" shot that I continue to use it today. I do loose some meat, but I never loose my deer. |
|
If I had my druthers', I druther take a high shoulder shot if they are broadside and 200 or less. Typical right behind the shoulder area if they are 200-250. I will take neck/throat shots if they are coming directly or quartering to me under 200yds.
Alot of people love the quartering away, but I pass that shot every time. Some mental block about it since I have never pulled it off to my satisfaction, so rather than wound deer, I just pass it. I am not a precision marksman, so you may certainly be able to shoot accurately further than my distances, and take quartering away shots. 
|
|
Quoted:
Ive been hunting since i was prob 5 and have never really had a prob taking down a deer with a clean shot, but ive always wondered if it would be better to shoot them directly in the shoulder or just right behind the shoulder like i always have been, ohh and im using a savage 110 in 30-06 by the way shooting 150g remington core-lokt's, ive noticed a couple of times that my round has just blown right through the deer and not expanding like it should when i shoot them right behind the shoulder, and it took quite a while to track cause of poor blood trail, so would it be better to shoot them directly in the shoulder, maybe making the bullet expand more and taking out both front shoulders and most of the vitals thanks in advance guys Shoot better bulletts |
|
Quoted:
Ive been hunting since i was prob 5 and have never really had a prob taking down a deer with a clean shot, but ive always wondered if it would be better to shoot them directly in the shoulder or just right behind the shoulder like i always have been, ohh and im using a savage 110 in 30-06 by the way shooting 150g remington core-lokt's, ive noticed a couple of times that my round has just blown right through the deer and not expanding like it should when i shoot them right behind the shoulder, and it took quite a while to track cause of poor blood trail, so would it be better to shoot them directly in the shoulder, maybe making the bullet expand more and taking out both front shoulders and most of the vitals thanks in advance guys First thing I will mention is that there are much better bullet choices available; however, there are several deer that die every single year from the old Remington Core-Lokts. Bullet technology has greatly improved over the past few years, and some bullets just simply have not kept up with these advancements in technology. As for shot placement, I aim for the vital areas every time no matter what type of weapon I'm using. The vitals offer a HUGE target with a lot of room for error. I have never, ever hit a deer in the vitals and not recovered it relatively easily. 
|
|
Quoted:
Every time I see that Deer Anatomy slideshow, I'm temped to put a high speed, modern firearm bullet in the neck to sever the spine and/or cord. That will definitely drop it.....however, look at how much of a small margin you have for error with that shot. I will tell you that it is not nearly as big of a target as the vitals. If you can hit a basketball-sized target, you can hit a deer's vitals. |
|
Yessir!
And that's just it. I know I'm not alone in the practice and habbit of being able to hit a quarter at 100yds with my 30-06 and even in hunting situations, I'm not taking a shot without a proper rest. That neck shot is a 3" window IMO and a know the majority of hunters could put a bullet in there, and if the conditions weren't right, they'd not take that shot. Yet, for some reason I and most others I know recommend and pick the boiler room for the shot placement... even in perfect conditions. |
|
Quoted:
Yessir! And that's just it. I know I'm not alone in the practice and habbit of being able to hit a quarter at 100yds with my 30-06 and even in hunting situations, I'm not taking a shot without a proper rest. That neck shot is a 3" window IMO and a know the majority of hunters could put a bullet in there, and if the conditions weren't right, they'd not take that shot. Yet, for some reason I and most others I know recommend and pick the boiler room for the shot placement... even in perfect conditions. The problem being that paper targets don't move. Deer do. And at anything other than the most trivial ranges, the time between when you squeeze the trigger to the point of no return, and the time the bullet arrives at it's destination, a deer can easily move enough to completely screw up that 3" margin of error. |
| I just said this in another post but-if your close to other hunters you dont know it may be best to just drop it right there. Shoulder. Especially if a big rack because you dont want a confrontation with some stranger that finished it off. If you have the hunting space behind the shoulder ruins less meat. (if any) They will run a distance. Likely out of sight. But its deadly. |