Given a broadside shot, what is your preferred shot on deer?

[basstracker89]

Heart/ lung. Side preferred. But I have put it in the chest as well. I haven't wasted any meat that way. Unless I used a 44mag pistol and needed a second shot. Which has only happened a couple times.
By the way OP, post the results

 

[GFB]

Heart/ lung. Side preferred. But I have put it in the chest as well. I haven't wasted any meat that way. Unless I used a 44mag pistol and needed a second shot. Which has only happened a couple times.
By the way OP, post the results

I think after you vote you can see the results. Let me know if you can’t.

 

[pltspreader]

Shoulders- neck- straight up the a$$. In that order

 

[atscott]

Behind the shoulder if rushed, but neck if I can take my time. Both will have little waste if you hit where you aim.

 

[Fatal_Bert]

Neck is the only correct answer. Turn there lights off, drop them right where they are standing.

 

[sniper22]

Depends how the deer is facing you. None of these are behind the shoulder.

View attachment 8186698View attachment 8186699View attachment 8186700

None of those would matter, after I got my breathing and heart back in control, they'd be gone...

 

[howl]

SCDNR did a study on shot placement, weapons, etc versus outcomes of actually recovering deer. It's probably still on their website. It takes care of any arguments.

I suggest getting some of the Ethikill or similar targets to test yourself on whether you can hit your preferred shot 100%. Test at the ranges you take it, after doing enough jumping jacks to get your breathing and heart rate going wide open. Targets with aiming points marked don't work for this.

Safari Press made the best targets of that type, but they're the hard to find anymore. Using those reeled my maximum range on neck and high shoulder shots significantly.

Another facet is shooting groups from your rig often enough to know if and by how much point of impact wanders. Most deer rifles used to kill deer in GA so not hold exact zero over the course of a season. This will also reel you in on neck and headshots. For example, we use a 3/4” grouping rifle with a Leupold VX3i solidly mounted that is actually a 2" gun shown by shooting it on targets over time. That's not abnormal.

And, finally, if you only shoot a deer or two a year, don't shoot much other game, and all of your practice is on paper at a range, you'll never be a good game shot. Pick your shots accordingly.

 

[toobaroque]

Boiler Room! 100% kill and recovery.

 

[toobaroque]

Actually, on a big buck like this one, I like to shoot one of the antlers off. It will stun the deer so much that it will go down immediately. Then, I can run up to it and shoot it through the ear to kill and I don't ruin any meat. I can glue the rack back on if I'm going to mount it. If it comes around right about the time I'm getting ready to shoot it in the brain, I only have a 50% chance of getting speared, PLUS I still have half the antler for my collection.

If I'm using a bow, it's heart shot or opposite side shoulder every time. Good blood trail is key.

 

[GFB]

SCDNR did a study on shot placement, weapons, etc versus outcomes of actually recovering deer. It's probably still on their website. It takes care of any arguments.

I suggest getting some of the Ethikill or similar targets to test yourself on whether you can hit your preferred shot 100%. Test at the ranges you take it, after doing enough jumping jacks to get your breathing and heart rate going wide open. Targets with aiming points marked don't work for this.

Safari Press made the best targets of that type, but they're the hard to find anymore. Using those reeled my maximum range on neck and high shoulder shots significantly.

Another facet is shooting groups from your rig often enough to know if and by how much point of impact wanders. Most deer rifles used to kill deer in GA so not hold exact zero over the course of a season. This will also reel you in on neck and headshots. For example, we use a 3/4” grouping rifle with a Leupold VX3i solidly mounted that is actually a 2" gun shown by shooting it on targets over time. That's not abnormal.

And, finally, if you only shoot a deer or two a year, don't shoot much other game, and all of your practice is on paper at a range, you'll never be a good game shot. Pick your shots accordingly.

This one?

South Carolina Game Study