Garbo

There waspost receintly that spoke of balistic tip bullets and their effect on game. I don't shoot balistic tip bullets at deer and never will, but the post made me think. When I shoot at a deer with a rifle, I am trying to break bone. I want to take both shoulders out. I do not shoot at lungs, heart or liver, but do shoot with the intention of taking out both shoulders. Normally I get some heart and lungs in the process, but my intent is the shoulders which disable the front legs. I have only trailed 5 deer that I have shot and not very far. It seems to work for me.

What do you aim for when you shoot a deer?

countryjwh

depends on deer:

doe or small buck - head or neck

medium buck - neck

big buck (i never see them) - chest front shoulders. i plan on taking out its running gear

Nascar03

I do my best to visualize vitals. I try to stay away from the shoulders, bone splintering, I shoot above for spinal shock and lungs, or just forward of the blades, usually never go 10 or 15 yds at most.

Garbo

Head or neck is understandable. I don't typically get much meat out of the front quarters and the meat that is there is not that great. Every deer I shoot I shoot the same, take out the shoulders and the deer don't go anywhere. I don't remember ever shooting a deer in the head, but I have made some neck shots. The head shot concerns me due to a very close miss could be jaw or nose (muzzle) and would leave the deer to die a slow painfull death.

SouthernAngler

it all depends. Most of the time im blowing the shoulders out. If im bow huntin i aim right behind the shoulder.

HIKE

the red dot is usually my aiming point. just above the shoulder joint and back a couple inches.



at that placement i am hitting just at the edge of major organs and with theveloctiy and the force that the .308 150 gr softpointputs on that spot it will more than likely cause some critical damage.



at my placement a major artery is hit and they will bleed out very quick



also it takes out a few ribs and maybe have enough spinal shock to drop em in their tracks!



good hunting this season:letsdrink

Geronimo

I do the same thing.

Garbo

I would want to be a little forward and down. I would rather take his front wheels off and not have to possibly trail him. Based on the illistrations it looks a little high for vitals also. Not a bad wound, but I think more damage (Trama) could be done. Take the front wheels off and he can't go anywhere even if he is alive.

SKATR JIM

Garbo- why no balistic tips? I shoot a 300 WSM. I've shot 18 deer with balistic tips and never had one run an inch (I try to take the shoulders out), but have not had the same luck with other loads.

HIKE

i have always had luck shooting ther. i guess if being high enough up in a tree, the exit wouund would be close to the backside joint which wouldtake out the organs. but i do agree thatif the front legs are done then they are going no where.