In camp, some guys like shooting right at the shoulder others liked right behind the shoulder and one guy likes to go a little further back for a lung shot. I have always aimed right behind the shoulder with my 30-06 (150 grain) and I rarely get much of a blood trail if any and my deer run 70 yards. The guy that shoots the lung shot always has a blood trail which I have seen and the deer usually run about 50-70 yards. He says he has never lost a deer. In South Texas it can be very hard to find a deer with very little blood trail and think I lost one Saturday since I felt good about a 145 yard shot but didn't find blood? I have had this problem before and found my deer. Most of my deer have little blood if any? What is your opinion?

Neck shot

If your s.tx. lease is anything like mine then shoot 'em dead square in the shoulder and try like heck to hit bone. Either that or neck shoot 'em.

I would also re-examine your ammo. Are you getting a large exit wound? If not, you may have ammo that's not expanding enough and simply punching straight through. I like to see large, ugly, gaping exit wounds.

I've also seen lots of deer that are shot too far behind the shoulder or too high that don't leave a good blood trail. If you're gonna shoot 'em behind the shoulder then try to put the round in their arm pit and not so much the rib cage.

what kind of bullet are you shooting?

tight behind the shoulder and right at the top of the bottom 1/3 of the deer with a 300wm with 180gr BSTs or ABs...... finding blood has never been an issue, blow a big hole and let gravity do it's job.

I have only shot 2 deer in my life BUT both were right on the shoulder and both removed a big chunk of the heart, the 1st ran about 40 or so yards and the 2nd DRT and no blood trail on the 1st. I don't know if I am right but got both and the 1st did not go far and 2nd DRT

Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain, 30-06 bullets is what I have been using. Thinking about switching to something else.

Hornady SST's 150 grn, behind the shoulder out of my 30-06 usually results in DRT. Rarely have to track, usually have massive exit wounds and lots of blood. My experience w/ shoulder shots has not resulted in deer DRT, hitting bone seems to deflect the bullet sometimes not getting good penetration on the vitals. No shot is guranteed, your mileage may vary...

David

head... nuff said.. ok for a "trophy" base of the skull/neck.. I haven't tracked a deer in more than a decade..

I like my taxidermist and he would have no problems giving me a good cussing for making his life difficult.

If you aren't getting a blood trail I would try another bullet. My experience has been that core lokts leave a pretty big hole though. Might try some nosler partitions.

i like the high shoulder shot. drops em evertime!!!! or atleast so far!

+1 on high shoulder shot. I just imagine a horizontal line thru middle of shoulder. Then i aim for the middle of that triangle. Put them right down. With the right cal. Wouldnt take that shot with a 22250.

i was shootin my wifes 243 with ballistic tips when i took my biggest deer to date. i shoot a seven mag but just wanted something alittle different. that was about 3 weeks ago. that sucker dropped like a rock. it was about 100 yards!

I have never been pleased with the Core-Lokt accuracy. I shoot the Federal Premiums (7mm Rem. Mag.) dead center shoulder and all of the deer I've shot have been DRT. Shots ranging from 65 yrd. to 150 yrd. If you hit the heart with a fully expanded bullet in the .270 and up range the deer will be DRT.

I shoot Fed Prem's and have exploded the heart and still had them run 50 yards and then flip. I can't explain why some run and some drop. They all exit nicely but not huge. I am shooting 150 grain 30.06. Been so for 5 or 6 years now.

HLo....in reading the thread, I thought to myself "he is shooting Rem Core Lokt" try switching to Hornady or Federal Fusion or Premium. I shot 2 deer with a .308 Core Lokt this year and on one deer, there was no blood until 25 yards into the brush and the other buck dropped in it's track, but the bullet did not exit. **the Core Lokt will kill em dead, but it just may take you a little longer to find it

I agree with the behind the shoulder shot. I shoot a .270wsm with 130gr Barnes Triple Shock and never had a problem. Shot one on Saturday at 324 yards right behind the shoulder, left a big nice exit wound and the deer ran 20 yards.

My wife shoots a .243. Where did you hit that deer?

Shot my first deer yesterday evening in Brown County at 120 yards using a 60 grain nosler partition with my 22-250. I originally got the gun for predator hunting but wanted to give deer hunting a try. I passed up a doe the previous week (reservations about the caliber and lack of confidence) but practiced up at the range and dropped her DRT (base of the neck.) First shot on a whitetail and very positive results with that load. Thanks to all the forum feedback, I got my confidence with the gun and the shot placement was very effective. However, I must admit I will be shopping for a 270 for my next gun as I can't seem to dial in my Dad's old Winchester 100 308.

I have shot Remmington Core-Lok for 10+ years in my 30.06 and have had excellent results. There cheap and I can shoot a 1 inch group at 100 yards. When I want to save meat I shoot right behind the shoulder in what my daughter calls the C. Right in the armpit and it will do the job. If it is a good buck I shoot right thru the shoulders to break that deer down on the spot. When you hit that shoulder you get massive expansion and blow the heart out of the other side.

X2 i've seen alot of deer get killed, its by far the highest percentage shot (next to a neck shot) that will result in a DRT kill.

X3, Ive never seen a high shoulder shot deer even kick its legs, usualy one or two slow twiches is all you will get

I've just watched one shot a wee bit too high run for hours..the cpl I have shot that way weren't exactly DRT, but they were knocked off balance and fell within a few feet. The 300wm actually snapped ones knee at the knuckle at impact.

Federal premiums. 375 yards on a doe from a 243 two years ago. Right in the armpit. Ran 20 yards n wadded up. Heart soup.