You do what you have to. The proper bullet broadens your options.

Agreed

As for hunters, as a last resort, who agree to shoot mulies in the a$$ must be shooting in open fields ( look at the picture from Jgraider's post on page 7 ) where you can see the buck run a ways and find them down a ways. Try to hunt whitetails in South Texas heavy brush, where I hunt, and I bet you that you will barely find them if you shoot them in the a$$, so its reason why I shoot right into the vitals so its DRT so I won't have to waste time chopping through catclaws and brush to find my deer and drag them out. I have seen hunters lose deer in heavy brush. Even one of my hunters shot a 150 lb.hog two weeks ago right in the ham towards the vitals at 100 yards with a 30 06 and 180 Partitions and never found it, we saw blood trailing a long ways into the brush, but was too thick to get in more than 50 yards. I have patience, that some don't have, to wait till the right moment comes to pull that shot. Cheers.

It is my preference to use a bullet that will work for any shot I might ever choose to take. Variations in impact velocity come into play. Then there are circumstances such as proximity to property lines, it might be the last hour of the last day of the season, etc. etc. Opinions vary, but mine is that Partitions, Accubonds, TTSXs, A-Frames, and the like are the most universally reliable performance choices for large animals. If you need to put them through bone at 3100 fps, they stand a good chance of doing what you want them to do. If you need to put them between the ribs at an impact velocity of 2300 fps, in all likelihood they'll work there too. Just my

+1.

That's my take as well. Perhaps I didn't approach it the right way.

Well I shot 2 deer this year, they are both reference in this post... so 100% for the year lol.

I used the bullets with good results the past 3 years, that is why I kept using them this year. I'd have to concentrate and think hard about it to figure how many over the past few years, but it would also be a biased number because the majority of the guns I hunt with are loaded with partitions which I have never had a complaint about on game performance with. My only complaint with them is cost and I have gotten over that for what they provide.

IMO neck shots are not the deadly be-all/end-all shots most think they are either. Risky with whatever bullet you use (for different reasons depending on the bullet).

But that’s another discussion.

Certainly neck and head shots can go poorly. I have never experienced it personally but have seen the results of a few head shots gone bad. I will take a shot if I feel I can make it. My internal processor has taught me to be more than less conservative over the years.

That said ive heard of as many deer that get their lower leg get shot off or gut shots that were not recovered from shoulder shooting as I do from neck/head shots gone wrong.

We are hunters it is up to us individually to know our limits and stay within them. Some will stay within their limits without question some will flirt with the line, and some will go past them with little regard for anything but having a good time and bragging rights.

Perfectly stated.

I agree. That’s why every shot I can remember for a long time now has been in heart/lung area. Whatever the angle. Not to say I wouldn’t take a different shot if: 1) I had no other option and 2) I felt I could for sure make it. (My first elk was a free-handed base of the neck shot at 75 yards, for example.) Everyone has to know their capabilities and stay within them.

You also dont have to take a shot if your not sure about it... bullet construction is only going to make up a very small window of help for a poor placed shot... a larger caliber would do more than a better bullet

East Tx heart shot would put him down

Negative, IMO/IME.

You can take that shot or you could simply get his attention. Deer turns to look and you send one through both lungs.

You can take that shot or you could simply get his attention. Deer turns to look and you send one through both lungs. [/quote]


Big bucks like that, contrary to popular opinion, seldom stop and look back. They get the heck outa Dodge quickly. Also, you seldom see those mega-bucks twice.

Big bucks like that, contrary to popular opinion, seldom stop and look back. They get the heck outa Dodge quickly. Also, you seldom see those mega-bucks twice. [/quote]

That photo is a strong motivator to practice offhand. Amazing deer, thanks for sharing JGR.