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Shot Placement for Deer #7556907 07/15/19 08:10 PM
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Goodo Texas Boy Offline OP
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Hello all,

I am preparing for my first deer hunt in Texas. I am using a 308 Savage rifle. I practice at out door range 100 yards away.

Questions:

1. Where do I aim for ethical deer shot so deer goes down instantly?
2. I wanted to buy some deer targets. Which targets are good for practice?

Thank you

https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Dee...mp;psc=1&refRID=QXGZGY732EMPR2AHPYHE


https://www.amazon.com/Life-Size-Vi...mp;psc=1&refRID=DEFDWM0K4EM9ZBMQ1MZW

Last edited by Goodo Texas Boy; 07/15/19 08:11 PM.
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7556945 07/15/19 08:42 PM
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1.) Google images of deer shot placement. Opinions will vary, but right behind the shoulder is what I like (lungs/heart)
2.) Any target is fine. Don't overthink it



Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7556947 07/15/19 08:43 PM
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Get on google images and search high shoulder shot. Basically straight up the front leg top 1/2 to 1/3 of the animal.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7556949 07/15/19 08:44 PM
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If you want them to fall on the spot heart/lung behind the shoulder is not the shot to take.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7556973 07/15/19 08:59 PM
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My shot placement for deer is the heart. Most drop on the spot, and if they do run, they only make it 10-20 yards.

My aiming spot from the picture below is 2 o'clock from the heart, or 2 o'clock from the circle "10". I aim for the bottom third of the deer. If you can visually look at the deer and draw 2 lines dissecting it into thirds, (2 horizontal lines evenly spaced) I aim for the bottom third line at the heart. Most of the time when field dressing the deer, I center punch the heart or take out the top of the heart where there is no blood circulating. IMO, if you shoot anything further back in the lungs, they will always run off and run some distance before expiring.

Also, think 3 dimensional. This picture is if the deer is broadside. If the deer is at an angle, I'm aiming for the heart still, but my bullet entry may change depending on the angle of the shot.

[Linked Image]


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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7556974 07/15/19 08:59 PM
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If you'd like to PM me your email, I'd be happy to send you a little PowerPoint tutorial that I put together a couple of years ago for someone about to take their first deer. It covers what you're asking about as well as discussing after-shot reactions by the animal.

Happy to help if I can,

Mark


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"I always take care to fire into the nearest hillside and, lacking that, into darkness". - the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: redchevy] #7556976 07/15/19 09:01 PM
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Originally Posted by redchevy
If you want them to fall on the spot heart/lung behind the shoulder is not the shot to take.


roflmao

Just because you can't hit the heart doesn't mean we can't. Keep practicing buddy and you'll get better



Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7556978 07/15/19 09:01 PM
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Also, I would just use a paper target and get your rifle dead on at 100 yards. Then practice shooting in field positions or the position you will be hunting from. Get off the bench at the gun range to get some good practice.


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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: ChadTRG42] #7556986 07/15/19 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by ChadTRG42
... practice shooting in field positions or the position you will be hunting from. Get off the bench at the gun range to get some good practice...


Wiser words were never spoken. And remember a .22 is a great (and economical) practice tool. Burn up 2-300 rounds of rimfire in serious offhand practice and watch you groups off the bench improve!

It's all about trigger management...

Mark


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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7556997 07/15/19 09:17 PM
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I've fired exactly 3 shots at deer over the last 3 years. All 3 took out the heart. Two of them were bang flop dead and the other made it about 15 yards - just far enough to fall over dead in a prickly pear patch. mad

With that being said, it may not be the best shot placement for a beginner, or for anyone who gets really excited or nervous about shooting a deer. The easiest shot, at least to me, is the high shoulder. Center of the shoulder left to right, upper 1/3 vertical. If that "buck of a lifetime" ever walks out in front of me, that's where he'll get it (I hope).


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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: titan2232] #7557007 07/15/19 09:26 PM
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Originally Posted by titan2232
Originally Posted by redchevy
If you want them to fall on the spot heart/lung behind the shoulder is not the shot to take.


roflmao

Just because you can't hit the heart doesn't mean we can't. Keep practicing buddy and you'll get better



HAHA yes so funny.

While I wont try to say im perfect, the reason I don't hit the heart is because most of the time I shoot my deer in the neck. You can consult a depiction of the vitals of a deer to find out why it doesn't hit the heart.

He stated he wanted a DRT kill, sorry DRT isn't what comes to mind when you shoot behind the shoulders heart/lung.


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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557010 07/15/19 09:30 PM
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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557017 07/15/19 09:33 PM
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I live by the high shoulder shot.

Shoulder/Spine/Shoulder equals DRT.

I practice with anatomical deer targets like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Caldwell-Natural-Whitetail-Deer-Target/dp/B00162NQFC

https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Dee...mp;psc=1&refRID=CK5XD0GRVTB98DWX6WV1

As has been mentioned already, get your rifle sighted in well (I like a 200 yard zero with the .308, about 2 inches high at 100 yards depending on the ammunition), then start working on field positions.

Just my .02 and good luck,
LeonCarr


"Whitetail Deer are extinct because of rifles with telescopes mounted on them." - My 11th Grade English Teacher
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: LeonCarr] #7557027 07/15/19 09:44 PM
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Originally Posted by LeonCarr
I live by the high shoulder shot. Shoulder/Spine/Shoulder equals DRT.


This works also, especially for pigs. If you want to save as much meat, a high shoulder shot slightly forward towards the neck works well. If you have the rest and a really steady hold, a head shot on a doe works great for minimizing meat damage. I usually kick the stand or make a noise to freeze the deer looking at me so it doesn't move for a head shot. But I don't do that very often. I still prefer the heart shot.


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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: redchevy] #7557028 07/15/19 09:47 PM
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Originally Posted by redchevy
Get on google images and search high shoulder shot. Basically straight up the front leg top 1/2 to 1/3 of the animal.



This is my personal fave, considering the animal is broadside. They will drop faster than a prom dress.

Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557090 07/15/19 10:44 PM
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Take out the heart and your job is done. On a broadside shot, I draw a line from the back of the leg up into the body about 4 inches, and that's where I aim. If it's an angle shot, I figure out where the heart is and aim for it. No matter what the angle is, I aim for the heart.

Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Jgraider] #7557095 07/15/19 10:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Jgraider
Originally Posted by redchevy
Get on google images and search high shoulder shot. Basically straight up the front leg top 1/2 to 1/3 of the animal.



This is my personal fave, considering the animal is broadside. They will drop faster than a prom dress.


We clearly went to two different proms bang



roflmao


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Don't let your ears hear what your eyes didn't see, and don't let your mouth say what your heart doesn't feel
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557100 07/15/19 10:56 PM
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No Professional Hunter in Africa ever said "Aim for the neck". There's a reason for that.

'Just got off a lease where the "manager" would always talk about his neck shots and imply that we should all be aiming for the neck. He, and his family, wounded more game than the other 3 on the lease combined.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Judd] #7557130 07/15/19 11:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Judd
Originally Posted by Jgraider
Originally Posted by redchevy
Get on google images and search high shoulder shot. Basically straight up the front leg top 1/2 to 1/3 of the animal.



This is my personal fave, considering the animal is broadside. They will drop faster than a prom dress.


We clearly went to two different proms bang



roflmao


I confess, I didn't go to that school either....... cry

Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557136 07/15/19 11:20 PM
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I knew that girl. Quite well. (No, not THAT well, but very, very close.) But, I don't know if someone was decent enough to ask her to the prom. I wonder, and worry what happened to her...to this day.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557147 07/15/19 11:28 PM
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Shoot him in the center of the neck, and he’ll be laying right in his tracks.

Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557166 07/15/19 11:46 PM
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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: ChadTRG42] #7557198 07/16/19 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted by ChadTRG42
My shot placement for deer is the heart. Most drop on the spot, and if they do run, they only make it 10-20 yards.

My aiming spot from the picture below is 2 o'clock from the heart, or 2 o'clock from the circle "10". I aim for the bottom third of the deer. If you can visually look at the deer and draw 2 lines dissecting it into thirds, (2 horizontal lines evenly spaced) I aim for the bottom third line at the heart. Most of the time when field dressing the deer, I center punch the heart or take out the top of the heart where there is no blood circulating. IMO, if you shoot anything further back in the lungs, they will always run off and run some distance before expiring.

Also, think 3 dimensional. This picture is if the deer is broadside. If the deer is at an angle, I'm aiming for the heart still, but my bullet entry may change depending on the angle of the shot.

[Linked Image]


I hate to even post on a shot placement thread cause no one will ever agree and someone will contradict whatever is said. However, the OP seems like a novice so he needs and wants all the help he can get. Considering he is a novice im surprised at how many are telling him to aim for such small specific spots. If an expert can hit exactly where he aims then, yes, there are several quick kill spots to shoot for. But if he doesn't know where to aim then its not safe to assume hes a great shot, likely doesn't know how to acquire a good rest and factor in buck fever and he has no business aiming for an area without any forgiveness, IMO. I suggest he aim at the very middle of the entire vital area of the chest cavity. That way if he misses a little high or low or left or right he should still be ok. On Chads target above I would say that area is halfway between 8 and 10 and a little above the 8. I recommend this to almost any hunter unless I know hes an expert and in that case he doesn't need my advise. Also, if he hits solid shoulder and he is a novice he may not be using a bullet that's designed to penetrate the shoulder. Personally, if I have reason to think I have a real good hold on an expensive Trophy buck that ive hunted long and hard for I am aiming for middle shoulder from left to right which is pretty much straight up from leg. Up and down I aim a little below the mid point. Contrary to a whole lot of guys of here that I respect I do NOT go HIGH shoulder. Once again, not enough room for error if you miss a little high you are out of vitals. Same thing if you are a little high and forward or low and forward. With a well constructed bullet like partition I don't think it matters if its high shoulder or low shoulder or in the middle, hes going down right there(in my experience.) Consider your audience guys and give the rookie some room for a less than perfect shot. Goodo, if you want any one on one advice you can PM me and im sure a lot of others would say the same. And if you are not a novice then except my apology. Lastly, I don't claim to be an expert but I think these things through from all angles and as always its just my 2cents. Good luck.

Last edited by freerange; 07/16/19 12:21 AM.

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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: Goodo Texas Boy] #7557260 07/16/19 01:13 AM
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I always shoot em in the lungs. Been doing it that way since about 1962. I aim a bit higher than Chad’s number 8. The benefit of that shot is that a fellow has a big kill zone, and if you underestimate the distance, the bullet will hit lower in the lungs or in the heart. Simply put, it’s very high percentage shot. But, if the OP wants the deer to drop on the spot, they rarely do when lung or heart shot. Years ago I aimed just where I suggested on a huge old buck. It was a real rush shot in dim light as he crossed a pipeline ROW, and I underestimated the distance and didn’t hit the lungs but blew his heart up (as the autopsy later showed). That old warrior went at least 75 yards into the biggest briar patch on the property. I heard him as he died at full speed and crashed through palmettos. Weighed right at 275 and was 9 points. Dead, but geographically in an awful spot. Normally they seem to go about 30 to 50 yards when lung shot. Always a good blood trail, since they blow it out both sides, and if you can’t track that, stay home or bring a friend that can.


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Re: Shot Placement for Deer [Re: 603Country] #7557276 07/16/19 01:27 AM
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OP said "ethical shot so deer goes down instantly". Im gonna guess that's not EXACTLY what he meant. Im reading between HIS lines but keep in mind he is evidently a novice. When he made his statement I bet he meant emphasis on the "ethical" which he likely meant as "for sure kill" and he wouldn't be opposed to a short tracking job. Im doubting he understands the subtle difference in killing surely and quickly as opposed to dead instantly. Once again, my 2cents and im guessing a couple cents for the OP.


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