Place The Shot

[lizziedog1]

You are walking along a narrow trail looking to fill that tag. To your left is a semi-open meadow. You see several does and fawns milling about and you spot a spiked buck about one hundred yards away.

You decide you could do better.

You take another step and you do spot something better.

Laying on the ground, about ten yards away is a nice four pointer. He is staring at you. You are positioned slightly uphill from him. All you see is his rack, head, and neck. You decide to go for it.

Your weapon is a single shot 20 gauge with a rifled barrel. In the chamber is on of those new-fangled sabot loads. No scope on the gun, your shot will be with open sights.

Where would you aim for on the animal?

 

[Davek1977]

Given that presentation, I wouldnt take the shot. If the "perfect" shot isnt there, its not worth risking the animal to "maybe" kill it. Head and neck shots aren't ideal for MOST shooters, and leave a high risk of wounding. If you've ever seen a headshot deer that wasn't killed, you know how devastating it can be. No animal is "good enough" to risk losing due to a less than ideal shot presentation. In this situation, i'd move towards the deer at the ready, and would put a shot through the boiler room when he stood up, or pass completely if the right shot never did present itself. I've let a LOT of deer walk in my day due to less than perfect presentation. If I'm not confident I will kill, I dont take the shot

 

[retrieverman]

Given you are shooting open sights, I seriously doubt the spike at 100 yards was ever in any real danger, and if the 4 point is still laying down and letting you walk within 10 yards, there must be something major wrong with him and needs to be taken out of his misery.

At 10 yards, even open sights, I wouldn't hesitate to take a neck shot. A 20 ga sabot slug at 10 yards is going to hit with enough force that it should snap the neck like a twig.

I have neck shot many deer at much longer ranges with much smaller calibers, and I have never had one get up after being hit.

 

[hardluk1]

i would pass for something bigger hehe. If your skill level to place the round was good enough you would not ask so don't do it. With open sites !! No scope. Change to a rem buck hammer or Dupo slugs and at 1 oz weight they would just as accurate with open sites ,or under 125 yards and shoot where the neck meets the chest on the side and the waaay heavier slug would do the job.

 

[ROCKFISH]

At 10 yards I'd go for it. Easy shot, aim for the middle of his neck, he won't even get up. I've neck shot a couple, thats all you see when they're bedded in deep snow. Heads and necks, they think they're hidden.

 

[desidog]

Why not just wait til he gets up?

If you're that impatient, I'm surprised you're still into hunting.

 

[MtnCreek]

I'd pick out one of those does in the meadow. We're in full rut around here and the bucks stink during the rut.

 

[Art Eatman]

A 4x4 buck? Mulie? I'd bust his neck.

 

[7mmstalker]

Ten yards is pretty darn close, hard to miss. That range I'd prefer iron sights, I say:


Art Eatman: " A 4x4 buck? Mulie? I'd bust his neck."

 

[1911 guy]

I'd put the front sight as low on the neck and close to centerline as possible, then begin slowly moving toward better shot presentation. As soon as he twitched or I got a shot I liked, I'd press the trigger.

 

[Sav .250]

As noted, some time the best shot is a no shot. That`s called hunting.

 

[Art Eatman]

Well, at ten yards it's a case of, "You never know." If he jumps to go, you might not be able to get the gun on him before he's in the brush. If you're lucky you can avoid eye contact and ease the gun up for the shot. It's also possible to try for a snap shot and get him as he comes up to run. "There ain't no one size fits all."

Me being an optimist, and having had that sort of thing happen before, I figure I'd bust his neck. Granted, the last time for me, the buck was maybe 25 or 30 yards away, snoozing in the sun in high grass. Busted his neck.

 

[castingdonkey]

I hunt to take deer home, the eye has been the end shot for many deer. So if you have a shot on a vital take it. Head, neck(spine/ arteries)heart lungs, anywhere there is a high potential for a quick kill. You'll learn a lot by pulling the trigger. So get out in the field be safe and have fun.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Given you are shooting open sights, I seriously doubt the spike at 100 yards was ever in any real danger, and if the 4 point is still laying down and letting you walk within 10 yards, there must be something major wrong with him and needs to be taken out of his misery.

At 10 yards, even open sights, I wouldn't hesitate to take a neck shot. A 20 ga sabot slug at 10 yards is going to hit with enough force that it should snap the neck like a twig.

I have neck shot many deer at much longer ranges with much smaller calibers, and I have never had one get up after being hit.

My first thought too, something is wrong with that deer if he let walk to within 10 yards and he's still laying there. 10 yards, 20 gauge slug, iron sights, neck shot if I take the shot at all.

Or I'd opt for one of the larger doe in the meadow.

 

[Cranky CJ]

10 yds? Neck shot.

 

[CSA 357]

ok we give up, what did you do? i have killed a few bucks in there bed, if you ever make eye contact they are gone!

 

[Art Eatman]

Once you spot a deer that's bedded down or is unsuccessfully hiding, stop looking at it. If you're downwind, it's not too hard to sorta slowly zig-zag back and forth, getting closer without really appearing to. The deer doesn't really see you as any immediate danger.

 

[ROCKFISH]

Ten yards is close enough for me. Shoot before he takes off. He was hoping you'd walk right by.

 

[788Ham]

Smack him right along side the head! Hold right at the base of his jaw, then BOOM, knife diggin' time.

 

[Cob]

10 yards? this is a perfect shot scenario. place the 20 gauge on the ground, pick up a rock and throw it & hit him right between the eyes.

If no rocks are available, aim for head or neck, pull the trigger. You said shooting downhill, so if no other variables are missing, and you feel safe taking it, - You will not mess up any meat with this shot, and I have taken it already in my life-time. (in the same day)... I took a doe at 8 yards with a 12 gauge, then a small buck appeared right behind it. All i could see was top of head, small rack, eyes, and big ears staring right at me( about 30 seconds after i had just taken the doe). I had a black diamond shotgun scope with my sabot, and placed the cross hair almost right between the eyes and pulled the trigger. (Buck and Doe was legal in MS.)

 

[TNboy]

Take the neck shot. If you are uncomfortable taking a neck shot at that distance you need to go back to the range or just give it up and go to the couch.