I always verbalize/visualize my shot as I'm setting up. I see the shoulder bones, imagine one "fist width" distance back from that, about 4", and a little bit low. Usually turns the heart into pudding, once or twice a good "skin stop" with bullets that expand. How do y'all "think" it through? What other angle shots have you found really effective?
What exact spot do you aim for on large mammals, four legged?
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For deer? My preferred shot is to the neck. Then, a cross-body shot where I hold right behind the foreleg and anywhere from four or so on up to eight inches above the belly line. After that, on angling shots, I just hold for a spot in line with the heart/lungs--or pass the shot.
Art,
For your neck shots, is your intent to disrupt the flow of blood to brain, or to disable the central nervous system by destroying the spinal column? What specific point do you aim for and what type of ammunition do you use?
Thanks,
TJ
For your neck shots, is your intent to disrupt the flow of blood to brain, or to disable the central nervous system by destroying the spinal column? What specific point do you aim for and what type of ammunition do you use?
Thanks,
TJ
For deer shotguns an slugs are legal, an some pistol rounds. I aim pretty much as you said except not low, center behind the shoulder. My friend bragged about dropping them
with neck shots until he lost a trophy, it went down, but got back up an we never found it. But thats with slugs, less accurate an probably don't have the energy like a high powered rifle.
with neck shots until he lost a trophy, it went down, but got back up an we never found it. But thats with slugs, less accurate an probably don't have the energy like a high powered rifle.
Depends on what I'm shooting. With elk, I aim for shoulders and prefer a stout(A-Frame, TSX, Partition, heavy for caliber) bullet. And when I say shoulders, I mean right on the joint if quartering towards me, or square in the middle of it (I don't high shoulder shoot when I'm hunting. I do when culling). For deer, I put the crosshairs 1/3-1/4 way up from the chest line, and about an inch or two behind the shoulder. Doesn't bother me if I hit the shoulder, but I'd rather not with a smaller animal. I also use more frangible, light for caliber bullets with deer (ballistic tips/SSTs, etc) at higher velocities.
I aim for the shoulder and use a tough bullet. It messes up a bit more meat, but it's the furthest shot from a mistake, and if you break at least one of the shoulders and strike the heart and lungs, the animal never goes far. If the animal is quartering one way or the other I aim for the opposite shoulder, which accomplishes the same thing. Directly facing the animal I simply hold midline 1/3 from the bottom. I don't take the Texas heart shot on unwounded game. For me, all of the above applies from squirrels to buffalo.
+1. A 165 gr Sierra Gameking (7mag) into the shoulder is my preferred shot. I ruins that shoulder, but the exploding joint really shreads the heart & lungs, and with the orthopedic damage, I have never had a deer take a step with that shot.
Plenty of meat left, and no chance of losing a deer to the brush.
what we have here is an example of what NOT to do... take the humane kill shot that the animal presents. if no shot is presented, dont take a shot out of desparation or impatience. you will find "your" deer dead on the side of the road with its head missing and it will become someone elses "big fish."
bang_bang
Member
I zero my .308 carbine to hit 2.5 inches high at 100 yards. My 180 grain bullet is right on at 200 yards and about 7.5 inches low at 300 yards. By sighting on the red dot as illustrated above, I can produce a lethal kill shot with no distance guessing. Truthfully, I've never taken an elk beyond 225 yards or so.
TR
Center mass of the front third of the animal, basically where T.R.'s dot is. If you look at the vitals cutaway above in bang bang's post, you can see that the lungs are a lot bigger than the heart, and a shot to the lungs is just as deadly as a heart shot.
High heart/lung area.
Aiming to shoot through that area, rathger than just into it. It may not kill on-the-spot, but it's highly reliable, and - as has been said - is further from a miss than any other area.
I aim to shoot through, not just into. Two holes bleed better.
Aiming to shoot through that area, rathger than just into it. It may not kill on-the-spot, but it's highly reliable, and - as has been said - is further from a miss than any other area.
I aim to shoot through, not just into. Two holes bleed better.
I was taught to aim for the far shoulder, and expect the heart to be on the path.. So far it has worked every time. Nossler ballistic tips go through an adult boar with the proverbial fist sized hole on the far side. We once each shot the same pig, my round severed the heart off its arteries, so it was just lying in the chest. He got up and started running. The second round, my buddies, basically unzipped his belly and left ten pounds of entrails ten feet from his first fall, and he got up a second time. The pig still got up and ran a hundred feet or so like that. But we did take him home, on a pole, just like Daniel Boone.
haha that honestly gave me a good chuckle.
I will give it to Art, the neck is a great shot, but it's also the least practical for the average hunter. I like to hold just behind the shoulder. You can toss a coin on your bullets. Remington, Winchester, and Federal all have great cartridges/bullets. Pay a little extra, get the good quality ammo, put the shot behind the shoulder, and it's a done deal.
Every position (angle) offers a different shot placement. Master those and your in good shape. IMO.
CoRoMo
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I always aim behind the vertical line of the front leg and about 4" from the bottom line of the chest. Hard habit to break I found out when your under pressure, it don't work on African critters like Oryx, shoot them low through the shoulder .
I've witnessed the Texas heart shot done quite well with rifle, and once Commanche style with an arrow.
I've witnessed the Texas heart shot done quite well with rifle, and once Commanche style with an arrow.
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