Wounded deer

[HB]

I started shooting shoulders this year after a brutal pack out last year. Mature buck died down a ravine after a heart shot.

The 2 I shot this year dropped on the spot with front shoulder hits. My thinking is it's better to waste a shoulder due to damage than it is to lose an entire deer.

Everybody is different. My rifle coach was a Vietnam Vet and always shot for the white patch on the neck. However, he had about 30 years of teaching marksmenship and 10k rnds of HPBT he took with him that he used for practice and hunting.

HB

 

[TN Outlaw]

I too have evolved to the "shoulder shot"

I used to complain that it cost me too much meat but have learned I'd rather risk a shoulder than crawling around on hands and knees praying I find the deer soon. So far the shoulder shot has worked like a charm.

Part of learning from crawling and hunting blood trails did teach me this, always remember to raise your head up and look up close to chest high. I have gotten so carried away looking on the ground to not notice the gallons of sprayed blood up near 4' high. Don't get tunnel vision on the ground, look from the ground all the way up as you search.