Observe: Observe the animal’s behavior after the shot. Identify a visual landmark to give you an idea of where the deer was standing the last time you saw it. “Gut shot” deer, or those shot in the paunch or intestines, will take even longer to expire while often leaving behind a sparse blood trail to follow. This is the buck we called the G5 Buck back in mid-December of 2010. Push gut-shot deer, and it can travel long distances and may never be found. It doesn’t matter what weapon you use. I have seen bucks hit here go right back to chasing does. Bow hunting can, however, exhibit very high wounding rates. 6. On 40-yard shots, you almost need to aim under the brisket by a few inches on alert deer. The number expands to over 50% among novices. ACC 3-60/340 arrow. Achieve rapid death; 2. Not to mention the truly shocking sight that will greet you when you walk up to a head-shot deer. One way to avoid making a high hit is to move your bow up from under the deer as you position the pin for the shot. In addition, the few lucky ones, it requires a second shot to get the deer down. Where to Aim and Shoot Deer High Shoulder . 5. It stops and looks around as if to see what happened. Beating the high hit will be one of my number one priorities this fall. Sometimes this happens so fast you don’t even see the deer drop, but since I started to film our hunts, this is much easier to see. Wait: Wait 30 minutes before you do anything. I hope I never hit another deer high and I hope you don’t either. It should also be noted that, when it comes to the shoulder-blade shot’s effectiveness, a deer’s size really doesn’t matter. So, my point is this, the high hit generally not fatal. While my father and his backyard deer target taught me to aim for the “boiler room” (the area that includes a deer’s heart and lungs), there are other ways to drop a whitetail with one clean shot (although most deer hunters agree a broadside shot to the “boiler room” is the best shot there is). I didn't get much penetration, and found only 4 drops of blood. Most of the high hits are the result of string jumping. You never know how damaging your shot might have been. It is finding an easy and quick path out of the area. But should we be aiming elsewhere? Check your draw length. Most of us were taught to put a bullet in the "boiler room," the heart and lungs. Mark: Mentally note or take a photo of the spot where you last saw the deer. I would have sworn that hit would have killed the deer. Chances are with a high shoulder it's too short and you are compensating for this by moving your shoulder. The spinal column is very narrow and a miss high or low usually means a wounded animal. Attached is a skelton picture of the anatomy of a deer. Friend of mine shot a deer the other night that we could not find. Its reaction will tell you a lot about the effectiveness of your shot. Anytime you shoot meat expect some meat loss be it shoulder, neck, spine, etc. He shot it far forward, quartering away and about 8″ penetration. Although many bowhunters like to aim for the heart, aiming low and up against the shoulder/leg can set you up for heartbreak if you hit square on the shoulder joint and don’t get adequate penetration. To eliminate the high hit caused by string jumping, you need to aim as much as 6 inches low on a 30-yard shot (the brisket line) when the deer is alert. To eliminate the high hit caused by string jumping, you need to aim as much as 6 inches low on a 30-yard shot (the brisket line) when the deer is alert. Most high hits in the forward part of the deer are not fatal. Knowing and executing the basic shot angles is a necessary skill that all ethical bowhunters should master before heading to the field. This is a shot you should never take. These shots are also best left alone. Your heart drops as you closely watch the buck’s reaction as he bolts away into the brush. This is an archer’s worst nightmare, but an all too common occurrence while bow hunting, it’s the shoulder shot. One of my favorite bow writers was a man named Jim Doughtery. The High Shoulder Shot If executed properly a high shoulder shot can kill a deer instantly. 2. I killed this buck in 2011. Ethical Shot with a Bow: No. Better to err on the side of caution and aim too low than to deal with a high hit. I think some of them are just born to be nocturnal and only change as they get old. But as a word of warning, some hunters complain that the shoulder shot damages more meat. Coming up from below will usually result in a good hit even if you rush the shot. 1. But after field dressing enough deer, some of which had their lungs oddly stuck to the inside of their chest so they couldn’t droop, I no longer believe this. G5 Outdoors The shot is fatal as it disrupts the nervous system and may break and shatter the ribs. In some cases, a shot … It happens a lot. Minimise suffering 3. You obviously have to follow it up as if you are certain the deer will die, but in reality when you hit the deer just under the spine, it is not probably not going to die. One of the hits that comes up over and over is the high hit in the dreaded “No Man’s Land.” First off, people want to know if this area of deer anatomy even exists, and most importantly, if they hit it, will the deer die. It was clear in the photo where the arrow entered. It is the perfect shot if you get it right. This is an archer’s worst nightmare, but an all too common occurrence while bow hunting, it’s the shoulder shot. The Double-Shoulder Shot: Woods, a well-known biologist for whitetail, did a great deal of his work on golf courses to control deer. Deer hunting regulation changes are beginning to surface. By placing the shot high on the shoulder of this mountain goat, the hunter will anchor the animal in place and help prevent it from going over a cliff and landing in a place where retrieval might be impossible. Ethical Shot with a Gun: No. If the shot is not accurate, it can result in unnecessary suffering of the deer and you may not be able to recover the animal. Always have a safe backdrop behind your target. Probably the best kill shot for deer is the high shoulder shot. Most high hits are caused by string jumping – the deer drops at the sound of the shot to load its legs to bound off. In any case, and especially with bow hunting, you should always prepare in any way you can to avoid this shot. The arrow hits well above the aiming point. Opinions differ, as some say the shoulder meat loss can be as little as two pounds or as much as fifteen. 4. Kyle Heuerman had experienced a marginal shot only to be surprised by the penetrating power of the Havoc Broadhead. Thus the bang and flop result that occurs. Usually, I can add at least some input even though I wasn’t there and didn’t see the blood or the arrow or the body language of the deer. The deer seems sure-footed and alert. Notable Deer Hunting Regulation Changes for 2020. To achieve the best results a deer hunting rifle such or hunting gun is recommended to a bow. After The Shot: A Broadhead to the Abdomen. In the next diagram, every shot hits the center of the kill zone as it penetrates the body of the deer, but only one (the TBS) impacts the deer right behind the shoulder. Crazy differences in deer tagging and reporting. 3. He said he shot at the deer broadside and hit him high in the shoulder. The success of this shot depends completely on penetration. He was 40 yards away and I stopped him with a grunt before shooting. The buck not only survived the hit, but he never seemed to pay it any attention at all, not even leaving his normal core area or abandoning his regular patterns. When taking a broadside shot, it is generally best to aim about five inches behind the deer’s shoulder and about halfway up the deer’s body. I followed tracks, and turned over leaves. The success … However high shoulder is one of the least shot spots for many hunters as it is often associated with errors. Of course, take any of that advice with a grain of salt, for those very reasons. The shoulder blade, at its widest section, is about a 3-inch circle — a large target for a gun-hunter — that offers a wide room for error. In some cases, it doesn’t even slow them down. Deer shot with archery gear are intended to bleed out, making it easier to follow blood trails. Every year, starting about this time, I get a number of questions on Ask Winke about the lethality of certain hits. Box 59 The high shoulder. Deer shot with a firearm die from shock and tissue damage, but there is often less blood to follow. After a long sit, a buck you have hunted for 3 years comes within 25yards. A gut shot deer is not ideal, but with patience and proper tracking the deer can be recovered. Coming up from below will usually result in a good hit even if you rush the shot. The seemingly long and tense moment of aiming and taking the shot is regrettably concluded with a loud smack. Yet some people still advocate for the "high-shoulder" shot. This bull is slightly quartering away, but not enough for major adjustment of shot placement. It is also encouraged by conservationists to regulate deer populations. So to be really good at making these shots, you need to know how quickly your deer react and hold low accordingly. I think No Man’s Land is actually a high lung hit that doesn’t collapse the lungs and doesn’t result in enough blood loss to kill the deer. Communicate: Text your partner what’s going on and check the weather. You will instantly know by the crack, but also by the buck’s reaction. Why Is Deer Tagging and Reporting So Different in Each State. One way to avoid making a high hit is to move your bow up from under the deer as you position the pin for the shot. I was very lucky to even get this deer. Photo credit: Shutterstock / … A couple of years ago, a local outfitter sent me a trail cam photo of a buck that one of his clients hit high. Don't ever try to shoot the deer … To kill an animal with a single shot is the goal of every responsible hunter. If your shot results in this scenario, give it everything you have to try and find him. He is broadside, you have a good lane, and the camera man is on him. A gut shout deer will usually “hop” straight up … This simple shot placement technique will help you make more effective shots this season. But if the animal is hit high in the shoulder with minimal penetration, follow up immediately. This shot angle occurs when a deer slightly faces the bowhunter but is not head-on. With this much penetration the deer will either recover or die much later of infection. Bullets kill deer via trauma. When you bring your bow up to the aim point from below, you are much less likely to shoot high than if you bring the bow down from above to reach the aim point. Neck And Spine Shots. Here in the Midwest, string jumping isn’t generally an issue inside of 25 yards, but I have seen deer in the south evaporate (leave the sight picture) in the time it takes the arrow to travel just 25 yards. Vertically, his shot he said was good. Thunderhead fixed 100gr. I actually hit this buck high a month earlier. he said he could see the arrow sticking out as the deer ran away. The deer ran at least 600 yards before I finished him. Here is look at some of the unique whitetail buck behavior we have witnessed over the years. Always give a wounded animal your all in recovery efforts, and hope for the best. Have you had any experience with seeing deer shot in the shoulder area? The buck went about 200 yards, but I found him in about a hour after the shot. I used to always think that this no-die-zone was above the lungs. If that isn't the case you'll have to adjust your shot cycle. Hint: You can often tell as much about a shoulder shot from what you hear as from what you see. If the deer is on the horizon with no solid ground behind it, don’t take the shot. I am a firm believer that there is a No Man’s Land on a whitetail deer. P.O. This shot will kill the deer effectively, but it will not be as quick and sudden as the shoulder shot. Usually shots ranged from 200 to 300 yards. The aim of this guide is to provide information on the anatomy of deer and the consequences of bullet damage, to enable shots to be placed which: 1. (810) 392-8431. In this video, Justin Richins, of R&K Hunting Company, illustrates the dangers of attempting the high-shoulder shot by pointing out what he calls the "no zone" on an elk. Archers often report only 3-4 inches of penetration, with a short blood trail, and finding the arrow with a small amount of blood on the tip. This is a superficial wound, and your best chance at recovery is with a second arrow. I took a lot of time cutting him up and looking over the carcase. One can see when excuted this not only takes out the front shoulder, it also will affect the spine. It was 75% of the way up the body cavity, but angling down – high for sure, but not super high. 28 yard shot from a stand 14 feet off the ground. It often shocks and awes the deer as the bullet or arrow snaps the spine. Cabela's Pro Staff member Aaron Warbritton explains deer anatomy and how to drop a buck based on certain areas of his body. Deer hunting with bows is a favorite recreational activity. If you are using a smaller caliber such as .25-caliber rifles or smaller, I recommend a shot directly behind the front shoulder, one-third of the way up from the bottom of the deer’s belly line. However, as the angle becomes more severe, the vital area grows measurably smaller, leaving only the deer’s brisket, shoulder and rear exposed. Initial Search: Find your arrow and first blood. It happens to every hunter at some point in his or her hunting career. Some shot locations result in a He dropped at least 10 inches and I hit the buck in the spine. The red dot shows the high shoulder shot placement they refer to. If the angle is extremely slight, an ethical shot is possible. This shot will penetrate through both lungs, and the animal will run for 35-125 yards (until all the oxygen in its brain expires) and pile up dead in seconds. At about 0730hrs he calls me on the phone and said he just shot his first buck a small 4 pointer. A shot that misses high will hit the spinal column; a shot that misses low will take out the heart; and a rearward shot will take out the lungs. Like a heart shot, you should be safe to begin tracking after 30 minutes. They hit a deer with a marginal or poor shot, and then must endure a long and difficult recovery, or worse yet, they’re unable to find the … Read More Memphis, MI 48041 The Shot That Will Drop a Deer We asked a number of deer cullers, those sharpshooters whose job requires them to kill deer quickly, for their perspectives on bullet placement. After a lengthy wait, a deer will travel only 100 yards or less, lay down and stiffen up or die. It was a complete pass-through. I ended up killing him the next year. I have shot 60-pound doe fawns and 200-pound bucks and have come to the conclusion that any deer is dead on its hoofs when a bullet breaks the scapula. If you get more than 3-4 inches of penetration there is a good chance you might strike a lung in which case is only a matter of hours, or yards to find him. something like, Raise bow, fingers, draw, drop shoulder, anchor etc. The first two important things to determine is what part of the body the deer was shot in and how it ran off. This fall stack the favor in your odds with G5 Outdoors. I have even killed bucks that I had hit high the previous year. He will run off with his front low, leaning to the side of impact. You would never know it from looking at this photo! He will run off with his front low, leaning to the side of impact. I have fought it for years and I hate it. I've hit a lot of deer with an arrow over the years but this morning was my first front shoulder hit. The slap of an arrow hitting the scapula is quite loud. Good signs: The deer jumps up or kicks after the shot. He said he watched the deer run through the open grass arera in front of him then into a stand of pines. Not knowing this information can result in premature searches and the pushing of wounded deer. Take the case of Team Radical’s anatomy of the shot. Arrow hit him broadside without a very loud crack and I … The main thing to remember, and keep in mind, is that shot can happen to even the best of bow hunters. Bad signs: The deer is running and leaping with tail high. Jim used to advise people to bring the bow up from under the deer when aiming in order to make the most of the tendency some people have to rush the shot and trigger it off as soon as they see brown beyond their pin. Whitetail bucks change dramatically as they get older. You will instantly know by the crack, but also by the buck’s reaction. If you can execute it properly to hit the scapula, it can kill a deer instantly. 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