Shot Placement - High Shoulder vs Lung/Heart

[TennVol]

I was wondering what shot placement most of you go for. Do you go for a high shoulder shot or do you aim behind the front leg and go for a lung/heart shot?

I have shot all of my elk and deer with a lung/heart shot so as to not waste any of the front shoulder meat. I have never had them go too far after the shot, so I never really thought too much about an alternate shot placement. But I have recently seen some TV shows/DVDs where they were taking a high shoulder shot. All of the animals hit with the high shoulder shot went down like they were hit with a sledge hammer.

I'm just curious if one method is preferred more than the other, or is it more of a "Ford vs Chevy" kind of argument?





MSgt, USAF
1984 to present

 

[slamdunk]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-11-08 AT 05:54PM (MST)[p]Behind the shoulder on deer.

But....
In our elk hunting camps, if the shot is close enough to have pinpoint accuracy, we like our clients to shoot in FRONT of the shoulder for elk, it crumples them on the spot. There is NO margin for error with a bullet at the base of the neck like there is shooting BEHIND the shoulder.........beleive it or not.

If you aim in FRONT of the shoulder and hit in either four directions, he'll buckle like a cheap suitcase and the target is the same size as just behind the shoulder area.

You hit too far back while aiming BEHIND the shoulder.....well we all know what happens then, and it aint too pretty of a scenerio.

 

[hunterjmj]

I have always shot for the heart/lung. Seems to have worked for me so far. What ever works for each guy I suppose. I guess if your not familiar with the anatomy of an elk the shoulder area would be a good choice.

 

[life2extreme]

I am a behind the shoulder kinda guy myself. never failed me yet. Oh....and GO VOLS!!


Aim Center Mass

 

[mtmuley]

I generally go with a behind the shoulder/heart lung shot. Like slamdunk pointed out, the high shoulder shot puts an animal down fast. If it ain't a meat hunt, high shoulder all the way. mtmuley

 

[rmanwill]

Behind the shoulder is where I have always aimed and it comes natural upon drewing the weapon after all the years. Need to really think and tell myself to do anything different. However, on a real large trophey elk or any trophy animal in country that others hunter may be just around the hill or the next tree, a Mtn. Goat or sheep on a cliffy mtn, or any animal that you do not what to even a few steps let alone a 100 yards the shoulder is the way to anchor him where he stands.

Opinions are like A@%*oles and everyone has one, but this is just my opinion. Take it for what it is. Use it, use some of it or just delete it!! If it helps great, if not my feelings will not be hurt!!!

Happy hunting, shoot straight and bag a trophy!!!

 

[doityourself]

I agree with Slam, base of the neck has done it for me. No tracking required.

 

[Wlfdg]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-11-08 AT 08:22PM (MST)[p]For me it is about range. Close-head/high neck Medium-heart/lung
Long-neck base/high shoulder.
Most often it is heart/lung.
I'm a meat hunter. I could care little about antlers. I have only had to track a wounded animal once. It was 25 yrs. ago, when I was a 15 yr. old bowhunter. NEVER AGAIN! I couldn't live with myself for a long time over that.





The more people I meet the more I like my dogs

 

[gznokes]

High shoulder is definitely dramatic putting animals down and seems to allow for a reasonable margin of error.

I would be interested to have someone expound on the idea of why it works so well. My theory is that the shock of all that energy tranfers to the spine. That being said I have had high shoulder shots also do damage to the lungs based on all the debris these high tech bullets are pushing upon impact. I am really starting to think high shoulder is the way to go. I think it might be as or more forgiving shot than the traditional behind the shoulder heart/lung.

 

[MEANTTOBBUCK]

I have only shot four elk so I am not an expert. The last one I shot was a high shoulder shot and it dropped instantly. gznokes may be right on with the shock to the spine and high tech bullets because I also have shot two deer that way and all three of the animals were paralyzed.

 

[slamdunk]

That is exactly what the frontal neck shot does, shatters that spine and they are dead before they hit the ground.
If you hit too far forward, your still in spine, juggular and windpipe area, hit too far back and you'll still take his front wheel out from under him so you can pound him again if need be.

Our instinct tells us to put it behind the shoulder, even i still want to do that. But after seeing so many big bulls go down over the years, i'm sold on front forward shoulder shots but have to talk myself into trusting it.

 

[LuckyFool]

Would the front shoulder shot be a good idea for a 300 grain barnez MZ with 150 grains of black powder?

I hunt muzzy or bow and have always thought broadside lung shots. Just curious if you would take the front shoulder shot with the muzzy at ranges under 200 yards?

My omega is a tack driver and I am very accurate to 200 yards although I have never shot at a bull that far.

Thanks in advance.

LuckyFool

 

[justr_86]

With rifle I go for bone and have always had good luck with it. Bow thats a given.

 

[TennVol]

I think I'm going to re-think my shot placement now. As has been posted above, the high shoulder shot should put them down quick, and it's a fairly forgiving target area size-wise. I may lose a little meat, but at least I have a better chance of putting them down for good with the high shoulder shot vs. the lung/heart shot.

MSgt, USAF
1984 to present