I've guided many nilgai antelope hunts down here, and a high should shot is ok-if you shoot a bullet with good weight retention, bullets that blow up are worthless anywhere but through the lungs. A high shoulder shot nonetheless is a low percentage shot for the average guy, along the same lines as a pure a$$ shot to hit the femoral artery. For a "must kill" opportunity, there are very few shots better than behind the shoulder. Big animals can, and do do things that they shouldn't be able to do when the adreneline gets going. You can flat out lose a "dead" animal if you push it too soon. If you miss 3-6 inches on a behind the shoulder shot, you still kill, miss 3-6 inches on a high shoulder shot and you wound an animal or flat out miss, little margin of error, ethically a poor shot. High shoulder shots should only be used for meat hunting, no better than a head shot or a$$ shot, bottom line.