Whereas there are many places that you can shoot deer and wound it, not all will kill it instantly. The first rule of hunting is to make a humane kill whenever you can. For this reason, shot placement when hunting deer is an essential part of hunting.
Where to Shoot a Deer: Various Aim Points When Shooting Deer
High-Shoulder
It is a lethal shot and ranks high among the deer vital targets making it the ideal shot for experienced hunters. It is also a humane shot as deer will not survive and may even fall immediately. The gist of the shot is aiming at the shoulder blade to let the bullet pass through.
If you place your shot well, you will hit the spine and disrupt the central nervous system. Needless to say, the deer will remain paralyzed and rooted to the spot. To make this shot effective, you must consider using a powerful rifle and preferably hollow point ammo.
The only downside to such a shot is that it is challenging to make, and the chances of missing the target are also high.
Head Shot
The headshot is a favorite for every hunter if they can hit the target. Though it presents a challenge, it is a fatal shot and one of the deer vital targets. To target deer head, you need accuracy and preferably a rifle over a hunting bow. The skull is a thick bone, and if you do not use a powerful gun, the deer might survive, run and succumb later, making it difficult to track it.
Headshots offer a small target as well, and only the confident hunters will attempt such. It is a humane shot as the deer falls instantly without feeling any pain since the brain loses its functions. While it preserves the meat, headshots destroy the head leaving no trophy head for display.
Neck Shot
Only experienced hunters will gamble with a neck shot. The price is too big to take a chance of missing on a rare opportunity of hitting a buck. If done appropriately, the neck shot is a paralyzing shot that kills deer where it stands.
But everything good is not easy, and the neck shot is difficult as you can miss the deer if it makes the slightest of movement as you release the trigger. The assumption is that the deer will remain still as you take aim and zero in on the neck area.
The positive side is that it does not damage the meat or the head, and it is a win on all fronts. The downside is that deer is instinctive, and neck shots are less successful, especially when using a bow and an arrow.
The Lung and Heart
When not sure what shot to take, always aim at the deer heart and lungs. It presents a hunter with lots of vital targets that lead to profuse bleeding and death. Both the lung and heart shots make it easy for a hunter to track down deer through the woods. Even though deer might scamper from the shock of the blow, it will not go far before it beds down for the last time.
The positive side of targeting the lungs and deer heart is that when you miss, you still get to hit parts of the deer that are vital. They include the liver, pyloric artery, or the gut. The problem with aiming at the lungs and heart of deer is that sometimes the bullet may hit a bone and deflect. Even when accurate, deer can still run away, making it a painful and slow death. You will be forced to track deer through the woods. If by bad luck, it happens to be on a rainy day, the blood trail washes away, and the chances of recovering your kill become less.
Leg Shot
It is not a favorite for many hunters, whether skilled or otherwise. The idea of target deer legs is aiming at the hip bone. The hip bone is high above the hind legs, and just like the high shoulder, the bullet must hit the hipbone dead center. It is challenging to get it right with such a small target, and you might miss the mark.
When aiming at the deer legs, use a powerful rifle and ammo and not a bow and arrow. The hipbone shot paralyzes the deer instantly, and this is a positive as the deer uses its powerful legs to run fast and leap high. The downside is that you may need a follow-up shot to make the kill humane.
Different Angles You Can Use to Shoot a Deer
Deer will not always come at the angle you want or have practiced for. It may present an angle entirely new to you. Experienced hunters will not give up the hunt. Instead, they adjust to the next best angle. Find out how.
Walking Away
When the deer turns to run, should you let it go or shoot at it? If you aim behind a deer, there are no guarantees of hitting a vital organ. Do not fall for this temptation.
Straight On
It is when the deer is facing you directly. It is not a good angle, and you should fight the urge to take a shot. But if you can target the deer head, do not miss it.
Quartering Toward
It does not offer much to aim at. What is worse is that the vital parts are all protected by the deer bone structure. If you can pick a clean shot, go for it.
Quartering Away
It presents the best opportunity for the hunter to hit vital organs. The chances of hitting vital organs are high and rife.
Broadside Shot
It is a hunter’s dream that all deer should come facing the broadside, just like aiming at deer at the range. Though it is not always the case, a broadside shot is always fatal, leaving no room for recovery.
Conclusion
The best shot is the one that hands deer the fastest death. Before you take a shot, ensure that you are well placed to make a kill or a deadly blow that paralyzes deer to enable you to make a humane kill.