Aim point, which are you?

[BoomFlop]

When shooting at an animal (let us use broadside as a standard for this discussion), are you a behind the shoulder (lungs), behind shoulder (heart), high shoulder (shoulder/spine) or a base of neck shooter?

I am a die hard bow hunter with well into double digit book whitetails and at 38 years old, I cannot get out of the "behind shoulder (lung) shot even with a gun. So my deer (although I don't shoot many with a rifle) all tend to run 20-125 yards. I tend to shoot Interlock/CoreLok style bullets and probably need to do something else or try like hell to move my aim point. Don't get me wrong, it works as I'm shooting them at bow range most of the time, but with a rifle I'd prefer to have them drop.

Where do you aim and what bullet do you use? Feel free to list multiples if your aim point and bullet differs by
cartridge, animal or distance.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[dmj]

I'm also a bow Hunter. And with a rifle I also shoot for behind the shoulder lung shot. I hunt elk out of state with a rifle. So the majority of animals I harvest with a rifle are elk. I use a 28 or 30 caliber magnum rifle and shoot the heavier Berger bullets for each caliber. Most don't take any steps, but hardly ever more than a couple at most.

 

[LVJ76]

In your scenario I go for behind the shoulder, coues deer are small and every little bit of meat is precious and of course delicious. I do the same with mule deer and most drop on the spot if not only take a few steps. If I ever get drawn for Elk, I would go for the shoulder.

On my 7mm-08, I use 139gr SST, 140 gr Ballistic Tips and also 140gr Ballistic Silvertips. I will be trying some 120gr Ballistic Tips in the future.

On my 7mm Rem Mag I use 154gr SST, 150gr Ballistic Silvertips and also 162gr SST. I am planning on trying the 162gr Amax, I have a box and want to try them out, I've read they work great on deer.

 

[Chase723]

I used to be a behind the shoulder guy, but have now transitioned to high shoulder or base of the neck/hylar/forward shoulder (basically in line with the front of the leg ~ 1/2 way up) shots. They damage a lot more meat but the animals don't run. For archery, I still shoot in the crease behind the shoulder.

When I used to shoot behind the shoulder, like you've experienced, I had a couple deer run way further than I wanted them to and I lost one that ran straight down into a canyon. That made me a little sick.

I know it's a hard transition because it's so engrained in our culture to shoot for the crease. I don't know if this is just because it's the place with the least amount of waste and is a meat saver shot or what, but as far as a stopping, dropping, bang, flop deal there are better more dependable options when you're using bullets. That being said an animal shot through both lungs/the heart is not going to survive so it's a very effective way to kill game, just depending on the scenario can obviously compromise your ability to recover the animal.

 

[Calhntr]

Slightly back High shoulder just below the spine drops them like a bolt of lightning, not even a kick after shot , killed five bucks this way, two Alabama Whitetail, and three California Blacktail, minimal meat loss, no bullets recovered. 270 Winchester, 150 gr. SPCL. GREEN YELLOW BOX,
Nowadays in KALIFORNIA I handload 130 gr. GMX's getting 3292fps from a 24" barreled post '64 Win. 70 stainless pushfeed, three bucks taken so far, each were shoulder shot with one follow up double lung shot each. 1st@323yds. And 2nd@25ft. 3rd.@105yds. 3rd. Deer was Double lung shot only and ran then stopped@25yds. Each deer went less than 25yds. before expiring.

 

[J Doss]

When shooting at an animal (let us use broadside as a standard for this discussion), are you a behind the shoulder (lungs), behind shoulder (heart), high shoulder (shoulder/spine) or a base of neck shooter?

I am a die hard bow hunter with well into double digit book whitetails and at 38 years old, I cannot get out of the "behind shoulder (lung) shot even with a gun. So my deer (although I don't shoot many with a rifle) all tend to run 20-125 yards. I tend to shoot Interlock/CoreLok style bullets and probably need to do something else or try like hell to move my aim point. Don't get me wrong, it works as I'm shooting them at bow range most of the time, but with a rifle I'd prefer to have them drop.

Where do you aim and what bullet do you use? Feel free to list multiples if your aim point and bullet differs by
cartridge, animal or distance.

Thanks,
Steve

Behind the shoulder with everything except my muzzleloader. With my muzzleloaders, I shoot traditional round balls and shoot the shoulder.
With my rifles, the list below give my deer/elk/antelope loads.
7mm Rem Mag - 150gr Açcubonds and Ballistic Silver Tips or ETips in those states.
30-06 - 150gr Açcubonds and Ballistic Silver Tips.
270 - 130gr Ballistic Silver Tips and Açcubonds.
243 - 80gr Ballistic Silver Tips.
I have shot whitetail with a Rem700 in 223 using Remington factory 55gr BTSP ammo but, only head shots with it.
On well placed behind the shoulder first shots, on game which hasn't been spooked, with mid to heavier calibers, I have never had a animal take more than a couple of steps. Most drop where they are.
No sense wasting good meat with a neck or spine shot.
Happy, SAFE Hunting!!!!

 

[Brother Buckwheat]

I too am/was a bow hunter, and always use behind the shoulder if possible. More room for error under less than perfect conditions I believe. Just habit I suppose?
Most animals go DRN with the .300 Win. very few go more than 10 feet.
Growing up, the old guy I hunted with only took neck shots as he didn't want to waste meat on the little blacktails we were hunting. "When" he connected they went down like a rock.
Now I'm the old guy, trying to help the younger shooter enjoy his time in the outdoors.

 

[skipglo]

There is so very little meat on a deer, you can't afford to waste any. High shoulder means Both shoulders are getting hit. Generally won't take more than a step but 10 yards heart lung shot...no lost meat for me.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

For the numerous hunting situations I have encountered, and especially in the rockies, I'd say it depends. Number 1 choice is behind the shoulder but sometimes you are only presented with head and shoulders. I've taken excellent pronghorn bucks with a high shoulder just below the spine and they dropped immediately with very little meat wasted. Although my aiming point may be flexible, one thing I refuse to do is a gut shot of any kind. To me, that the worst waste of meat there is if the gut is blown into the quarters.

That Core-Lokt bullet and similar tough designs like the partition/a-frame, bonded and pretty much every mono I've seen, are great selections.

 

[LVJ76]

For the numerous hunting situations I have encountered, and especially in the rockies, I'd say it depends. Number 1 choice is behind the shoulder but sometimes you are only presented with head and shoulders. I've taken excellent pronghorn bucks with a high shoulder just below the spine and they dropped immediately with very little meat wasted. Although my aiming point may be flexible, one thing I refuse to do is a gut shot of any kind. To me, that the worst waste of meat there is if the gut is blown into the quarters.

Agree, rather pass up the shot than do that to an animal. And you are right, we run in to different scenarios every time we are out there in the field. My last Mulie was a neck shot at around 75 yards, that's all I could see

 

[OhYtD]

I like my Aimpoint PRO for what it is, and no regrets getting it instead of a new EOTech when I got the refund. I might be more inclined to go for a LPVO at this point, but the money is a consideration there. If you want a red dot, buy with confidence.

 

[deaddownrange]

when ever possible always aim for opposite shoulder!

 

[LVJ76]

For the numerous hunting situations I have encountered, and especially in the rockies, I'd say it depends. Number 1 choice is behind the shoulder but sometimes you are only presented with head and shoulders. I've taken excellent pronghorn bucks with a high shoulder just below the spine and they dropped immediately with very little meat wasted. Although my aiming point may be flexible, one thing I refuse to do is a gut shot of any kind. To me, that the worst waste of meat there is if the gut is blown into the quarters.

Agree, rather pass up the shot than do that to an animal. And you are right, we run in to different scenarios every time we are out there in the field. My last Mulie was a neck shot at around 75 yards, that's all I could see and down he went

 

[wv270wsm]

I generally shoot for the opposite side shoulder also . I'm a bow hunter at heart but with my work schedule I generally have to fill the freezer with the rifle.
Up at our camp it is extremely steep and the last 2 deer that I shot up there I high shoulder shot just a hair forward to ensure that there would be no running into the holler. I always wondered why dad used to always head shoot them up there now I know !