Is there a best place to shoot a deer?
When you shoot at a deer, the aim is to mortally wound. Once you’ve locked your scope upon the downrange deer, is there a best place to aim? The question of where to shoot a deer while hunting comes up frequently. Are you potentially wasting ammunition, as well as risking the deer running off, by aiming for a small target like the head when the chest could be just as effective? Are deer constantly running off after an errant body shot?
As someone who cares very deeply about deer hunting as well as all the deer that call the forest home, I feel it is imperative to make hunting easier both for us as the hunters and the deer as the prey. A grazed deer that runs off into the woods to die a week later does nothing for you. With that in mind, here are some tips to making every shot count
Are there better places than others to shoot a deer?
Absolutely. A shot to the head is going to be much more effective at bringing down the deer than a shot to the leg. When looking at a deer lengthwise in front of you, the front half is nearly always a better option than the back half.
Is there a definitive “best” place?
When it comes to this question, the answer starts to get more complicated, eventually coming down to personal preference and ability. The two main answers to the question are the brain and just above the heart, known in some circles as the epicenter.
Why the brain?
The brain is the center of all life in a deer. A well-placed shot to the brain will immediately incapacitate the animal, resulting in death in less than a minute. If you’re unable to get a direct shot through the front of the head, a side shot or shot from the rear at the top of the spinal column will yield similar results.
Why not the brain?
The biggest negative when it comes to aiming for the brain is the small target that it provides. An inch or two too high left or right, and the bullet could miss the deer completely. All you’ll have to show for your work is the sound of hooves disappearing into the thicket.
Why above the heart?
The area directly above the heart of a deer in the center of the circulatory system. The heart, lungs, and several major blood vessels can be found in the vicinity of that area. A well-placed shot will have the deer down in a few moments. Contrary to shooting at the brain, there is room for several inches of when aiming above the heart. Hitting above the heart is also the most humane option for killing a deer.
Why not above the heart?
When faced head-on with a deer, taking aim at the heart may not be your best option. The ribs, shoulders, and sternum are quite thick, protecting the heart and the lungs. If your bullet fails to pierce this area, your prized deer will go scampering off.
You can find a plethora of evidence supporting either side.
When it comes to improving your shot regardless of whether you’ve chosen to focus on the brain or focus on the heart is a target practice. Head to Amazon; You’ll find a wide array of potential target options.
The Practical Guide To Elk Hunting
The Practical Guide To Elk Hunting is published for anyone who is serious about bettering their elk hunting techniques.
It is influenced by lessons learned from hunting elk over a forty-year period. This book is so helpful to those just starting up as well as more skillful hunters, gun hunters and bow hunters alike.
Rx for Deer Hunting Success
This Rx for Deer Hunting Success book gives a collection of in-depth coverage on all tactics used to hunt whitetail deer consistently and successfully.
The author’s real-world hunting plans will benefit both the newbie and the experienced deer hunter. Just about every chapter is specifically constructed to give readers with improved abilities as a result of revolutionary tips, and ideas to help get their deer hunting success to the next level.
Hunting Big Mule Deer
Whether you’re considering your first Western hunting adventure or you’ve already been bitten by the trophy mule deer bug, you will get from this book, a great system of successful tips and techniques, along with a renewed vitality to seek lonesome mountain tops in pursuit of the buck of a lifetime. Hunting Big Mule Deer is really a must-read book for hunting enthusiasts.
Depending on whether you prefer rifles, bows or throwing knives, you can find copious amounts of information on youtube. The majority of videos found on youtube are compilations of deer kills, providing a wide range of examples on what results from hitting different areas of a deer. These are useful for inspiration.
When looking across the deluge of information available on the subject, the two best options in the eyes of the experts are the brain and just above the heart. I would recommend aiming above the heart. Given the margin of error allowed by such a shot, as well as the longer-lasting and better-tasting venison that results from a quick bleed out, it is the superior choice.
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I welcome any comments or questions that you may have after reading this. More fruitful hunting will result just follow these steps:
• Buy some targets
• Practice, practice, practice
• Aim for the heart
• Enjoy better-tasting venison and less chasing down a runaway deer
