Preferred shot on deer family game

[Rotorwash]

depends on the circumstances but all things ideal I prefer to shoot for the neck/spine. just back from the ear. If its at all questionable I take a heart/lung shot.

[finngun]

Missing is texas heart shot,, after that gutless method is a must..

[ryanhuntslots]

Measuring meat quality, the best meat is from a bled animal, best way to bleed an animal is a lung shot. They pump it all out for you.

[hunter1947]

I have always like taking the deer behind the shoulders a lung shooter..

[.264winmag]

Nog you are right. I left this question a little vague. I should have specified rifle and maybe terrain.

I disagree, you're either a boiler room guy or neck shooter imo. Of course we're going to take the best shot 'offered' at the time. For instance, there's old Louie staring straight at you through the timber at 50 yds and all you can see is head neck and to bottom of brisket. Lots of guys would poke him in the neck, not me I'm putting in smack dab middle of brisket cause I'm a boiler room guy. If I clip a wing I still have all that delicious neck meat left.
You want absolute, high shoulder can't be beat. No contest...

[Dannybuoy]

I disagree, you're either a boiler room guy or neck shooter imo. Of course we're going to take the best shot 'offered' at the time. For instance, there's old Louie staring straight at you through the timber at 50 yds and all you can see is head neck and to bottom of brisket. Lots of guys would poke him in the neck, not me I'm putting in smack dab middle of brisket cause I'm a boiler room guy. If I clip a wing I still have all that delicious neck meat left.
You want absolute, high shoulder can't be beat. No contest...

We as meat hunters first, always say if you hit the shoulder you made a bad shot . I think you will be hard pressed to find an old timer to agree with a shoulder shot on deer , moose or elk . Otherwise I agree with your quote "you're either a boiler room guy or neck shooter "
If you "clip a wing" ... you may be in for a long day trying to chase down/recover your game .
Personally I take the neck shot under 100 yds on deer (which is 90%) and never had one take a step yet and behind the shoulder on moose .

[.264winmag]

We as meat hunters first, always say if you hit the shoulder you made a bad shot . I think you will be hard pressed to find an old timer to agree with a shoulder shot on deer , moose or elk . Otherwise I agree with your quote "you're either a boiler room guy or neck shooter "
If you "clip a wing" ... you may be in for a long day trying to chase down/recover your game .
Personally I take the neck shot under 100 yds on deer (which is 90%) and never had one take a step yet and behind the shoulder on moose .

I am a meat hunter, and there's more meat saved from a high shoulder shot or clipping one wing (that I will add happens more often than not even when you think the quarry is squared up broadside) than an obliterated neck. I've weighed it out several times from deer to moose and elk. Graze a neck and miss the spine you can be in for a ride just as bad if not worse. I'm talking hitting the front brisket but one wing is damaged, its pretty common too...