Shot placement

[Coyote]

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa478/JockWhisky/autopsy.jpg

I tried to post this pic a couple of days ago but had a bit more to learn about posting pics.

Someone had lost a deer and was wondering why. Check the location of the heart in this "autopsy" pic. It's above the leg, not behind it.

The black dot behind the leg or slightly above the dot is the location some (not all) people might think is the spot to shoot for. It can put you in the liver, not a good shot.

For my money directly above the leg or even SLIGHTLY ahead of the leg will put the animal down fast. A bit behind the shoulder could get you a liver shot and a long wait before taking up the trail.

Hope this helps people that are concerned about shot placement and not quite sure where to put it.

'yote

[Mr. Dean]

The "black dot" is definitely low and back.

I find that if I aim just behind where the leg meets the shoulder, you're in the boiler room and the animal is down. Just how far 'behind', depends on the position of the leg.... A 3rd of the way back from where the neck transitions to body and a 3rd of the way up, is a good rule to follow. Wait for the near leg to extend forward to ensure that your stick doesn't have to bust through bone of the scapula (shoulder plate) and Bob's your uncle. :mrgreen:

[elkdom]

bwahh hahahahaha :lol:

[Bow Walker]

The point about waiting for the leg to extend forward is a very good one.

Hitting the vitals is all about knowing where they are when the animal is in any given position. A shooter has to picture the inside bone structure as well as the way the heart/lung area is laying in the cavity. Only then can an arrow be placed where you want it to go.

As an example - a bedded deer's heart is much lower in the chest than a deer that is standing up. Guts are loose inside the chest cavity - they slop around (to some extent) and you've got to have a picture in your mind of where the heart is while the deer is in its various poses.