Heart Sizes

Dbrown4183

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I have seen many articles and discussions about shot placement. What i cant seem to find is approximate average sizes of species hearts. Specifically Impala and Blesbok. Why would you need that you ask? I am taking my wife to Africa again and this time she will be hunting with me. She is a good shot but she is nervous about making the perfect shot. I have shown her the shot placement diagrams and she has seen Dr. Robertson's The Perfect Shot book but she cant seem to grasp the concept of the actual size of the vital triangle. I believe if she could read somewhere (she wont believe me) the size of the heart alone she would relax somewhat. She shoots sub moa for crying out load but never really hunts.

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Shoot some apples if she hits the apple she can do it. Also consult the perfect shot
 
Shoot some apples if she hits the apple she can do it. Also consult the perfect shot
The vegans are gonna be going nuts over killing poor apples!
 
The vegans are gonna be going nuts over killing poor apples!

Screw the vegans, they eat my food’s food!!!


@Dbrown4183, about the size of your fist or an apple we mentioned. If you miss the heart but are close you get lungs and all is still well.
 
haha probably but I find it a reasonable representation for newbies when I take them deer hunting also it explodes when hit in a satisfying way that makes them somehow feel better about things
I always feel better when things explode too! I can sit for hours and shoot rocks across canyons!
 
haha probably but I find it a reasonable representation for newbies when I take them deer hunting also it explodes when hit in a satisfying way that makes them somehow feel better about things

Come to my place and you can shoot hedgeapples all day. They explode nicely too and you have plenty of targets.
 
Now if you don't want bug the poor little vegans, shoot cans of soda or water bottles.They explode nicely and you can recycle them afterward.
 
Now if you don't want bug the poor little vegans, shoot cans of soda or water bottles.They explode nicely and you can recycle them afterward.
Or coors light
 
And back to the original question.
I get it, it's the real thing not a dot on paper.
A blesbok averages around 150 pounds or so, so their heart is going to be around the size of an average whitetail deer they draw up on targets. Find one of those targets with the vitals outlined on them, such as this Delta archery target and have her shoot the hell out of that heart. That should build her confidence up. An impala will be a bit smaller.

mastertargetlargewhitetail300.jpeg
 
BUFFALO HEART
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ELEPHANT HEART
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HIPPO HEART
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GIRAFFE HEART
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KUDU HEART
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BLUE WILDEBEEST HEART
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ZEBRA HEART
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GEMSBOK HEART
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WATERBUCK
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BLESBOK HEART
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BUSHPIG HEART
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SABLE HEART
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ROAN HEART
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DERBY ELAND HEART
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BONGO HEART
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CAPE ELAND HEART
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LEOPARD HEART
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Double lung shots are easier because they offer a larger target area and are equally if not a more effective way to cleanly take an animal. Don't get her hung up on shooting an African animal just like you'd shoot a white tailed deer. The anatomy is somewhat different.
 
And back to the original question.
I get it, it's the real thing not a dot on paper.
A blesbok averages around 150 pounds or so, so their heart is going to be around the size of an average whitetail deer they draw up on targets. Find one of those targets with the vitals outlined on them, such as this Delta archery target and have her shoot the hell out of that heart. That should build her confidence up. An impala will be a bit smaller.

View attachment 307502

The problem with trying for the perfect hart shot is nicely shown in this illustration. If you aim for the hart and for some reason you shoot low, too far forward or too far back, you have a problem especially on african game.

Trust me, forget about the perfect hart shot and rather go for the high hart double lung shot. It is a killer and gives you the largest margin of error.

Place the one cross hair on the backside of the front leg and the horizontal cross hair in the middle of the body and it will be in the salt....
 
It is however very good to understand where the hart and lungs are situated "inside" the body cavity, as one should always aim at that in your mind and not at a certain spot or point on the outside of the animal. This is also most important when brain shooting elephant from different angles and distances.

Aim to hit inside and not outside...
 
Thank you everyone for the informative responses. My wife and I appreciate them
 
And back to the original question.
I get it, it's the real thing not a dot on paper.
A blesbok averages around 150 pounds or so, so their heart is going to be around the size of an average whitetail deer they draw up on targets. Find one of those targets with the vitals outlined on them, such as this Delta archery target and have her shoot the hell out of that heart. That should build her confidence up. An impala will be a bit smaller.

View attachment 307502
 
I will do exactly that. I know where i can find whitetail targets with the heart and lungs shown
 
Don't be obsessive about the perfect heart shot. As others have said, it's low and forward and in the heat of the moment can be missed or a non fatal shot made.
It's good to aim small but it's not the only option you have.
Look at the animal's body. Draw an imaginary line down the middle of it and put a bullet in the middle of the front half.
You will hit the lungs, sever arteries and it will be a fatal shot. A bit low you get the heart, a bit high you get the spine.
If you have a full frontal shot, shoot for where the neck joins the chest. A bit high you get lungs, a bit low, you get heart.
Quartering shots away, just shoot for the opposite shoulder.
I've attached a photo of a kudu heart.

DSC_0512.jpeg
 
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