HUNTING Whitetail Deer

AfricaHunting.com

Founder
AH ambassador
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
13,738
Reaction score
10,164
Website
www.africahunting.com
Media
5,597
Articles
321
Whitetail Deer Hunting Shot Placement

Post your questions, comments or pictures relating to hunting shot placement.

Hunting Whitetail Deer
whitetail-deer-vitals-hunting.jpg

Anyone has the right to share, copy, distribute and transmit this image/work (but not to adapt it, or use it for commercial use).

Hunting Whitetail Deer
whitetail-deer-hunting-vitals.jpg

Anyone has the right to share, copy, distribute and transmit this image/work (but not to adapt it, or use it for commercial use).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for these, Jerome. My daughter's first real deer hunt is coming up. It'll be useful for her.
 
NO, NO, NO, a thousand times NO. Put that bullet up four inches and back four inches from the leg-belly intersection. Double lunger, they can't breathe, they can't run and they die quick. Aim for the shoulder, they twitch and you've got a runner. Seen it more times than I want to remember, mostly by once a year at the range paper plate shooters. Shaky off hand too. Arrows and bolts will bounce off or stick in that shoulder and then you have another runner.
 
shot-placement-500.jpg


At angle shots, aim a little aft of the opposite front leg.
 
Last edited:
The “elbow” is a good reference point for the location of the heart, I’ve used it to kill a lot of deer and also in taking direct cardiac puncture blood samples.
 
I must say that as a 3D modeler, these shot palcement diagrams are incredibly useful for anatomy. Thanks
 
NO, NO, NO, a thousand times NO. Put that bullet up four inches and back four inches from the leg-belly intersection. Double lunger, they can't breathe, they can't run and they die quick. Aim for the shoulder, they twitch and you've got a runner. Seen it more times than I want to remember, mostly by once a year at the range paper plate shooters. Shaky off hand too. Arrows and bolts will bounce off or stick in that shoulder and then you have another runner.
I hate pounding a bullet through the liver. If routinely blows the stomach up just from the shock. If you shoot meat deer and gut 15 or 20 a year you don't want anyone going as far back as you mention
 
That heart location is way to far back
I tire of tracking bad shoulder shots real quick. Bag the meat, I want them down asap. I'm too old to follow meager blood trails. Shoot 'em any way you want. Besides, I don't eat the liver or heart.
 
I tire of tracking bad shoulder shots real quick. Bag the meat, I want them down asap. I'm too old to follow meager blood trails. Shoot 'em any way you want. Besides, I don't eat the liver or heart.
@Hogpatrol, I'm curious what calibers you are using. Your experience seems to be the direct opposite of mine where shoulder shots anchor them.
Respectfully,
JHT
 
NO, NO, NO, a thousand times NO. Put that bullet up four inches and back four inches from the leg-belly intersection. Double lunger, they can't breathe, they can't run and they die quick. Aim for the shoulder, they twitch and you've got a runner. Seen it more times than I want to remember, mostly by once a year at the range paper plate shooters. Shaky off hand too. Arrows and bolts will bounce off or stick in that shoulder and then you have another runner.
I've just reread this post. If you are talking bow hunting then I agree it is best to hit behind the shoulder and not in it.
 
@Hogpatrol, I'm curious what calibers you are using. Your experience seems to be the direct opposite of mine where shoulder shots anchor them.
Respectfully,
JHT
Presently using a smokeless muzzleloader pushing a .40 caliber 200 gr SST at 2700 fps. Double lungers with that or the archery and they either drop or go less than 50 yards. The lungs present a larger, more forgiving lethal target. Have see more than one with a front leg dangling from a misplaced shoulder shot.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JHT

Forum statistics

Threads
63,820
Messages
1,404,717
Members
127,101
Latest member
DYRColumbu
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

StickFlicker AZ wrote on Matt 72's profile.
I didn't see your request re: ship co’s. My last shipment was 2023. Quotes from SBS Logistics ($1,198), Badger Cargo ($1,184 - used them) & AHG Trophy Shippers ($1,746). AHG owner's an asshole so wouldn't have used him anyway. Eastern Cape - Houston, TX, so your mileage may vary. NEVER use Karl Human Taxidermy aka Wild Africa Taxidermy on Eastern Cape. Trophies arrived shattered with no padding/packing material.
Member of: SCI, NSCA, Life Member NRA
Thank you for the bookings Gents August is now fully booked!

Updated available dates for 2026!

1-27 feb is open
5-31March is open
1-10 April is open
17-30 April is open
1-6 May is open
24-31 May is open
12-18 June is open
24-30 June is open
1-17 July is open
August is now fully booked
from September onwards is wide open!
 
Top