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Shot placement

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,738
274
North Carolina
How many of you would take a frontal shot on a approaching deer from an elevated position? Or for that matter if you were in a ground blind?
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
I don't like it, but I have done it with success in the past. A frontal from a stand is better than from the ground~~You can put it in the base of the neck/through the vitals without punching through the brisket. This shot is not for everyone and your confindence/practice level is important.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,943
139
I wouldnt do it,

Can it be done sure, but I dont feel confident enough to nor do I think it is ever very necessary. Deer often mill around or in worse case scenario you live to hunt another day. I am sure ill get blasted for this, but that is my opinion.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I'd more incline to do it from a blind, but don't consider either shot as something I would do. With a gun, sure. There are simply TOO may variables involved with a bow for me to feel comfortable with that shot.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
I have always limited myself to broadside and quartering away shots. They are high percentage shots, and the best chance at getting to two hole for blood to flow from instead of one.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,738
274
North Carolina
Yeah I've never taken one or would, but got a call from a young hunter asking my opinion on the shot he took on a big wide racked buck.... only shot offered and in his over zealous state of having a shot @ a wall hanger he took it.... grains covered in blood broadhead covered in a fatty substance ... bright bubbled up blood but not a lot of it... told him too back off and give it more time... there are 3 of them tracking it but they hadn't really started at that point just were looking in the shot area.... told him it wasn't a high percentage shot.... but may have worked... still waiting on word since they probably have started tracking by now.... its been about 2 hours since I've heard anything.....
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,738
274
North Carolina
Well it worked out this time for him.... the buck traveled about 100 yards and piled up.... hopefully in the future he'll make wiser choices....
 

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xbowguy

Dignitary Member
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29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
IMO the brisket is built sorta convex and will deflect an arrow into the armpit a higher percentage of the time. Knowing the bone and cartilage structure of your deer is very important in any shot with a bow.

Glad it worked out instead of going off and die somewhere.
 
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brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
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Glad it worked out for him. I've never taken a frontal shot, and can't imagine I ever will.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,738
274
North Carolina
Glad it worked out for him. I've never taken a frontal shot, and can't imagine I ever will.

Same here Brock.... hopefully he won't in the future as well.... he was a little panicked when I talked too him after the shot... but he settled down and got the tracking job done.... not much blood until he opened him up and it poured out.... so bled good just not externally....
 

Ohiobowhunter1

Junior Member
296
49
Columbus
Glad he found it, I would say about 10% of bowhunters that ever take that straight on shot ever find the deer. Deflection is the biggest reason off the hard brisket. No for me though, don't want to be in that 90%!
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
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Ohio
I've had this scenario play in my head many times, and I just don't think I could do it. The margin for error is just way too small, IMO. An inch here or an inch there could spell big trouble. And it's damn near impossible to get both lungs from this angle... Deer can go a long way on just one lung.

Glad it worked out for the young hunter.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Look at the does you and I killed yesterday. I know I hit at least one lung and the bottom of the heart. She still went 150yds with a hole in her side and one under her armpit. I looked at your pictures and it looked like a good shot as well. Yours went 150yds too if I remember. I just don't see me doing a frontal shot with a bow.
 

lung buster

Senior Member
2,666
106
hocking county
Bow= never again. I did it once when i was a kid, my first year bowhunting actually. It was a 10 yd shot and i never found the big 8 point. Lesson learned.
Gun= i have and will take the shot.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
Bow= never again. I did it once when i was a kid, my first year bowhunting actually. It was a 10 yd shot and i never found the big 8 point. Lesson learned.
Gun= i have and will take the shot.

Same here. First year bow hunting found a doe at 10-15 yards and I tried to place the shot from my slight elevated position and aimed for the left side of her chest where the dip was as she was looking straight at me. Needles to say I slid the snuffer right in the flap of skin where the leg meets the body. Found blood at impact site but that dried up pretty quick. I ended up shooting the same doe later that season with the shotgun. Lesson learned on frontal shots with the bow.
 

ImpalaSSpeed96

Junior Member
561
60
NJ
Depends... I came to full draw on a nice 10 two years ago. Only because he was so close, I thought he was going to look at me and bust me. Well, he did when I drew. I had the pin on him, but that's all I got before he busted. If he wasn't 4 yards away and I wasn't confident of putting it through his windpipe and out his heart, no... It's not a shot I would EVER want, but at 4 yards, I was confident it was a kill shot.