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Ball joint/low shoulder hits

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BowGuy84

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I saw where 102 refered to this in another thread. This is my nemesis. It has happened to me twice. Only enough penetration to lodge the arrow in this joint and never see it or the deer again. One I had snow and left the deer over night. That deer is still walking.

The other I saw the deer 300 yards across the field 20 minutes later walking normal with the exception of the arrow.

In both instances I was holding low anticipating the deer to drop and clearly they didn't.

Comments, thoughts, criticisms. I hate it. It is such a frustrating thing to know you were an inch from watching one fall in sight.
 
Bad shots can happen , you can't take them back . Any shot through thicker bone structure will stop an arrow .
Aim farther back .
 
Radar said:
Aim farther back .
Click to expand...

This is what I have concluded. Lots to play with back 2 inches further. Some will say, if you think they are jumpy enough to duck don't take the shot. Me, inside of 40, broadside, in the clear is what I work for, and in both cases, if I'd pulled back from my beloved "crease" it would have been just fine.
 
This has happened to me about 4 times. Every time I tell myself to aim further back but I get the fever and try to hit the crease behind the shoulder and always end up hitting the shoulder.

I'm going for the lungs and rib cage now. I starting practicing on my 3d target like this as well. These expandables will do the rest, they just need a chance to make the cut.
 
DntBrnDPig said:
This has happened to me about 4 times. Every time I tell myself to aim further back but I get the fever and try to hit the crease behind the shoulder and always end up hitting the shoulder.

I'm going for the lungs and rib cage now. I starting practicing on my 3d target like this as well. These expandables will do the rest, they just need a chance to make the cut.
Click to expand...

That is because the "crease is made by the olecranon process on the bone. Aim above the top of the leg by about 3"-4". Look at the anatomy photos I posted.

imagesCAZH5R49.jpg


whitetailvitals_bones.jpg


As you can see there is even a little descreptancy in these two images. I think the top image is more accurate for the position of the olecranon. But the crease doesn't come up as high as the image illustrates. The lungs and heart are more accurate on the lower deer. The bone is shown lower but that depends on the legs position. As the leg goes forward the bone drops (like in the lower image). As the leg move backward the bone will rise slightly. Take that into consideration. That is why I aim above the top of the leg 3"=4" inches. If the shot angle is more steep I aim a little higher. I want the arrow to come out the crease on the other side if I am above the deer. The only times this has failed me is when I did not execute the shot properly.
Aiming low, in case the deer jumps the string can be self defeating. If the deer doesn't jump then you hit the bone. So, I just aim for where I want the arrow to hit. I try to give myself some room for error. That is why I aim for the top of the heart/center of the lungs. If the deer ducks, I should still be in the lungs.
 
Now if that deer is quartering away, slightly behind and 2"-3" inches above the crease should be a good spot to hit.

The next time you have a deer down and the shoulders and legs are not broken, work the leg back and forth like the deer is walking. Do this before rigor mortis sets in. Put one hand on the tip of the olecranon and work the leg back and forth with the other hand. You can see very clearly how the bone moves, where it is located in relationship to the position of the leg.

Always autopsy your deer, every time. See where you arrow entered, where it exited and what was cut and what was not cut in the process. You can learn a lot from every deer you take. Just slow down and take the opportunity for the deer to teach you a little something each time.
 
Years ago I hit a 6pt in the ball joint. My friend killed the deer a week later. He said it was limping badly. Deer was on alert before I shot. Shouldn't have shot, but that was the first buck I had in range and I rushed it.
 

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