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Shot Placement

One thing to remember is that what you're actually trying to hit is not specifically the shoulders but the nerve cluster between them, the Brachial Plexus (I think that's what it's called). Keep that in mind as the animal is quartering towards or away and it changes the shot placement a bit but still has the same result. This cluster is roughly 1/3 of the way down from the top of the back.
 
I always go for a heart/lung shot with lungs favored, have heart shot bucks and had them run 100y or more, it's surprising how far a doe can push themselves with 2 broke shoulders, and I shoot a 300wm lol
 
uncle_loue said:
im curious about the muzzle loader - i was taught to always aim high shoulder with a muzzleloader because of finicky (or non existent) blood trails, that it was best to drop them in their tracks or as my mentor likes to say "deer just dont run as far in two wheel drive".
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I have seen on multiple occasions a ml bullet lodged in a shoulder. Have seen it work to just personally not taking the shot. Blood trails are absolutely an issue with a ml we round up killing the deer last year, but 2 years ago saw it again. Have multiple videos and pictures of the deer with a wound and a little limp where it was lodged in the shoulder. That's a ml shooting 130 grains of powder and a 250 grain shock wave bullet at a 115 yards. I'm the guy that will tell anyone to take the shot they are legitimately comfortable with. Just me and us and our experiences.
 
When I started deer hunting as a youth, that was the shot I almost always opted for. But I found myself lacking confidence in it past 50 yards—at the time the trigger pull on my rifle was awful.

Since then, I've generally aimed for the top of the lower 1/3, just inside the leg bone's curve. The deer usually "drain" and black out within 10 seconds, usually with catastrophic heart and lower lung damage.
Had a doe run an impressive semicircle of 50 yards and an 8-point buck that made it just shy of 50 yards last ML season in that timeframe. But with a high powered rifle, I recover them all within 20 yards of where I shot them.

With my trigger pull significantly improved, I'd opt for a shoulder shot at last shooting light.
 
Related to the original question, for those that frequently execute this shot, what's the smallest caliber you'd feel comfortable with? I've seen several mentions of larger calibers or high fps, but what'd be the least? Would you take this shot a 243? 6.5 CM? 25-06?
 
tahtah said:
Related to the original question, for those that frequently execute this shot, what's the smallest caliber you'd feel comfortable with? I've seen several mentions of larger calibers or high fps, but what'd be the least? Would you take this shot a 243? 6.5 CM? 25-06?
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I've done it a bunch with a 243 Winchester and a 260 Remington I've seen it done with a 223.

Stoutly constructed bullets in the 22-24 cals are definitely recommended.


.26 cal when you get into the 120gr range of bullets it's hard to find one that won't punch though the shoulders. I've used the 129 Hornady Interlock, 140 Sierra, 140 Partition, 140 Corelokt and 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip

243 I've used 95gr Ballistic Tip, 80 GMX, 80 TTSX, 95 Gr Federal Fusion, 105gr Hornady BTHP Match
 
I usually go for the heart/lungs, but have had a few high shoulder shots and they dropped in their tracks. Shotgun slug, 50 cal ML, and 7mm Mag, results were the same. Dropped.
 
tahtah said:
Related to the original question, for those that frequently execute this shot, what's the smallest caliber you'd feel comfortable with? I've seen several mentions of larger calibers or high fps, but what'd be the least? Would you take this shot a 243? 6.5 CM? 25-06?
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A 25-06 is a hard hitting round and very underrated. The other 2 not a fan of at all.
 
Y'all are making me want to ask the big question on what your preferred / favorite go to whitetail only cartridge is! Lol I know better than to ask this due to the fights it may cause and the fact that there are so many great calibers that will all do the job….
 
I've been shooting the high shoulder shot for the last 15 years.
I shot a buck there years ago ( just a lucky shot as he was running). When I covered the 70 yds, he was still alive but immobilized, finished it with a pistol.
Next day I had a standing target (and a hay roll for a rest) at 90 yds so I took the high shoulder again (.280, 140 gr HP) and again, dropped right there and had to finish.
Since then, if I have the right rest (I mostly hunt from a hang on) and a slow or stationary deer, that's my shot placement of choice.
No tracking needed, just want to get down and finish the job.
Muzzleloader the same. Pistol, center mass in the ribs, no more than 40 yds though.
 

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