Hunters, where do you aim? Head or heart?

[Weaponologist]

As my skill level increased over many many years it's now my pleasure to put my game down quickly with a Neck shot. Anywhere from just in front of the shoulders on up. Where it's just as big a target as the chest area. Never had a deer run after a well placed shot.
It greatly depend on what shot is possible. When I was younger I would carry a Heavy Barrel Rifle in the woods. Once I had a deer that knew I was around but couldn't find me. He kept peeking around a huge oak tree in my direction. When I seen I wouldn't get a better shot I waited for his next peek and placed one shot under his chin. That put the lights out quick and in a hurry..
I've greatly reduced the size of the equipment I carry in the woods these days. I've learned theirs no Water Buffalo in NC.
Seemed they've all been Neck Shot.....lol.....

[Swede 45]

Me and my dog used to do tracking on wounded game, both for the police on vehicle accidents, and via a call list for hunters, done about 200 trackings on deer, hogs and moose.
(Here the law is that you have to have a trained tracking dog available and on site within a hour after a failed recovery.)

A boiler room shot is a pretty easy tracking even if the shot isn´t perfect.. but I´ve seen my fair share of failed headshots, and those trackings are a pain.. bleeding stops pretty quick, the animal is still pretty mobile.
Sure, I´ve seen lungs and even heartshots go some distances, but the track ends with a dead animal.. never so with a failed headshot.
Even a gutshot will make a shorter track then a failed headshot.

I see a red line among those who causes these wounds.. "range marksmen".. Nice rifles, good scopes and the ability to shoot tight little groups at paper.. unfortunatly the reality isn´t found at the range.. fatigue, adrenaline, stress, shooting position, the animals sudden movement are all things that will throw a fistfull of gravel in your gearbox.

One of my last trackings was a failed frontal headshot at a large hog.. shot entered below left eye, exited left cheek crushing the left cheekbone joint.. took me 3 days to find and put down the animal. And that was one grumpy 250 pounder when my dog got to him!

The "marksman" was 1x1 inch off his POA at 50yrds.. a boilerroom shot would have been a success with that error!

Aim where you have the largest margin of error and still will be able to make a kill..

[flounderman]

If you are shooting an edible animal, the only shot is a neck shot. You shoot a deer in the body and you are wasting half the deer. I see too many of todays hunters, or so called hunters just keep the hind quarters and tender loin and throw the rest of the deer by the side of the road. The most extreme case was some people shooting the deer at night and just cutting the tenderloins and the meaty part of the hind quarter, thru the skin, taking the meat with the hair still on it. If you are going to waste the meat, don't shoot it. stay out of the woods. If you try to hit a deer in the neck, you will be more careful with your shot placement, standing or running. I hunt alone, mostly. I don't care to hunt with people that only care about killing the deer. Shoot it two or three times and then try to give it to somebody to clean up the mess they made.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Swede 45,

Ever so well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With some fuzzy little ground vermin and an accurate rifle the hunter is aiming at a MUCH smaller target then the kill area of a deer's head or neck.

However, as you point out so very well, the difference is that with the fuzzy critter almost any hit is a kill and if not, what is lost? Not so with a game animal!

AS per meat damage or loss on a body shot, a hit that strikes other then cleanly behind the shoulders will cause some meat damage and loss.

But, time after time I read of some one talking about such and such cartridge causing excessive meat loss and damage when it is not the cartridge/caliber as much as the poor choice in bullet. Meaning bullets with low integrity and prone to explosive expansion.

Example, Hornady a company who's products I use and feel that many are a quality products has made some really bone head, head in the sand decisions along some lines. The integrity of some of the FTX bullets (gummy nose/burger on the hoof), loaded with the none standard brass in some cartridges being one.

But a glaring and very poor decision on their part is the "American Whitetail" ammunition in which they load light for cartridge bullets in some examples, while maintaining high velocities. Talk about a time bomb just waiting for a reason to go off!!!!!!!!! Had they loaded those bullets at a reduced velocity it would have been a much better choice, still able to cleanly put a whitetail down and more suitable for the critter being targeted. Better still would have been a heavier bullet with it's increased integrity at a reduced velocity.

Don't blame a good behind the shoulder shot for excessive meat loss when it is, in reality, many times due to poor bullet choice and integrity.

Well said Swede !!!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[jhalcott]

My older brother would shoot deer in the neck , up close to the shoulder not out by the head. He had one spin around at the sound of the safety going off. It happened so fast his ENTRY wound was on the opposite side of where he was aiming. I've seen several deer move unexpectedly for SOME reason and the head was nowhere in the scope any more! I've shot more deer close behind or thru the shoulders than any where else. Calibers from .223 to 45-70 all resulted in a dead deer with in 30 yards.

[GhostHawk]

Swede well said sir.

Flounderman totally disagree. There is virtually no good meat except a tiny bit on the ribs if you shoot and hit where your supposed to.

Granted some guys manage to put 300 mag's through both rear hams and make a huge mess out of what is really not that hard to do with the right tools.

But IMO there is much more useable meat on the neck (even if you have to work for it a little) than there is on the ribs. And if you mess up a front shoulder, well its a shame but hopefully you learn from your mistakes.

Last, the neck is a much more mobile target, and if the deer see's the flash he might try to out jump it and end up with a hit in a truly bad place. Center of mass is much easier to hit, easier to predict movement.

For a few who really know their rifles, their terrain, and are shooting from elevated stands sure.
But I would not advocate that for the run of the mill shooter, your just creating more problems down the road.

[kawasakifreak77]

Headshot.

About all I shoot with a rifle or pistol anymore is bunnies though. Or vermin that just need dispatched. Get close & wait for a sure shot!

[reloader28]

I completely disagree with GhostHawk.
I think Flounderman hit it spot on.
I've used the neck shot for years.

[Jtarm]

The head is the part of the body that moves alot and in a greater range. The heart lung area is a much larger vital zone and is more stable. Even if you shoot high and back you will most likely take out the liver or hit the spine.
If you are sure of the range and the animal is still a head shot can be done. You will need to know exactly where your bullet hits and know the range. If you miss the brain area and hit the jaw the animal will most likely run off quite a ways and may or may not be found.

The vital zone on an elk is about 16" not including the liver or spine, versus about 6" to 8" in the head.

Each hunter needs to make their own determination on the shot they will take.

+1 on the heart lung. I've taken a couple of neck & one spine when that was all I could see. It is nice not to have to go into the brush after then. In my experience, unless a leg/shoulder is broken en-route to the chest cavity, even a small deer with its heart blown to pieces will run 40-50 yards into the thickest brush before collapsing.

I'd have to be mighty close with a clear target to take a head ****

[retiredPO]

Almost 100% neck shooter... However I use 50 cal muzzleloader, and make sure of my shot. Never had one run.... always puts them down. I help find a lot of deer that others have shot elsewhere.... I think it depends on the Hunter, the skill, the calmness, the ability to know ones limits.

[kbstenberg]

For me the heart is my shot

[pworley1]

Heart/lungs

[Washington1331]

+1 on the heart/lung shot. Gives a lot of wiggle room for being a bit off on the old Kentucky windage.

I've shot animals with the 270 and several 300 magnums. Most of the animals flinched at the shot and then walked/trotted off to lie down & die btwn 20 and 50 yards of the point of impact.

I've never seen a round knock the slats out from under an animal better than a soft lead (40:1) 405 grain bullet at 1250 FPS. Do your part and put it in the boiler-room its: Bang, Flop, and you can eat up to the bullet hole.

[HawkCreek]

I always wait for as much of a broadside shot on a big game animal as I think I am going to get and then aim for the heart/lungs. Never had a deer go more than a few yards and most have dropped DRT. It doesnt hardly waste any meat as has been said there isn't much meat in the ribs.. I do get a lot of stew meat or roasts off of the neck though so I'm disagree that that shot wastes less meat (I'm talking hunting with j-words).

The head moves to much to make it an ethical shot IMO.

[truckjohn]

I gotta say.... Let's face it... There's a difference between where we *Advocate* and where we may personally aim when we take the shot...

I always Advocate the heart/lung shot for ONE reason - it's a BIG target that is 100% fatal... If you can put most of your shots into a dinner plate at 50 yards - you will kill deer all day long with the heart/lung shot....

Let's face it... Hunting and shooting off the bench are two TOTALLY different disciplines... Out hunting last weekend with my brother... My brother is by no means a bad shot - but he had 3 clean miss shots on deer within 75 yards.... He was finally able to connect on a neck shot (Said he was aiming heart/lung)... Would he have if he was aiming for the neck or head?

I have chased and lost far too many deer that were "Head" or gut shot by others....

And... so... What do I always tell people to take... Try to beat it into their skulls...... You guessed it.... The plain, boring, old fashioned heart/lung shot.... Why? It just works.... AND... They can HIT it....

Now... do I take that shot... Honestly - Not always....

[popper]

The integrity of some of the FTX bullets (gummy nose/burger on the hoof), loaded with the none standard brass in some cartridges being one.

Care to expand on that thought? Bad combos you've found?

[Smoke4320]

heart and Lung every chance I get..

[jhalcott]

MY Grampa said "take the FIRST Killing shot you get!" That was sixty years ago. Way less deer and much fewer Magnums in the woods. On crop raiders I WILL take a head shot. The deer are less nervous and stay in the field eating longer. During deer fire arms season there are too many guns waving around in the woods and a blood trail can be a help PROVING where the shot came from (if NEEDED)!

[MBTcustom]

50 yards and closer, I take a head shot. Further than that, I take a heart/lung shot.

[badgerblaster]

I prefer the heart and lung shot whenever I can get it. It's pretty thick where I hunt and I prefer to give myself the best chance.

In bow season last year my son was aiming at heart and lung and the deer jumped the string. It dropped and whipped its head around and arrow went right through the skull. Dropped it dead. His "miss" turned out for the best that time.