High shoulder shots

[mattd]

Been considering taking the high shoulder shot on deer with my deer rifles and cast bullets vs the normal behind the shoulder vitals shot.

People seem to say it more reliably drops them in their tracks at the cost of more blood shot meat. But that’s jacketed people saying that. I feel like cast would likely drop em, but preserve more meat. Haven’t yet tested that theory tho.

So, what about a RB in front of 80g of 3F? It wouldn’t have the shock of a high power rifle I guess. But I’d imagine it break thru the onside shoulder and make it to the other side, going thru both lungs on a broadside deer.

Stick w behind the shoulder vitals or try high shoulder?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I know lots of people like the high shoulder shot, but the one I tried this year wasn't to my satisfaction. Used a Ranch Dog 270 cast from ACWW at 1800 fps. Punched a neat hole in the top of the shoulder blade and skidded over the top of the spine, breaking the "fins" on the vertebrae. Took the deer off its feet, but it got up and limped away. Requiring a follow up shot. They might run a bit from a double lunger/heart shot, but I've never seen one get up from it after going down. Sample of one, I know.

[John McCorkle]

Alot depends on your hunting plot too...if it's very thick and or on the edge of property lines...high shoulder makes sense. This all precludes you are hunting at distances that you can repeatedly hit a grapefruit sized target with a elevated heart rate.

I love it. I've used it alot more recently (even naming my 300 blackout rifle "spine breaker" because of its deadeye accuracy to place a round absolutely exactly where I want) break the shoulder, clip the spinal column and take out both lungs in one go...but I hunt in very thick woods with lots of swampy land around ... recovering a deer through that has been atrocious especially at night.

If you have the space to track them...take the double lung shot. Id rather the broadside shot if I had the ability to track them through more open woods. But it's completely impassable so I opt to dropem.



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[megasupermagnum]

It's not worth it. The shoulder shot has 2" maybe 3" of leeway. If you got a deer inside of 50 yard to stand still for a couple of seconds, maybe.

The best shot is a heart shot. Don't aim behind the shoulder. Aim about centered with the leg on a perfectly broadside deer. Don't let the internet scare you from heart/lung shots. Between all of my family, we have had a couple deer make it 100-150 yards with such a shot. I'd estimate 95% go 20-40 yards. I've only shot a single deer with a round ball, and 80 grains of Goex no less. A double lung shot, it ran as hard as it could, but only made it 30 yards.

The heart itself is only about a 3"-4" target (bigger than the shoulders though), but the lungs are a good 10" or better target.

[RU shooter]

Take the heart / lung shot if your worried it's gonna run too far or on to another property aim for the shoulder and break bones

[waksupi]

Heart / lung shot equals maybe 25-30 yards, tops before they are down and dead.

[John McCorkle]

Heart / lung shot equals maybe 25-30 yards, tops before they are down and dead.

I wish that were true...my experience has shown differently. They can book it if/when they are already adrenalined up...if their "alert" is in they can put some distance underfoot.

Of course I've also seen them kinda stooper over and go to sleep too...but the average is prob about 30-50 yards with outliers on each side.

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[725]

Heart & lung every time.

[Eddie Southgate]

Got a high double lung shot yesterday , in on the left shoulder and out on the ribcage on the right . Took out the top of both lungs and damaged the heart . Deer ran like hell for about 60 yards , stopped and fell over . Shot with a .358 Winchester BLR shooting 180 gr Speer flat point and 43.0 gr H4198 , V 2911 fps . Shot distance was 49 yds and he never knew I was there , just diddie boppin and enjoying the scenery when I hit him .

PS: In my experience a round ball is one of the best killers around , I much prefer them to conicals in my muzzleloaders .

[Wolfer]

I generally take the shot they give me but prefer the shoulder about a third of the way up.

I shoot a paper patched 360 gr mini with 70 gr of FFFg so penitration is never a problem. Get a relatively clean hole without a lot of bloodshot meat.

[RU shooter]

I wish that were true...my experience has shown differently. They can book it if/when they are already adrenalined up...if their "alert" is in they can put some distance underfoot.

Of course I've also seen them kinda stooper over and go to sleep too...but the average is prob about 30-50 yards with outliers on each side.

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I agree with this my last doe I killed with a 50 cal RB went 30 yd didn't know where the shot came from and just trotted away and fell , Last deershot with my 35 Rem went over 75 on a dead out run and crashed she was spooky at the shot so imo it depends but they don't run with two broke shoulders

[M-Tecs]

I've had excellent results with double lung shots with muzzleloaders, centerfire rifles, handguns and archery. Rarely had any go over 60 yards. Heart shots not so much. Excellent blood trails but heart shots for me tend to go 100 to 400 yards. High lung shots may not give good blood trails until the lungs fill with blood.

[M-Tecs]

[smokinfeathers]

I like to shoot center shoulder broadside n break both shoulders n get both lungs at the same time. 90% of the time they are drt the others don’t go far. I shot 42 straight 1 year culling does with double shoulder shots n none moved a ft, always preferred them to head shot.

[Tatume]

I've tried the high shoulder shot a couple of times. Done right, it is effective in dropping deer. The bone fragments also damage a lot of meat, whether cast or jacketed bullets. It is a more difficult shot to make. The heart/lung shot is just as effective, and much more reliable simply due to the size of the target.

[Don McDowell]

The "high shoulder" shots success depends largely on it being in just the right spot to clip the spine, and bit low and you'll have big trouble, a bit high and it may take them off their feet for a moment, but likely they'll be back up with no blood trail, and minimal damage to the lungs.
Tight against the shoulder about 1/3 the way up , will give you a double lung, and possibly clip the heart.

[pietro]

.

IME, the only sure way to kill a deer instantaneously is to give it an earache...…….

.

[mattd]

Was trying for a double lung shot.....

Dead on at 50yds ended up hitting high at 20y. Plus I proly pulled it high a bit. High shoulder shot. Busted thru spine and both shoulder blades. Took the top off one lung. Pass thru. Dropped in its tracks. Barely twitched.

Unloaded one over the chrono, 1685fps.

[TCLouis]

mattd
What caliber, cartridge, boolit?

[mattd]

50cal round ball