High shoulder shot

[kmckinnie]

To piggy back on your post, I think it's important to mention just how far down the spine drops behind the shoulder. I've found deer that were shoulder-shot above the spine that weren't recovered because it's largely a flesh wound.View attachment 1195020

I’ve had to track sone of them for folks with my dog. Said they tried the high shoulder. It went down but got up. Most I do not recover after they get there feet.
Right behind the shoulder is the big lung.
I had one hunter just behind the shoulder was the guts to him. Lols
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Big7]

I will never take another neck shot in my life after one hitting the ground like a sack of taters, then getting up five minutes later and running off to never be seen again, and hearing the same story from a dozen buddies.

Not much to contribute to the thread as .243 Win. Is the only one I have that is mentioned.

It's easy enough to look up ME and at 100, 200, etc. Anything around 1200 flbs for the BLK Out and should be good for a shoulder shot. (7.62X39 is about 1500 flbs)

I'm going to disagree a little on the neck shot.
That's my preference if available. Granted, I shoot mostly super high velocity cartridges but it destroys a good foot, at least, of spinal chord.
Feels like a sock full of marbles under the hide.

 

[kmckinnie]

Mercy.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Not much to contribute to the thread as .243 Win. Is the only one I have that is mentioned.

It's easy enough to look up ME and at 100, 200, etc. Anything around 1200 flbs for the BLK Out and should be good for a shoulder shot. (7.62X39 is about 1500 flbs)

I'm going to disagree a little on the neck shot.
That's my preference if available. Granted, I shoot mostly super high velocity cartridges but it destroys a good foot, at least, of spinal chord.
Feels like a sock full of marbles under the hide.

If you hit the spine. There's a lot more to a neck than a spine. You'll find out if you keep doing it, like the rest of us did.

 

[Big7]

If you hit the spine. There's a lot more to a neck than a spine. You'll find out if you keep doing it, like the rest of us did.

Not always a direct hit on the spine.
Hydraulic shock blew them out.

I have hit the spine a bunch of times tho.

 

[fireman32]

But a crock potted neck roast is some kinda delicious.

 

[NCHillbilly]

But a crock potted neck roast is some kinda delicious.

Or also makes 5-10 lbs of good burger.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

We have a tracking legend in the making in Sc. You scratch em and “Spud“ will find them. This deer was shot high shoulder with a .308 and Spud took him 5.3 miles before they wore him out enough to put him down. Skip thru the video if you must, but near the end they show the shot placement and you can see the fight left in the deer. I shoot high shoulder with a .243…but this one has me re-thinking it. When bullets meet flesh…there are no guarantees.Shot placement at 15:29.

 

[fireman32]

Or also makes 5-10 lbs of good burger.

True, Mrs fireman would probably pull a gun on me if I ground the neck though.

 

[antharper]

don't some of those high shoulder shots damage the backstrap/loin meat?

It will for sure destroy some good shoulder meat

 

[rugerfan]

I have shot them in the neck, I shot them high shoulder, I have shot them square shoulder, I have lung shot them, I have heart shot them.


The 3 most effective shots over 36 years of hunting. Neck Shot, high shoulder, square shoulder shot. Most the deer over this time frame have either gone straight down, or no more that 20 yards from the point of impact. I like the total structural damage, add in central nervous system shock, and vital organ failure. Add in massive blood loss for the bonus. They aren't going anywhere. However, you need a bullet that is going to penetrate and allow for that all to happen.

Now I cannot speak for the 6.5 crudmore ( pun intended), cannot speak for the 243, or any of the smaller calibers. Minimum caliber I have used in 36 years is a 270 Winchester but have watched my uncles shoot deer and kill them dead right there with 243's, 6mms, 25-06, 300 Savage, 22-250. With the right shooter behind the rifle, and the right components, that any rifle is deadly.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

^^^ Shot placement ar 15:29

 

[dixiecutter]

I just always aim at the shoulder where dad taught me. And I only like my one rifle. I'll get another one if it breaks. But it probably wont.

 

[C.Killmaster]

In my opinion the biggest issue with shoulder shots is the meat loss. I enjoy shoulder roasts too much to shoot them up. I'd rather shoot up ribs that have very little meat on them anyway.

 

[buckpasser]

We have a tracking legend in the making in Sc. You scratch em and “Spud“ will find them. This deer was shot high shoulder with a .308 and Spud took him 5.3 miles before they wore him out enough to put him down. Skip thru the video if you must, but near the end they show the shot placement and you can see the fight left in the deer. I shoot high shoulder with a .243…but this one has me re-thinking it. When bullets meet flesh…there are no guarantees.Shot placement at 15:29.

Sweet video!

 

[antharper]

We have a tracking legend in the making in Sc. You scratch em and “Spud“ will find them. This deer was shot high shoulder with a .308 and Spud took him 5.3 miles before they wore him out enough to put him down. Skip thru the video if you must, but near the end they show the shot placement and you can see the fight left in the deer. I shoot high shoulder with a .243…but this one has me re-thinking it. When bullets meet flesh…there are no guarantees.Shot placement at 15:29.

That was awesome ! Enjoyed every bit of it

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

That was awesome ! Enjoyed every bit of it

That dog Spud and Jamie are awesome. He can keep up with that dog and is a very humble man. He is 99% on gut shot deer, they are the easiest. Gives a lot of insight into the deer tracking world.

 

[Spotlite]

We have a tracking legend in the making in Sc. You scratch em and “Spud“ will find them. This deer was shot high shoulder with a .308 and Spud took him 5.3 miles before they wore him out enough to put him down. Skip thru the video if you must, but near the end they show the shot placement and you can see the fight left in the deer. I shoot high shoulder with a .243…but this one has me re-thinking it. When bullets meet flesh…there are no guarantees.Shot placement at 15:29.

That was awesome to watch! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[Blackston]

He was bayin his eyeballs out !!!

 

[basshappy]

That dog Spud and Jamie are awesome. He can keep up with that dog and is a very humble man. He is 99% on gut shot deer, they are the easiest. Gives a lot of insight into the deer tracking world.

What interests me with Spud is how many recoveries are for arrow versus bullet? Where on the body was the shot? And how many deer does Spud have to track annually as a result of a poorly placed shots?