Trophy Deer Shot Placement

Shot Placement On A Trophy Deer

When deer hunting, your trophy deer shot placement must be put into a vital region of the deer to ensure a quick and humane kill.

Deer Vitals'

As whitetail deer hunters, we need to understand the anatomy of deer. Most hunters would like to have their shot placement in the heart; but is it the best place to target a trophy deer? I think not. Let me explain. Note the location of the heart in a whitetail deer. It is low, just behind the front leg, partially covered by the shoulder blade depending how the deer is standing, walking, or running. If this is where your shot placement is; and it is standing broadside only a few yards away, not moving, no brush in the way, and you have all the time you need and you are totally relaxed; I would say go ahead and take the shot. But what if that trophy deer of a lifetime is 50 yards or more away. What if you don't have a range finder with you or maybe you don't have time to range him? What if your aiming at this trophy deer freestyle; and have no rifle support? Your aiming at something the size of baseball or softball at best. You take the shot, what if your low by two or more inches, or low and a few inches back, well then your probably going for a long hike with not much of a blood trail. Think about this; what do you want that trophy deer to do as soon as you shoot at it? You want it to drop in it's tracks and die right there, right?

Gun Hunting

For rifle hunter's, I feel a better shot placement then the heart is the middle area of the front shoulder just an inch high of center. One shot; one kill. You can be off a several inches in any direction and you still have a dead trophy deer laying on the ground.

Anatomy of a Trophy Whitetail Deer

Why is this location, of the shot placement I just described, so great and effective. First off, you have the large scapula (shoulder blade) of the front shoulder. A bullet placed here will put a deer down on the ground, in it's tracts, even if a vital area isn't hit. Think of all these vitals that are only inches away from this shot placement: The heart, about 3 to 7 inches low and a little to the back. The neck, spine, esophagus, with major arteries just a few inches to a foot in front. The spine, 3 to 7 inches above and continuing to the back of this location. And lastly, you have the lungs and liver; the size of a basketball, about 3 to 12 inches covering an area towards the tail. What does this mean to you, the trophy deer hunter who has the largest whitetail buck of lifetime, right there in front of you. If your lucky, you will have one opportunity to get a shot off at him. Lets look at the shot placement's kill zone's approximate dimensions; the area is about a minimum of 14 inches in hieght by about 24 inches in length. Just a little bit bigger then the size of it's heart, isn't it?. My question then is, can you put a bullet in that box? Of course you can. You now are a successful trophy deer hunter.

Archery Hunting

The only exception to this shot placement is if your archery hunting; then a razor sharp broad head on a finely tuned arrow, released into the center of the lungs, may be your best shot placement on a trophy whitetail deer. Your target here is the size of a basketball. Anything under 30 yards and you should be fine unless you suffer form buck fever or bad luck.

Practice - Practice - Practice

I can't say it enough. You don't want an opportunity of lifetime standing in front of you and you have taken your abilities, or deer hunting equipment for granted.

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