ANNUAL shot selection/placement/anatomy thread

[JHbowhunter]

I like to put this out every pre-season, mainly to help anyone entering or new to the sport of bow hunting deer.   These pictorials can apply to gun as well, but of course the main objective with archery tackle is no bones & no guts encountered, with a full pass-through of vitals.

 

Some truths:

 

1) there is no substitute for a well placed shot - period

2) there is no substitute for a razor-sharp broadhead

3) Two holes bleed better than one

4) An arrow on the ground is better than an arrow in the deer (can analyze the hit better by type of blood on arrow)

5) There is no such thing as "the void". An arrow just below the spine, even 1/4" below spine will be either be in lung, liver, spleen or intestines. There is a lot more space above the spine than people think, especially further forward.  Most if not all "backstrap" shot deer survive.

6) Bow accuracy over speed - any day, and every day. Speed doesn't kill, hemorrhaging does.

7) Know your angles and know your anatomy. If you are new to the sport, get a 3 target. Hold an arrow over the deer so you can see how the "exit" hole changes based on the angle. See how it changes from an elevated angle. A quartering away angle, is MUCH more favorable than a quartering to shot. It is actually possible to take out liver, both lungs, and heart with a quartering away shot.  Deer are less likely to spook you when quartering away, making the "draw" a lot easier.   Quartering-to shots are high risk, little reward.  That shoulder is in the way, and in order to miss it, you may miss vitals completely. Only very minute of quartering-to angle should be attempted.

 

I could go on and by all means please contribute some more absolutes, but here are some pictorials, starting with my all-time favorite diagram. Regardless of angle, I aim to intersect the green dot.  I look for that "crease" up the leg. It's right above heart where a lot of arteries intersect as well as being double-lung. Hit a little low, you get heart. A little back - still double lung. A little forward - still double-lung. Many mistakenly aim too far back (especially the TV pros when they "smoke them" in the guts and retrieve them days later with spoiled meat. I feel the green dot is perfectly poised for maximum margin for error.   Also - take note of how the lung extends higher, further back - so on quartering away, you should aim higher and further back to maximize double lung chances (and possibly more).

 

Some other really excellent advice is to see through the deer, aim for your EXIT hole...  Yes focus on intersecting that green dot, but on quartering away deer, try visualize exiting the opposite armpit, for example. You need to understand where the arrow will be exiting as much as where you will be entering.

 

Also attached is a "live shot" on a perfectly poised doe, with the red dot right about where I feel you should aim. You hit that red dot, the deer will more often than not, drop in sight, no tracking required (which should be the goal of every bow hunter).  Blood trails are great to have, a must to have in fact - but you should strive to NEVER have to use them.   That being said, a entirely different thread could be dedicated to blood trailing and what to do "after the shot".   This thread is about where to place the shot - understanding angles and anatomy.

Edited August 9, 2018 by JHbowhunter

[JHbowhunter]

more good diagrams:

 

 

[Rusty]

Great post Jack.          

[3Blade]

If I shoot a "rage" can I disregard this info? Sorry, couldn't resist.

[BenedictGomez]

 Many mistakenly aim too far back (especially the TV pros when they "smoke them" in the guts and retrieve them days later with spoiled meat. I feel the green dot is perfectly poised for maximum margin for error. 

 

Great post.

 

And seriously, WTH is with this?  I agree 100% and feel like nearly half the "TV shots" I see are too far back, sometimes way too far back, and often even in the middle of the deer.  It's a head scratcher.

[GhostBear]

agree, but just wait till the season starts and someone posts the dreaded "void" hit.

 

As for the shot placement, looks spot on to me, I always try for the full broadside as my favorite shot, followed by a quartering away.

Also agree that speed is secondary to accuracy, don't matter how fast you miss the deer right? The arrow needs to go where it's aimed.

 

Also, shot distance, bow hunting is about getting close, I like to have my shots well under 20 yards, in fact, of the 4 deer I took last season, 2 were less that 10 yards, the other two were around 15 or so, and all fell over in sight.

, a more perfect ending can't be wished for.

[JHbowhunter]

If I shoot a "rage" can I disregard this info? Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

I was going to say, this thread will NOT be about fixed vs mechanical BH's, any such posts will be deleted.  Shot placement trumps all!

[3Blade]

I was going to say, this thread will NOT be about fixed vs mechanical BH's, any such posts will be deleted.  Shot placement trumps all!

 

Ha-ha, you knew eventually "rage" would be mentioned.

[BenedictGomez]

Also agree that speed is secondary to accuracy, don't matter how fast you miss the deer right? The arrow needs to go where it's aimed.

 

 

100%.

But we shouldn't neglect speed entirely.  Assuming an accurate shot, speed is a good thing.

[Rusty]

Some truths:

 

5) There is no such thing as "the void". An arrow just below the spine, even 1/4" below spine will be either be in lung, liver, spleen or intestines. There is a lot more space above the spine than people think, especially further forward.  Most if not all "backstrap" shot deer survive.

 

 

[not on the rug]

Great compilation of info Jack.

[3Blade]

All great info! The main thing I would want a newbie to concentrate on, especially when they are about to shoot at a live deer for the first time is #1- shot placement!  I do not want them to worry about anything else at that moment. If they are able to compose themselves , pick a spot and execute the shot, then everything falls into place.

[BowhunterNJ]

Great post Jack, and excellent diagrams!

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

If you shoot a rage, just aim an inch or 2 back from that green dot, cause if you crack the shoulder on accident the deer is gonna live.

 

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[LPJR]

Perfect timing for this post Jack. My goal this season is to have my son kill his "1st" deer with the compound. Even though he has several deer and bucks under his belt with the slug gun, it will really make our season when everything comes together with the bow. He is practicing in the back after dinner tonight actually and is doing well. Love this preparation time of year!