ANNUAL shot selection/placement/anatomy thread

[JHbowhunter]

I believe when the facing leg goes forward, the scapula actually slides down to protect vitals.  I prefer facing leg straight.

[LittleM]

GhostBear - that is one awesome picture!

[GhostBear]

That pup was great, from when the guy put her on first blood to recovery was less than 2 minutes!!

[DV1]

I believe when the facing leg goes forward, the scapula actually slides down to protect vitals.  I prefer facing leg straight.

Yep, it covers more of the lungs in that position. 

[Bonefreak]

Great thread!!  I was taught to draw an imaginary line vertically up from the deer's front leg "elbow", and then draw an imaginary line horizontally of the center of the deer, and aim at where they criss cross, it has served me well throughout the years, but that first diagram appears that I should aim about 3 inches lower than the imaginary lines criss cross I mentioned above.

[Rusty]

I believe when the facing leg goes forward, the scapula actually slides down to protect vitals.  I prefer facing leg straight.

 

The way that the humerus is connected between the scapula and the radius it actually does the exact opposite.  As the leg goes forward the humerus pushes the scapula up not down. 

 

 

[JHbowhunter]

I once shot a doe, when she was total stretched out with front facing leg touching ground and as far forward as she could stretch it, while bending to lick her tail on the opposite side...  Well I 'assumed" never a better time to shoot and where I thought was all lung, the scapula clearly shifted down and I hit it. Luckily it was the thinner part of scapula and was able to find her although it wasn't easy.

[DV1]

The way that the humerus is connected between the scapula and the radius it actually does the exact opposite.  As the leg goes forward the humerus pushes the scapula up not down. 

 

deer anatomy 1.jpg

 

deer anatomy 2.jpeg

I don't know. We have butchered a lot of deer. Every time I move the leg forward, the scapula rotates down in the back as the front moves up and forward. I have done this several times to see how it moves so I know when it's best to shoot.

 

As the humerus moves forward (skinny red arrow), the joint with the scapula moves forward (big, fat red arrow), and up, while the rear of the blade moves down (yellow arrow), covering more of the lungs. That's what I've seen anyhow.

[Bonefreak]

Ghost makes a good point to try and watch where the deer runs off to, I do the same, and try to pick out a tree/bush that the deer passed, so if there is no good blood near the impact site, there should be some good blood pumping out at a further distance.  It would probably be a good idea to, after settling down after the excitement of the shot, to break out the smart phone and take a picture of that tree/bush location that you pinpointed where the deer left the area.  You can zoom in on the pic and maybe even edit/draw on the pic where deer ran by, this way when you get down to that location, the pic may help you find the exact location the deer ran by, because sometimes after climbing down from tree or walking to that location, it always appears quite different from where you were when you first shot.

[JHbowhunter]

I don't know. We have butchered a lot of deer. Every time I move the leg forward, the scapula rotates down in the back as the front moves up and forward. I have done this several times to see how it moves so I know when it's best to shoot.

 

As the humerus moves forward (skinny red arrow), the joint with the scapula moves forward (big, fat red arrow), and up, while the rear of the blade moves down (yellow arrow), covering more of the lungs. That's what I've seen anyhow.

 

That's been my experience as well... HOWEVER - you and Rusty may be both "right". In the picture Rusty posted with leg somewhat forward, he's holding leg up and bent (off the ground).   However - with that same leg forward and on the ground, that is when scapula comes down to cover lungs...(IMHO)

Edited October 19, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[Rusty]

As the humerus moves forward (skinny red arrow), the joint with the scapula moves forward (big, fat red arrow), and up, while the rear of the blade moves down (yellow arrow), covering more of the lungs. That's what I've seen anyhow.

 

The humerus does not slide forward as you are indicating.  The leg moves forward by rotating the shoulder blade, when this occurs the humerus rotates from a horizontal position to vertical.  

[DV1]

The humerus does not slide forward as you are indicating.  

IT DOES WHEN I DO IT, which is why the blade moves down. Of course, me forcing a deer leg forward is probably not how it naturally moves, as I've just learned. 

[Rusty]

 In the picture Rusty posted with leg somewhat forward, he's holding leg up and bent (off the ground).   

 

Here's a better one.

 

[JHbowhunter]

Rusty - the shot I was referring to which shocked me when scapula was down, the facing front leg was extreme forward and on ground, the opposite front leg was extreme back. The doe was bending around licking her tail...  Just sharing- the shot hit exactly where I aimed, never thought that would happened.  The picture you just posted - I would not hesitate to aim it right into the crease...

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

I don't know. We have butchered a lot of deer. Every time I move the leg forward, the scapula rotates down in the back as the front moves up and forward. I have done this several times to see how it moves so I know when it's best to shoot.

 

As the humerus moves forward (skinny red arrow), the joint with the scapula moves forward (big, fat red arrow), and up, while the rear of the blade moves down (yellow arrow), covering more of the lungs. That's what I've seen anyhow.

I've always noticed the same.. but I was taught to wait for the leg to step fwd for best shot offering.

 

When skinning I do play with the legs to see what goes on anatomically to get a better understanding of where to aim, etc.

 

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