Full frontal shot.. should i take it?...

[Matty]

See that's where you'd be wrong Axiom. I never said I've never taken that shot.

 

I have in fact on three occasions. Now being older, wiser and more experienced in bowhunting, I would never even consider it again out of respect for the animal.

 

First time I took the shot, I killed a nice 8 pointer a long time ago at about 47 yards with a head on shot. Died in sight after running about 30 yards, but I got a combination of heart, lung and liver. I'd never do it again.

 

I've also lost two does on frontal shots that looked good, but must have deflected on the sternum.

 

Trust me, it works out some times, but it's a low percentage shot. There is only a very small hole to aim for and most people don't even realize where that hole is. The heavy bone shielding the vitals and the angle at which they can deflect an arrow makes it a poor choice for bowhunters. If you want to slug one with a gun....be my guest, it's a dead deer, but with a bow....Definitely unethical and I regret ever having taken the shot in the past.

 

Do what you want, but you've already lost a few deer this year on higher percentage shots right? Makes you feel like spit right? I'd highly recommend against it. Look at how things can go wrong even when a deer is broadside or quartering away, why increase the odds of non-recovery with poor shot choices?

 

 

 

 

Kudos to PV216 for passing the shot. You made the right choice. Imagine how busted up you'd feel if you did take the shot and it ended in non-recovery of that magnificent beast? You'd feel like spit for a looooooooong time. Good call! 

Edited January 3, 2014 by Matty
kudos to PV

[Axiom]

 

but you've already lost a few deer this year on higher percentage shots right?

 

well, only 2.. and the only 2 i've ever lost.. both does... But whether or not the shots were taken at high percentage areas wouldnt have mattered.. The first loss was because i didnt properly break in a new string i had just put on my x-bow.. The string was still stretching and caused an error in my scope calibration... The second was because the deer moved on release..   Bad hits and lost game as a result of those two situations is a probable no matter where your intended  target area is.... I hear you with regards to the sternum and do believe and arrow wouldnt go exactly where you hoped it would if it contacts it.. But, from what i can tell,  the sternum sits pretty low on the body and is rather apparent, a hit right above it looks like it would sever a bunch of Blood vessels, pop a lung or 2 and put a hole in the liver.. Some say you can add guts to that list..  I cant see anything going to far with that kind of wound.. Granted you did lose one but, like you said it was deflected and so probably didnt slice much that mattered...

[BowhuntingJersey]

PV216 that buck didn't even make the 140 mark!! Still great deer!!

[PV216]

I was told it scored high 140's. Guess I got bad info. Sure looked 140 at 20 yards.

[Hatchet]

I remember a thread o Njh a few years ago where the guy actually was successful in killing the buck with this same type of shot but boy did he take a beating. Lot of bow hunters think this is unethical cause it's a low % shot. It's a shot I wouldn't take with a bow but that's just me.

[BowhuntingJersey]

PV216 my buddy killed that buck and it's father the year before. I'd say the first is about 155 and actually that buck you have the pic of was 139 and change gross. I passed him at 50 yards. I thought he was bigger too. The main beams are actually really shorter then they looked. Still a great buck!!! Did you ever the buck he was running with that year?

[PV216]

I guess your buddy is Scott Borden bc he's the one who killed him in January of that season. I coulda sworn the buck scored higher than 139 gross but again I'm probably wrong. I remember you saying that I wasn't the only one hunting him on njh. Regardless of score, it was a nice deer. Congrats to the hunter.

[Palawman30]

I would not take that shot at all with any weapon. There is absolutely no way any person NEEDS a deer that bad to justify such a low percentage shot. To much can go wrong. Maybe if I had never killed a deer in my life it would be possible but even then I knew better

[Palawman30]

well, only 2.. and the only 2 i've ever lost.. both does... But whether or not the shots were taken at high percentage areas wouldnt have mattered.. The first loss was because i didnt properly break in a new string i had just put on my x-bow.. The string was still stretching and caused an error in my scope calibration... The second was because the deer moved on release..   Bad hits and lost game as a result of those two situations is a probable no matter where your intended  target area is.... I hear you with regards to the sternum and do believe and arrow wouldnt go exactly where you hoped it would if it contacts it.. But, from what i can tell,  the sternum sits pretty low on the body and is rather apparent, a hit right above it looks like it would sever a bunch of Blood vessels, pop a lung or 2 and put a hole in the liver.. Some say you can add guts to that list..  I cant see anything going to far with that kind of wound.. Granted you did lose one but, like you said it was deflected and so probably didnt slice much that mattered...

 

 

Losing 2 in a year probably means you should concentrate on short high percentage shots even if they are ONLY DOE.......  

[Axiom]

 

Losing 2 in a year probably means you should concentrate on short high percentage shots

 

I got no problem with "short", almost all the shots i take are well within 20 yards and nothing more than 30....My fist lost doe was shot with the x bow at about 30 yards, the second was with the compound at about 10 yards...... but, what exactly  a "high percentage" shot is,  is at issue..

[Palawman30]

I got no problem with "short", almost all the shots i take are well within 20 yards and nothing more than 30....My fist lost doe was shot with the x bow at about 30 yards, the second was with the compound at about 10 yards...... but, what exactly  a "high percentage" shot is,  is at issue..

 

 

A "high percentage" shot is one where you know with relative certainty that you are going to actually kill the animal you are shooting at and not hope you do or guess you will....

Those are called "Pot Shots"  

[Hatchet]

I would think high is broadside with more of a chance to hit vitals . If you put a paper plate over the vitals on a broadside you hit any where on that plate n you will likely have a dead deer. Now the deer is now frontal put that sme plate on him now your only window is center up to bout 12:00. From 3-9 that is a miss or wounded deer IMO .

[bucksville]

 but, what exactly  a "high percentage" shot is,  is at issue..

 

 

there is no question a full frontal shot is far from "high percentage"

[Axiom]

Well i cant disagree with that Pal... thats why i'm having a problem with a straight up frontal shot being considered  "low percentage" by some ..  Though i've never taken one from that angle, it seems like it would be a good place to put an arrow if you 1) know where the little hole Matty spoke of is or  better yet 2) you aim a little above the sternum in a area that looks to be about the size of a softball.. About the same size target area you have when aiming for the heart..And thats a shot most of you will take and consider a "High Percentage" target area.. sure, any deviation from that area will probably result in a wounded and lost deer but, if aiming for the heart from a quartering away position or broad side or whatever, the same holds true.. Any deviation could very well result in a wounded and lost deer.. so whats the difference?

[Palawman30]

Should YOU take a full frontal shot? From what I know about you...you shouldn't even be allowed in the woods with any weapon.

 

The only full frontal shot you should get is on your face in a gay porn...

 

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

 

OUCH!!!!