Shot Placement

[Brandon Pattison]

I watched a video of like 300 kills in 3 minutes on YouTube. A LOT of shots were perfect but only because the arrow was low and the animal dropped down. Who plans for this when aiming?

 

[mt100gr.]

Not me, for the most part. I have done it, and had it work very well for stand hunting whitetails but on the ground for unaware animals, I just aim for vitals. Last year I lucked out on an antelope, though. I aimed for vitals and that quick little bugger dropped and spun away from me putting the back of his skull, right at the base, exactly where his "vitals crease" had been. Exit was thru the cheek muscle below his eye. Never thought I would see one flop like that from an arrow!

 

[velvetfvr]

I try to aim top back of the heart. That way if it drops, it's ok and I should get lungs also. Plus I haven't had elevation affect my arrow, but just in case.

 

[jmez]

I've always thought it a bad idea to try to aim based on what you think an animal will do if it reacts to your shot.

 

[wapitibob]

Not me. I've seen a total of 1 elk move at the shot.

 

[justin davis]

I think it makes sense on whitetails and coues deer.

But in my experience I have not had an issue with mule deer, elk, and pronghorn. Shot quite a few over the years and never had any duck and arrow

 

[AHP27]

I try to aim one third up its torso so I'm aiming at the heart and lungs. If it drops it should still get double lungs

 

[larryschwartz]

Don't hedge your bet on what you think the animal might do. There is a reason the vitals are the size of a pie plate, aim your arrow for the center and you will get something vital even if you are off a bit or it moves a bit. If you want to hedge your bet a bit then aim a little low, but don't plan on it dropping six inches.

Another problem I see folks have is that they always aim at the point "one third up and right behind the shoulder", which is fine if it is a broadside shot, but not if it is a quartering away shot or a shot from an elevation of any kind. When I teach the IBEP I always tell my students to imagine a tennis ball in the center of the animals chest, right in the middle of the vitals. If you aim for that tennis ball from whatever angle you are shooting from, rather than that point on the animals side, you will always put it in the vitals.

I know that most of you are saying to yourselves, "Nobody can be that clueless" but you would be surprised.

 

[Nick Muche]

I would never plan on an animal ducking or jumping the string... I aim for where I want the arrow to go.

 

[KHNC]

37 yards. Biggest whitetail ive ever shot at. Ducked like 18 inches!






IF you look really close u can see the lighted nock from the arrow just above him. I aimed at his heart and he was able to duck low enough that it just skimmed the hair on his back. Use the red fence post as a reference for the distance he dropped.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

On a broad side shot I aim straight up the leg right in the crease whether it be elk, whitetail, mule, or antelope. Of course I refrain from shooting at an animal staring at me on high alert.

 

[Beendare]

Whether the deer will drop fast depends on a few variables;
#1 is if they make you as in KH's photo above- obviously an aware animal...another is the sound of your bow. When I used to shoot fast and light arrows I would get all sorts of reaction from animals....now with a 500gr arrow from my hoyt spyder unaware deer hardly move with the low bow noise.

its a bit counter intuitive but the guys shooting deer with fast/light setups are actually hurting their shot locations

 

[Evan Williams]

Depends on the situation! Is the animal alert. If I physically stopped him (with a grunt or a cow call ETC) YES I'm aiming just a little lower because that animal is on alert. But if its feeding, relaxed whatever and has no clue I'm there no I'm aiming for my arrows exit.