Great day in the deer woods

[huvrman]

So, headed out at o-dark-30 knowing I'd have to trapse through the leaves to get to my stand. Spent 30 minutes walking about 70 yards up a hill to the stand and made it without spooking anything. Got to the stand and headed up. Once atop, I hung my gun and pack, only to have my jacket fall of my pack and hit the ground. Down the ladder I go, get to the bottom, put on my jacket, and head up the ladder a second time. Four rungs up here he/it comes. Down the hill and stops, by my estimation because it is quarter-moon black, at 15-20 yards. I hug the ladder and try to be invisible. I can hear him feeding, brushing branches every once in a while, and have a good idea of where he is standing based on the lay of site. So, after a few minutes, and with my gun up top and 15 minutes to legal shooting time, I started easing up the ladder. Made it to the top and thought I was home free. The only thing left to do was turn around, sit, and ease the camo burlap down over the shooting rest. Well, that was all it took. Off he/it went blowing, then stopping, He milled around a while, blowing to beat the band, and finally headed back up hill. Never had enough light to see him/it. But, still had a great morning. Ended up seeing a small buck feeding, another buck dogging a yearling while the mother doe and the sibling tried to stay out of the way but close, and then had one blow as I headed down the ladder at the end of the morning sit.

Now, here's a question for the gang. While dealing with all the activity this morning, I got this cell cam photo in a plot on the other end of my property. The stand for this opening is approximately 70 yards to the left of the buck in the pic. This Ridge is bounded on both sides and one end (pretty much where you see the trees) by 800 foot deep ravines. And the camera is mounted on the near woodline. Knowing muzzleloaders tend to not leave much of a blood trail, and knowing the type of terrain you might have to recover this deer from, who would take the shot on this buck? Why or why not? And where would you aim?

 

[Jcalder]

Knock out both shoulders.

 

[tahtah]

Are you asking if you should take the shot because you're using a ML? Or if you should take the shot st all?

 

[encore06]

No hesitation…high shoulder

 

[huvrman]

Are you asking if you should take the shot because you're using a ML? Or if you should take the shot st all?

Either. Some folks might wait another year on this deer, just to let it grow. Some folks only take lung shots and therefore aren't comfortable with high shoulder. (I was taught lung shots, and hunting mostly in Mississippi, Alabama, and Missouri, never had a problem recovering my deer. It was only after hunting here that I started making myself take high shoulder shots.

 

[rem270]

Put it in his shoulder. Preferably a quartering toward you shot and pop him right in the very front of the shoulder.

 

[UTGrad]

High shoulder shot.

50 caliber modern inline muzzleloaders are the ballistic twin to the 45 70. It will peg them to the ground if you take out the shoulders.

 

[tanasirivertea]

I usually shoot heart or lungs. But in this situation shoot shoulders. But curious yall have to track muzzleloader shot deer? I've only shot 3 with a .50 muzzy but all died within sight.

 

[EastTNHunter]

If you're not getting a blood trail with a muzzle loader then you're doing it wrong

 

[timberjack86]

240 grain xtp sabot to the crease where his neck and shoulder meet. This would be from the ground if I'm shooting and I'd aim alittle below the midway point. I've never not had a blood trail with the xtps. Now other muzzleloading bullets that's a different story.

 

[Ridgeline300]

People talk about high shoulder shots and to each his own but I've been hunting hard for 35 years and have always shot right behind the shoulder for a double lung hit right in the center up and down that way I can be off a few inches in any direction and still have dead deer. I have never lost a deer with muzzleloader or rifle and I've killed over a 100. Double lung hit behind the shoulder sometimes will drop them, sometimes they run but that shot placement has always been a pass through for me with a good blood trail for the ones that do run off and if they do run they usually only go 40 to 50 yards. I shoot in a heartbeat with complete confidence.

 

[K-dub]

Take out both shoulders. Don't need a blood trail if they can't run. I would rather lose the shoulder meat than the whole deer

 

[trout]

That is a great buck! Best of luck to you. I prefer and have had success with a double lug shot. I lost one deer with a muzzleloader when I took a hard downhill high shoulder shot with an old style power belt. In my opinion, bullet fragmented on impact. I have switched muzzleloader bullets and would not hesitate on a high should shot today.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Yep, with my accura I am taking my shot on that deer. Ideally he presents a broadside opportunity for a tight behind the shoulder shot, where I can hit both lungs and the top of the heart.

 

[Iglow]

If that's the shot and angle, about 3''/4'' up above the line his facing front line of his leg makes. You likely get 2 holes and take his heart out.
But if he moves as you pull the trigger it could go bad.

 

[Snake]

People talk about high shoulder shots and to each his own but I've been hunting hard for 35 years and have always shot right behind the shoulder for a double lung hit right in the center up and down that way I can be off a few inches in any direction and still have dead deer. I have never lost a deer with muzzleloader or rifle and I've killed over a 100. Double lung hit behind the shoulder sometimes will drop them, sometimes they run but that shot placement has always been a pass through for me with a good blood trail for the ones that do run off and if they do run they usually only go 40 to 50 yards. I shoot in a heartbeat with complete confidence.

I concur . Usually I don't like high shoulder shots but if they hit their mark it will drop a deer . With that said I shoot just as this post I quoted trying to make the shot I'm most comfortable with . I've let good bucks get away from me by not taking questionable shots but have made my share of bad shots . If I was wanting to shoot this buck getting him out isn't even on my mind now does is a different story . Usually don't shoot does at this time of my life but at times people have asked for one and then I'll question myself about the way of getting it out . Why I say this there is one stand on my property that if the deer goes down that holler it's an all day drag other side a piece of cake and I'm not purposely going to shoot a doe to drag up out of that holler....done that got the shirt .

 

[Iglow]

Those high shoulder shots, I don't like them unless the deer is broadside so you get both shoulders and spine. The reason to take it over a lung heart shot which is there if he's broadside is you gonna drop him on the spot to keep him from running over a property line etc. Both are sure,but if running isn't an issue you've got more margin for error with the heart/lung shot.