I am curious if anyone uses or aims for the high shoulder shot on the forum, and if so what your experience has been. I've used the behind the shoulder (double lung) for decades with the occasional center of the front shoulder shot only a few times depending on scenario with great success, but never intentionally aimed for a high shoulder (tip of upper front shoulder). Videos are impressive watching this shot but always curious on first hand experiences. Obviously this question is geared toward the rifle hunters out there and not archery. Thanks in advance!
Shot Placement
- Thread starter Uncle J
- Start date
i've done it a couple of times but in both instances the deer were actually quartering to me so the entrance was forward of the shoulder with the exit behind the opposite shoulder. In both instances, one with a 7mm-08 the other with a .50 cal muzzleloader, the deer dropped where they stood. It's good shot. Just watch it, if you get too high then you just wound the deer. If you're low, then you're just a solid double lung shot. keep in mind, it's not as high in the shoulder as you might think. The spine takes a deep drop there in that region. Look up the Brachial Plexus, that's what you're aiming for.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Depends on the weapon I'm using and if I need to drop a deer on the spot. The high-shoulder shot can be extremely effective with high velocity bullets, but not so much with low velocity rounds. With a modern centerfire rifle firing rounds near 3,000 fps, and the need to drop a deer in its tracks, I'll take the high shoulder shot. If you hit fairly precisely, it works great. If you don't hit precisely, it can be disastrous. The vast majority of the time I go for the double lung hit right behind the front leg. The kill zone is much larger and extremely lethal. But if using a high-powered rifle, and it's critical the deer not run, then I'll take the high shoulder shot.
We've got several places that if deer runs very far it is nearly straight down. In those locations I always aim high shoulder or neck, otherwise it's behind the shoulder.
Thank you all - very helpful.
I've shot a few with the shoulder shot. It is nice that they drop and do not go anywhere. It leaves little room for error though when talking about shoulder meat.
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Same for me. Only when necessary. Great shot for a lot of Texas because of the thick, thorny brush covering the landscape you'd have to track a deer through. I'm not a fan because it ruins the front quarters and one of my favorite meals is an entire front quarter slow cooked in a turkey pan with vegetables. Great for large groups of family and/or friends and it eats like a really good pot roast. Meat just falls apart. It's the best way to eat the front quarters, IMO. Most people just grind it up if not damaged, or throw it away because it's too damaged from the shot. That's why I do my best to shoot for double lung behind shoulder. Then the bullet only has to bust a couple ribs and I don't lose much if any meat. Deer might run 50 or 100 yards but it dies in a couple seconds.
I'm in a similar situation with @tellico4x4 in that I hunt places that if they run far after the shot then it's going to be a nightmare of a recovery. I was hunting on a rock outcropping/bluff line before and had on literally take off over the edge. After that recovery that involved a LONG walk and some rope,snatch blocks, and atv I decided bigger caliber and high shoulder when hunting that location.
I typically go tight behind the shoulder depending on the angle. I have taken a few high shoulder shots though, and the deer with those shots dropped in their tracks.
High shoulder / low neck
DRT.
I shoot a .300 win mag as well.
Blood trailing is for bowhunting.
DRT.
I shoot a .300 win mag as well.
Blood trailing is for bowhunting.
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
In situations for sure, personally just wouldn't do it with a muzzle loader. Just me.
im curious about the muzzle loader - i was taught to always aim high shoulder with a muzzleloader because of finicky (or non existent) blood trails, that it was best to drop them in their tracks or as my mentor likes to say "deer just dont run as far in two wheel drive".
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
I've did it twice last season and both times the deer ran maybe 10 feet then collapsed. Makes for an easy track but the downside is ruined shoulder meat.
That's not something I'd do again unless I absolutely needed the deer to drop right there because of being near private property where I don't have permission to go get it.
That's not something I'd do again unless I absolutely needed the deer to drop right there because of being near private property where I don't have permission to go get it.
wsm
Well-Known Member
That is where I like to hit a deer when I can,has worked over the years.
I do that routinely with a rifle. I can't have deer running far in most of the places I hunt locally or it will be terrible to get them out.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Last MZ season I had a buck come out of a 3-year-old clearcut 8 feet high in blackberry briers and saplings and I didn't want him running back in there after the shot. Although MZ bullet doesn't produce the shock power of a centerfire rifle, I still took the high shoulder shot trying to knock him down on the spot. Luckily, it worked.
The only thing better than breaking one shoulder is breaking both shoulders. I'm a shoulder shooter with anything but archery.
High shoulder shots break shoulders and clip the spine shutting down the CNS, that's why the drop.
High shoulder shots break shoulders and clip the spine shutting down the CNS, that's why the drop.
I like for the deer to run and pump that blood out
I used it for several years until I had a couple jump up and run, and a couple more that required follow up shots after lying for a few minutes.
I will use it in the right situation, but I am ver careful to either give a follow up shot or be ready to.
I will use it in the right situation, but I am ver careful to either give a follow up shot or be ready to.
I always liked to shoot them in the neck.
Just have to realize that it can ruin part of the backstrap, and as has already mentioned if the shot is too high it can stun them and then they get up later to run off
One thing to remember is that what you're actually trying to hit is not specifically the shoulders but the nerve cluster between them, the Brachial Plexus (I think that's what it's called). Keep that in mind as the animal is quartering towards or away and it changes the shot placement a bit but still has the same result. This cluster is roughly 1/3 of the way down from the top of the back.
I always go for a heart/lung shot with lungs favored, have heart shot bucks and had them run 100y or more, it's surprising how far a doe can push themselves with 2 broke shoulders, and I shoot a 300wm lol
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
I have seen on multiple occasions a ml bullet lodged in a shoulder. Have seen it work to just personally not taking the shot. Blood trails are absolutely an issue with a ml we round up killing the deer last year, but 2 years ago saw it again. Have multiple videos and pictures of the deer with a wound and a little limp where it was lodged in the shoulder. That's a ml shooting 130 grains of powder and a 250 grain shock wave bullet at a 115 yards. I'm the guy that will tell anyone to take the shot they are legitimately comfortable with. Just me and us and our experiences.
killingtime 41
Well-Known Member
I haven't never tried the high shoulder. But I do hunt a few places I should. Just wasn't comfortable with such a small window. Guess I need to practice more.
I would only take a shoulder shot with a high powered rifle. 30/30 minimum
BSK
Well-Known Member
Personally, I think anything under 3,000 fps is inadequate for that shot.
