Straight down shots.

[RatherBeHuntin]

Reading another post got me reliving some past hunts. I have shot a few deer that were directly below my stand. I can remember at least two of those deer I thought I hit perfect but was unable to find them. I presume that I only got one lung on the shots and that was the reason I didn't find them. On the ones I did find the arrow usually exited under the shoulder and the deer didn't go far. Now I usually try to wait for a broadside shot. Just thought I would give everybody something to chime in on.

 

[Relentless]

Straight down shots present a challenge because most people don't practice shooting straight down. The focus on the deer's anatomy and the kill zone is most important because it is a different angle than "practice" shots.

The good thing about a straight down shot is when you get a pass through, the exit wound is low and the blood pours out leaving a good trail to follow.

 

[woodsman87]

It is a very tough shot. The first two bucks I ever shot at with a bow were nearly directly under me. Unexperienced at the time I really didn't know any better. Hit them both high and I think in the shoulder blade. Didn't find either one. I was using a weaker bow back then so I do not know if it was the low poundage bow or not. I have a fast shooting, heavy arrow/broadhead bow now but have never shot one straight down to see if it would penetrate. Also, I tore up my bow to doing that. On one of the straght down shots my bottom cam hit the rail on my summit viper and broke. Bad news.

 

[bowriter]

Very bad shot unless you can really shoot from a tree. I have found from experience that anyone who has to ask about a straight down shot should not take one.

Here is the prob. A scosch to either side and you get next to nothing. Hit the spine, need another arrow...or a hammer. Make a perfcet shot, tight on either side of the spine, need plenty of poundage cause if it don't go all the through-no blood and quite often, even if it does, no blood. Internal organs plug the exit hole.

That said, I have taken a few and luckily, never lost a deer.

 

[Trevor2]

Closest thing to a straight down yugo I have got was my first bow kill. Button Buck at 5yards, I was 20 ft up a tree so almost straight down. Arrow hit high shoulder and only penetrated 6 in but it was enough for it to put him down within 45 yards

 

[Football Hunter]

This one worked out quite good.

 

[Snake]

I have taken them with success but as I have grown older that is a shot I 'll pass on now .

 

[catman529]

I have thought of it. I would only do it if I felt confident in the shot and thought that I would pass through the heart on the way through. And with minimal backstrap damage!

 

[plinker22]

I have taken this shot twice. Once was successful, actually pinning the deer to the ground (that was cool). Second, not successful.

This past Saturday morning, I came to full draw on a 6 pt buck directly under my stand. I decided to not take the shot. It felt good to let him walk.

I prefer a broadside or slightly quartering away shot. However, I will take the shot under the right circumstances.

 

[nodog]

I doubt most who have taken it actually knew where the hit was going to be. It is a shot you have to practice and set up for. You can always pass on it a little, but you have to hit the x if it's taken.

 

[Encore]

I have only had one opportunity to make that shot and I hit the doe right in the middle of her spine. She took a couple of paces and fell over dead.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

If that is ALL that I have, I'm taking it!

 

[Mike Belt]

I practice that shot with archery and the few times I've taken it they were deadly shots. With a rifle I always figure I have a little more time to let them get a little bit farther from my tree before shooting.

 

[Slaughter-06]

I have taken two over the years and after a very long track job close to a mile on each I found both deer, I will think long and hard before I let the temptations over come me again.

 

[Hunter0678]

I shot my second one with a straight down shot, deer ran a long ways but ended up finding her 50yds past where she ran out of blood, was kind weird gutting a deer and not having any blood in the cavity. Destroyed 1 lung completely with a rage.

 

[JeepKuntry]

For close shots like that I use my 40 yard pin. I use to practice that shot alot.

 

[StalkingWolf]

I have made that shot successfully two times and got both deer. One doe which we like to have never found because internal organs plugged the exit hole, and the other a buck that I watched crash in sight. The arrow exited through his heart and out the brisket. Massive blood trail. I would much rather have a 15 yd broadside shot.