Shot placement

In an ideal situation where the deer is standing still, broadside, and clueless you’re there, do you aim for an imaginary spot about the size of a dime or go by the old paper plate method and good with hitting somewhere in the vitals? Was shooting with an older friend a few days ago and he asked why I like my shots to be grouped so tight when they don’t really have to be. I told him I like to hit where I’m aiming. He laughed and said if you hit a paper plate at 100 yds the deer is as good as dead anyway. Heard that my whole life but I don’t guess thats my mentality. As long as it dies quickly and humanely it doesn’t really matter. Just wondering what yalls shot placement is on the very rare occasion a deer presents the perfect shot opportunity. Are you good with a shot somewhere in the vitals or prefer to aim for a very small location? Referring to rifle only.

Somebody pull up the number graphic. We did this not that long ago.

"I can hit a paper plate 1 outta 3 times it 100 yards."

Reason #1 why people need to call CNC for a tracking dog....

Place the bullet where you want to but, "Aim small, miss small".

I am going to want to shoot that deer right behind the shoulder, about midway between the top and bottom of its chest cavity. And I want to know my rifle is going to deliver the bullet there, if that is where I am aiming. Paper plate accuracy is for people who don't care enough about the animal they are trying to kill to do it humanely.

Shooting sun MOA on paper don’t mean diddly for someone who can’t pull themselves together under an adrenaline packed hunting scenario. I personally like to group an inch or so while shooting under controlled conditions in hopes that I can shoot within 3-4” of my crosshairs while hunting. Lol. Aim small miss small. For a long number of years I laid the smack down on deer with a rifle and then had a 2-3 year span where I boogered a few up. It wasn’t my rifle. It wasn’t the distances. It was just me, although I can shoot very well and confidently. It just happens sometimes. Nerves do a lot to the human body.

This ^^^^^^

If you can only hit a pie plate @ 100 yards..... you had better aim for the center otherwise common sense says odds are you'll be out of the vitals if you are off even a little. 10 inch groups don't work, that's the answer.

Aim small.

I think confidence plays a huge role in shooting. If you are confident in your gun, and especially if its sub moa, then that is one less factor to consider if you suspect you missed a deer. I flat won't hunt with a gun that I can't get to group well off a bench. I am not talking about plopping it down into a lead sled either. I just use 1 bag to rest the forend of my gun on. My main hunting guns all shoot well that way, and its one less thing I have to worry about when I venture out into the woods with them.

I can tell you what my rifles like too. My Marlin 30-30 shoots any ammo with the Barnes 150 grain bullet very well. My 7-08 likes a nosler 120 gr BT over H414. My 308 AAC-SD shoots well with ELD-X, although I am not a fan of its on deer performance. My kids Savage 243 shoots Hornady AW sub moa. My Remington 700 BDL in 270 shoots Federal Premium 130 BT's sub MOA all day long. I need to find a load my 308 carbine likes, and I am limited on my 450BM as far as ammo goes.

Marlin shoots under an inch at 50 yards. All the rest shoot under at 100. I want to be able to take one of my guns out in the woods and know for certain if I do my job, the gun does it's job.

With a rifle: Bucks, high (2/3rd's up) and through both shoulders. Does (meat) behind the shoulder, or in the head if they are fairly close (100-150 or less) and I have a rest. The pie plate theory is why so many deer are wounded, lost, require a dog, and/or are left to suffer. I wont keep a gun that I cannot get to group at an inch or below, off a bench. When I get to a deer, if I had a decent rest, and the entrance is not "exactly" where I was aiming, I'll check the scope before I hunt with it again. Shot a buck walking the edge of a cutover this past year at 220 yds. Had a good rest, but didnt break him down. Found him about 30 yds from where I hit him. Hit him about three inches back off the point of the shoulder which was where I was aiming. Elevation was perfect and ended up hitting him high frontal lung, right in the crease, but windage was 3" to the right of what I thought was my POA. I figured he must've taken a step as I squeezed it off but I still stopped and checked zero on that gun on the way out, just to make sure. As a hunter, we owe it to ourselves and the animals to make sure our equipment is in top shape and perfect operating order, every time we go in the woods. That way, when we do decide to kill one, we do it as quickly and humanely as possible.

It’s all fun and games till the target has a heartbeat!

And also a lot of people have the mentality of it was on last time I shot it.

I aim for the G-N-O triangle when given a broadside shot.

Y’all be careful, we had one of these threads back in the fall and I got all high n’ mighty Mr.Sub-MOA can kill a buck at any reasonable range and tracking dogs are for pu$$ies. Long story short, CNC ended up on speed dial. I’m just saying. . .I don’t know if it was kharma visiting with me, bad luck, or just time for me to expand the friend group. LOL

Known rifle, verified before and after, 100% user error. My daughter said it’s because that buck was hers to shoot. 🤣

To answer the question I shoot at a dime sized spot.

The real problem is that I have rarely ever had a deer standing broadside. Usually, they are running or walking fast at a terrible angle. Then, it is more like trying to shoot behind the shoulder and midway between the bottom and top (or neck).

Thanks claims rep. That's the one I was thinking of.
We learned where everybody's daddy used to choot' em last time this was up.

An accurate rifle inspires confidence when shooting at game. Doesn't mean we don't make a bad shot with an accurate rifle, but that's on the shooter. I missed a doe last year with my most accurate gun at about 175 yards. Should have been a chip shot but I blew it.

A month later I shot two deer at about 350 yards. Go figure.

F N or 2 for me
No tracking
DOTS

D if I’m confident on a buck that I’m worried will run into cover

O-P for meat saver shots

All that is for perfect broadside. Adjust for angle accordingly.

I refuse to do this again . Lol

M-n-o-p good for me - like this target

Just being able to connect on pie plate at 100 yards blows

Right between their glowing eyes

Between F N

Theys many places that'll kill one...I missed my share and also made some unbelievable shots...the point is have the most accurate gun u can to compensate for your screw up

Oh!

Bottom of N if its less than 200 yards. Behind the sholder 200 and farther.

I'm not thinking of a paper plate at any distance I shoot, 400 yards and in, because that paper plate is just too big. I'm thinking of looking for one very small specific spot on that deer. Once I know I'm going to shoot that deer, I am looking for that small spot/hair I plan for that bullet to hit. 1) Know your target and verify; 2) Check surroundings; 3) Control heart rate; 4) Control breathing, 5) Check surroundings again; 5) Aim at THE spot; 6) breathe in, let some out; 7) slowly squeeze the trigger; 8) Keep eyes in the scope and verify target is down; 9) Rack another round; 10) verify target is down; 11) Give Thanks; 12) Climb down for the real work to begin. With enough practice 1-8 can take a matter of seconds, sometimes in the woods that's all you have. Practice the way you are going to hunt. Know what that bullet is going to do, know where it's going to hit, know what you are shooting at you want to take home.

I shoot at the N . I Follow the leg up to that shoulder , take a breath , let half out and squeeze slowly . No tracking required usually. Im too old to search for and drag a deer up and down hollows these days.

If at all possible I try to wait for a broadside shot which gives the best odds of success imo. I aim in the center of the ribcage. If I pull it left, right, high or low a couple inches it is still a dead deer. I also believe in lots of range practice but when I see a buck, I put it on him an touch it off, no screwing around. Has worked well for me.

I blew it this yr on a great buck... He came by me chasing a doe and stopped behind a big pine tree about 60 or 70 yds away and was watching what her next move would be...I could only see his head, neck, a little tiny part of his shoulder and front leg and that big rack behind that pine...Safety off, propped rest, crosshairs settled on his neck(chip shot right?) Problem was I have never tried to shoot one in the neck intentionally (40 yrs of hunting) so I waited for him to take one step...just one little tiny step forward 8 or 10 inches...I had the scope on him for what seemed like an eternity to where I was second guessing my decision figuring he would spin around and run at her directly away from me.....A DANG GOODUN TOO....Guess what happened next....you guessed it, that joker spun around on a dime and went directly away from me chasing her......Took me 40 yrs for that lesson...It wont happen again I promise.....

DeerNutz, most of us have let some walk because the shot wasn't what we wanted to take. It would make me sicker to wound one and not find it than pass up an "iffy" shot.