Same here..

We're not talking about shooting them in the brisket. We're talking about sending something close to a .30 caliber bullet thru his chest and vitals. BTW, if you aim at a deer, then you should know where your bullet hit. You should not be surprised at where the bullet hit the deer. It will hit, where its aimed, unless it hits a limb.

NOT true all the time. I was sitting in a tripod on a big powerline once. Had a doe run out, loook back and keep going. I got ready on the rest. Range was 275 yards to the doe. A good buck came out, got past the first shooting spot, then showed up again. Buck was standing still, broadside, LEFT side to me. I was shooting a 7mmRM with 140gr bullets. I took a good shot and the deer disappeared, the doe ran to my left, stopped and stood for a few seconds, then left. I knew from her behavior the buck was down.

I went and got the Gator, the powerline was very steep and muddy. Finally got to the deer. DRT, as I thought. We loaded the buck, and I looked to see the hit...WTH? No hole at all on his left side. Nada. Nothing. I roll him over and there is an ENTRANCE hole in his RIGHT shoulder. RIGHT SHOULDER. I roll him back over and fins the bullet just under the skin on the LEFT side, the side I shot at.

I have no idea how this happened, but it did. I didn't see him move as I shot, but he must have. Filed under damnifiknow.....

Some people laugh at me but this is why whenever I have put a good buck on the ground, and by that I mean one that I would mount, I always put a second round into him. A fellow told me once, "I'm going to start calling you 2-shot". I told him, "that's fine because you won't call me 'lost deer'".

Someone posted on here a year or so ago, "think of a deer's vitals as a basketball." Where do I aim to make the bullet go through the CENTER of the "ball"? I like that.

Unless he's facing directly at me, or away from me, i'm always shooting for the off side shoulder. Draw a line and it goes right thru the vitals and they ain't a deer alive that can survive that.

We're not talking about shooting them in the brisket. We're talking about sending something close to a .30 caliber bullet thru his chest and vitals. BTW, if you aim at a deer, then you should know where your bullet hit. You should not be surprised at where the bullet hit the deer. It will hit, where its aimed, unless it hits a limb. [/quote

I must not shoot as good as you do. I always hunt out of a climber and have to shoot "off hand". I can't use shooting sticks and I don't have a shooting house window to rest my gun on. I know where I want my bullet to go but it doesn't always go there, obviously or we wouldn't be having this discussion. And I'll let you in on a little secret, I've even completely missed while shooting at a deer three different times over the years.

Geronimo, shooting offhand, is difficult, especially at long ranges, thats why i don't do it. My climber is a buckshot and i face the tree. It has a safety rail around me that i can prop on, or use the tree to rest against. My ladders have safety rails. My homemade stands have rails. I use shooting sticks in my loc-ons. What type climber do you use? Maybe you need one with a rail, it only helps. Google Austin Outdoors.

Really???? If I have five buddies look for 2 days, and never find him and don't call a dog I'm doing something wrong?
Or if I'm legit hutning for meat to put food on the table?

Since when is it a requirement to spend $200 and hire a deer tracking dog to hunt? I've seen many deer been shot and hit, and shot and missed or just skimmed and go on living just fine. Dog ain't finding no deer you just shot the chest hair off.

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I have always hunted out of a Summit Bushmaster open front stand until this year. I amnow hunting out of an API Crusader. I shoot lefthanded and on this particular shot the deer was to my left and I had to squat a little to get an open shot. I will check into the shooting sticks though. Thanks for the advice.