Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer Bow Talk Aim low?

Does any one intentionally aim low on a broadside whitetail's vitals to compensate the deer ducking at the shot? And if so do you think there is a critical range at which the deer is close enough to hear the shot but far enough to duck low? For 15 years I've aimed right on the spot without worrying about aiming low and have rarely missed. But I've missed two this year at 35 yds which is a distance I'm dead nuts on. I shoot a Z7 extreme at 290 fps.

I always try to aim in the lower 1/4 of the deer regardless of the distance.

Is that to compensate for the deer ducking the shot?

Yes, especially a Bama doe. Sometimes even that isn't low enough.

What he said. I am right on top of the heart. Don't have much room for error on the low side. But, it works out just fine. I don't seem to have near as many duck my arrow as I once did.

^^This

I always aim low also..

Check out this video of an arrow smacking a deer and how she starts to jump as it gets closer. It's a pass-thru shot.

Short vid but pretty neat:

http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/featured/where-to-shoot-a-deer

Get a hoyt n aim dead on! Lol

Yep, but never below the vitals, even though its needed at times, especially over 20-25 yards. Can't ever tell when they are gonna stand still or put their belly on the ground in a millisecond.

Lower 1/3 of the vitals or heart shot is what I'm aiming for these days.

At 35 yards you better be low. If that deer is nervous it'll duck before your Z7 can get the arrow there.

Watch that video I posted. Doe flinches right before the arrow gets there.

She obviously was relaxed instead of being tense or on alert, like some bucks/does are that turn, jump, flinch, etc., at the shot.

I was always told aim for the lower third of the deer. I also shoot single pin zeroed at 25 yards so closer shots hit a little high.

20 yards or closer, on relaxed deer, I aim at heart. Nervous deer or > 20 yards, I aim low (at hair line). 9/10 times they are going to duck some. You may not even see it. I've shot over deer way more times than under deer!

I try to aim right above the elbow on a broadside deer, but yesterday morning that wasn't enough. Had to stop a buck in a shooting lane at 35 yards, and hit way high. Didn't look like the deer ducked at all and I was cursing myself all morning for making a terrible shot. Luckily had the shot on HD video, and watching in slow motion, the arrow went exactly where I aimed - but the buck ducked more than half a body length by the time the arrow got there. So, from now on, if I have to stop a deer at more than 25 yards I guess I'm gonna aim lower at the hairline.

Quieter bows and closer shots cut down on missed shots. The further you are from a deer the longer it has to react.

Armpit!!! I shot over every deer for the first 5 years of my bowhunting career, I knew the range and everything but shot over every flippin one of em, started aiming at their armpit and I centered them from then on, no clue why but it works for me