you call the shot - #7 Quartering sharply away

[Twanger]

You've been watching this group for an hour from a ground-blind and this buck would just not turn around broadside, though he's only 20 yards away. Finally, in desperation you draw your bow and you make a little grunt with your call. He whips his head around, exposing his side just a little.

Do you shoot? If so, where?

Is that doe behind him in danger if you do shoot?

What if the doe was not there? Would you shoot then? If so, where?

Would you take a shot to the neck instead?

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/buck_quartering_away_dots.JPG

[dave-t.]

Up in a stand with some elevation working for you, that is a very makable shot angle. It also happens to be the only shot angle that I flat out screwed up and held wrong, resulting in a lost deer. I held to far forward and ran the arrow up the outside of the ribcage. Horrible mistake due to reading the angle wrong, and not having the experience to aim back far enough.

From a stand, if you put one angling down infront of the hips, aiming for an exit inside the front left leg, that's a deadly shot. At this angle and elevation, I pass with a bow, but would take the shot with a rifle anywhere between the top blue aiming point and the corner of his jaw.

There is always the option of the ham shot too.:rolleyes:

[GF.]

No, thanks....

With the grunt, you just lit him up; if he jumps, he'll most likely roll down and left.

Probably the cleanest kill (and the last part of him to move) would be the inside of the left ham - maybe 'center tail' a little below 'center red'. Femoral artery's a big 'un, but still not a target that I'd pursue outside of dire, dire need. Likewise with the neck. Too mobile, and the first thing to move.


Deer in the background looks to be moving quickly, so should cross in and out of harm's way real quick.


I'd be hoping that he'll be curious enough to turn my way, 'cuz this one's just a deal-breaker for me..

[GF.]

And I agree with Dave....

[ncboman]

That's a tuff one.

I've killed every deer I ever hit in the ham but do you shoot the ham or try and slide it more toward the middle blue? :rolleyes:

[Twanger]

It is a very tough one. I think you'd have to have the arrow clip the ham in order to get into the vitals. I don't think I'd take this shot as much as I'd like to think I could make it work.

An easier one coming tomorrow...

[ncboman]

It is a very tough one. I think you'd have to have the arrow clip the ham in order to get into the vitals. I don't think I'd take this shot as much as I'd like to think I could make it work.

An easier one coming tomorrow...

Yeah, when it gets so steep that I'm into the ham trying to get to the boiler room, I'm more inclined to just center the ham and be done with it.

Most every ham shot I ever made was actually a miss but those ham shots are murder, so much so, I doan have a problem doing it on purpose if I doan have anything better and I want that deer. :cool:

[dave-t.]

I've only seen one ham shot, and the deer didn't go 25yrds.

NC- What do you think is the ideal ham shot. Shooting for the left ham in the pic, and running the blade the entire length of the ham, or shooting for the right one, and just putting it in "the big part".

I've never done it myself, and don't intend to, but it's such an odd shot that I'd like too hear about it.