Deer hunting is a popular sport that has many different facets from knowing which gear to use to where to hunt. You can do all of the basics right such as choosing the best time and having your plan in place but it is essential to know the best spot to shoot a deer.
This guide outlines all the key areas to cover in achieving your ideal scenario. We cover the best spots to shoot deer as well as a range of other basics to increase your success rate.
Best Spot To Shoot A Deer
The best place to shoot a buck is on the head, in the vicinity of the spine (but not in the spine itself). This is because the head houses most of the bucks brain, and it is the place that controls all its functions. This isn’t to say the other areas are useless when shooting a deer – you can kill a deer by shooting it in either of its hind legs, or if you’re really clever, in one of its shoulders. It would be most efficient, however, to aim for the head rather than the body, as this is the part of the body that will often be the most damaged.
The deer can also be killed with other spots; however, their chance of being killed is somewhat smaller. Shots from the flank generally require quartering away shots and shots from behind where there is less muscle mass to absorb the kinetic energy of a bullet. In contrast to this, headshots are exceptionally effective because they penetrate both halves of the animal’s brain. The head is an easy target because it has very little muscle or bone and has minimal protective surface area because it doesn’t stick out like limbs would for instance. The fact remains that any shot to this region can kill or impair with reasonable certainty.
You may also want to aim for the shoulder if you fail to get a proper head shot. Generally speaking, this area of the chamber is more forgiving when it comes to placement of shots. However, if you aim down the flank, you might miss the deer’s head.
Other Basics
The most important thing when it comes to shooting a deer is being able to make a kill shot. Your first priority when it comes to shooting a deer should be taking the animal down as fast as possible. This is because in most hunting situations the chances of being able to get a clean shot are very slim. In order to achieve this, there is an important need to understand that a deer hunt will be more challenging.
Locations
When looking for the best states to hunt deer and the best spots to shoot a deer, there are many factors that go into finding target locations. These include physical features such as trees and setting up a tree stand (RealTree), fences and clumps of brush. A good tree setup includes a big tree, a small tree and perhaps one or two other trees. This allows for a shooting position that helps you cover the target area. It is also useful to be able to see the target from different angles, as this can help you grasp the layout of the area.
They also include weather conditions such as humidity and precipitation. Good weather conditions for hunting deer are dry and sunny. This is because the deer are more active on days like this.
Lastly, you want to consider the overall habitat of the area. The type of terrain affects the distribution of animal life and may give you an edge in figuring out where to hunt. For instance, a forested area will naturally have more trees than a wide open field. A deep valley or ravine will naturally have more cover for animals that need it than a hill side that is well exposed to the sun and wind.
Arrows
Deer hunting requires the use of the right type of arrows for an effective outcome. The kind of arrows you will see in the most popular sports shows are the best broadhead arrows. These are bladed arrows which have one or more blades attached to their shafts. This allows them to stay sharp on average for about 30% longer than when compared to field points that have a single main blade attached.
Decoys
You will also want to consider which are the best deer decoys for hunting. As stated above, a good spot to hunt is a place that has many trees. Sometimes decoys such as fawns or does are made use of here. When a deer encounters a decoy, he will tend to pay more attention to the fake animal than to the hunter’s movements.
In Summary
To conclude, shooting a deer is not only a matter of finding the most optimal spot and choosing the best time of day for hunting as there are many less straightforward factors to consider. These factors include the location to hunt, the time to do this, and many other factors. It is also very important to know where to shoot a deer. It is the deer’s skull that is the main control center for its behavior, so this is why it is the ideal target. It is best to aim for a head shot when hunting a deer and if you don’t manage this, then it would be good to aim for the shoulder area. If you don’t feel comfortable shooting your own deer, an introductory guided hunt may be a great way to get started.