Shot Placement Question...

[ThePushArchery]

This past weekend, a certain part of PA opened a 2 week doe only pre-archery season. Within the first hour I had two doe and a decent 8 point within 13 yards. The lead doe had me pegged. (I was on the ground)

My question is, for 5 minutes she was giving me the up and down, head fake, hoof stomp, the whole 9 yards. I could have pulled up slowly and took a straight on chest shot through the brisket, but I knew the chances of simply wounding her were too great. She finally turned and gave me a broadside shot as she was about to flee, but she really turned on the after burners as I came to full draw.

Has anyone tried the brisket shot with any success? Common sense tells me that traditional equipment (even compounds) have no business taking this type of shot, but i'd like some input on the subject for curiosity sake.

Thanks,
Matt

[Jeremy]

This question comes up every year.  There are guys that won't hesitate to take that shot b/c it hasn't failed them and then there are the guys who will never take that shot b/c it has failed them.  

Bottom line when you take in everything: it's a low percentage shot.

Personally, I'm no more interested in taking that shot than I am in taking the Tx heart shot.

[Wile E. Coyote]

IMHO its a low percentage shot WHEN THEY ARE UNAWARE OF YOUR PRESCENCE. Add in that she knew you were there and it is HIGHLY LIKELY  that the shot would end up in a miss or worse a wounded animal that would not be recovered.

[Pat B]

I would not take a straight on shot and especially not at a nervous animal. Even at a relatively close range a deer can turn completely around from the time you release the arrow until it gets to the deer. Broadside or quartering away are the only shots I will take with a bow.

[twotimer]

i'll take the shot out to 15/ yards but thats me.you have to have the confidence that you can make it,before you take it,and timing is what a shot like that come's down to,i'v never shot a compound,but i think it would be a higher percentage shot with traditional equipment,shooting instinctive.jmtcw.robert              

[ron w]

If your own common sense is telling you no, then theres your answer!!!!!!! Ethics is what you do when no one is watching. Listen to that voice from your common sense.

[Bill Turner]

I have to agree with ron w above. I don't want one bad enough to take that shot and risk losing the deer.    

[SlowBowke]

I have found, personally, that any deer that has me spotted is a "no shot" situation. Even if I got the shot off somehow, the wired up deer is GOING TO move and I have no idea how much before the arrow connects.

In the senario above, I wouldn't have even considered it.

That said, if hunting from the ground and under 15 yards with a deer that isn't acting hinky I"ll take the brisket shot in a heartbeat.

The other guys above have it right. If you have faith in the penetrating capabilities of your set up and your ability to make a decent shot, then take it, BUT if your mind is saying "oh man, I don't know about this shot".....don't!!!

Some may laugh but that single negative thought will knot up the muscles, mess with your concentration and make a good shot danged hard to complete. Just a bad idea, IMHO.

For me, the HARD rear angle shot, although I know it's deadly as heck, is one I flat wont take unless I'm RIGHT on top of them. I mean like 7-8 yards at eye level! LOL!

In my mind that big ham covering a large part of what I can see just messes with my head too much.  I DONT want to put an arrow into the ham even though I think I'd get "enough" penetration.

A punctured ham, guts busted and thinking of all that "stuff" I have to get through on a bad shot to get to the lungs just messes with my confidence and I don't shoot.

For me and my set up? I'd take ANY angle on a front end shot over the hard angle rearward shot, but again, that is just me.

Every since my second deer decades ago that didn't cause of the crappy four replaceble blade head I decided to use, I've never got less than penetration to the feathers. That much penetration anywhere in the front quarter of the body is one dead deer and a short blood trail for me.

One STRAIGHT at me wouldn't be my preference of the front end and I'd wait a bit for the angled shot in front of a shoulder heading behind the other shoulder.

Thinking all my shots out, I want the head to come OUT the other side and have an exit wound just to be safe, for an increased blood trail, if one is needed but 90 percent of the deer I have shot go down in sight. Knock on wood!!

BEWARE of the deer that has you pegged! Them suckers are QUICK and just not worth the risk to me.

God bless, and safe hunting gang. OCT 1 is sneaking up on me fast!

[xtrema312]

You would have never gotten your bow up.  If I were drawn or in a blind when the shot developed at 10 or less yards I would take it if it felt right.  I can put it in there no question on a calm animal at that range.  With that said, it has never felt right.

[wollelybugger]

Never, too risky

[Guru]

Listen to your common sense...

[straitera]

Opportunity & patience have always provided broadside or quartering away shots. Never considered frontal nor the third eye as particularly advantageous. Too many bad things can happen.

[Ceb]

On the ground, 5yds and in, unalarmed animal, maybe but I doubt it. In your situation, never.

[ozy clint]

assuming you get full penetration. the best you can do is a heart shot, after that it is one lung. if in the slight chance you hit both lungs you would only do minimal damage to either anyway.

[Benny Nganabbarru]

That shot's deadly on pigs... But ONLY when they are already hit, and are standing there rattling their teeth and thinking about having a go at you. If ever you need to put a dying animal down, and it won't present any other angle, go for it.

[Ben Maher]

this is a low percentage shot at an undisturbed animal, let alone an alert animal .
let this critter pass and wait for the next one.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

I really doubt that she would have given you the shot..  Generally speaking in that situation if you "Blink" all you will see is the back side of her as she stomps and snorts off for the nearest cover.
Regardless I agree, it's a low percentage shot at best.

[KentuckyTJ]

That is a very risky shot to begin with, add in the fact that she was on alert and its a no brainer.

I personally would never take that shot even under the best conditions.

[James Wrenn]

If she had stood there instead and took your arrow instead of turing around the shot would be deadly.The problem is even if the shot is perfect the recovery rate is real low unless you really know the land you are hunting.There will be no blood to follow.I don't take shots that don't leave something on the ground no matter how well it kills them when it comes to deer.They can cover too much ground too quickly when shot and recovery is more important than killing.A hog would have got an arrow in the same situation.They lay down much quicker.jmo