Shoot or Don't Shoot? Pic

[lpcjon2]

If you calculated the shaking and heart pounding you would hit farther back anyway...LOL

[steadman]

I agree with your thinking Mike, however, I tend to hit back when I shoot at animals so I like to "crowd" the shoulder. Also I have a good friend who I consider an authority on this, he's killed a lot of critters with a bow. He is who changed my thinking on where to shoot. YMMV.
But your right, dead is dead.

[NormanDale33]

#3 would be tempting, maybe next year when I am a little more comfortable. If it was 10 - 15 yards probably would be good. Shooting a 250 grain broadhead makes me aware of how quickly my arrow drops. Great threads, really enjoy them.

[steadman]

Here is why I look where I do, and not back.

 

It is nit picking, but I like my room for error on the black dot vs. the white dot. This is ground level as well, up in a tree, you would have more of the actual shoulder blade to deal with

 

[Tim Finley]

I disagree with the skeleton picture slightly. I think the shoulder and scapula are a little further back giving you less room for error . I shot a deer on sat. and it is still hanging, I just looked at it and I hit this deer about 5 " behind from where the front leg comes up, the broadhead hole is exactly between the 7th and 8th rib dead center the ribcage both sides. #2 would be a good kill but you are close to the ball joint hit that and end of trail.

[gregg dudley]

My point on the shoulder comment is that a lot of people give up the front of the kill zone entirely and their perceived middle kill is too far back to start with.  This makes their margin of error on the back of the kill zone much smaller than it should be in my mind.

[twitchstick]

I would let arrows fly on both your marks and hope I wasn't picking a spot near the head gear!

[wapiti792]

Gregg, understand completely! I myself have "missed" forward and thought I got shoulder bone only to catch the front apex of the lung and have the animal go down in sight. I have also got too far forward and low. I caught the shoulder slightly on this fat cow elk...missed my spot 4 inches to the right and 3 inches low. Penetration was minimal and one more inch to the right and it would have been bbbbbad!
 

*As it was the broadhead did its job. Thanks God!
 

#2 id take at the point you have marked.
#3 id shoot for a spot behind the lower limb just to make sure i cleared those limbs.

[Thumper Dunker]

First one No shot but if he moves just a little maybe,he's real close. 2and 3 same as you.

[Joeabowhunter]

1. no shot
2. on your dot or a bit back
3. I'm aiming lower than your dot so my arrow slides through clean.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I agree with Steadman on all three of these shots.

[ChuckC]

we all tend to think the bones go straight up the leg and we need to be behind it.  I hope we start looking at those posts and seeing that that is not the case,  straight up the leg is awesome and a better shot than behind "the shoulder" which is actually the deers elbow.

Good shooting.
ChuckC