Straight down treestand shot: Would you take it?

[Michael Arnette]

So since I can't stay out of trouble and I've never really heard good discussion on this all too common shot:

Scenario: A giant buck comes walking straight towards you. You have your bow ready and are 12 to 15 feet off the ground. He is going to pass directly underneath of your stand and presumably keep going.

Do you:
A: shoot him right before he gets to your tree
B: shoot him directly underneath your tree
C: wait for him to walk to underneath and take a straight down shot walking away
D: pass on the shot and hope for a better quartering away shot

 I would like to keep this discussion as respectful as possible. But I seriously would like to know your opinion on this shot. In my opinion it is a low percentage shot. A very small target area and a very awkward position. However I have taken the shot several times and had good success so far.

[kleine]

D,d, and d
I tried it once on a monster, mostly strait down.
All I did was shave hair and won't try it again.

[Pete McMiller]

The issue in my mind is not whether I can make the shot, I can and shoot it successfully at targets, it's whether it's ethical.  Unless you get lucky you will likely not have an exit and therefore no blood trail.  I've been on several tracking jobs where this exact scenario was the reason for a lost animal.  Personally,I'd pass and hope for a better opportunity.

[BowMIke]

I would probably take a straight down shot walking away. If I had enough time to get ready.A spine shot would drop hom or if the spine was missed should hi heart lung area.

[creekwood]

Anything but D is probably the last time you will ever see that "giant" buck.

[macbow]

Agree D is the best answer for many reasons.
I have killed one deer almost straight down. Hit the spine.
Have been on many hard trails with straight down shot where the broadhead did not make it through bottom. Result is practically no blood trail.

[Michael Arnette]

I will say the 3 shots I've taken like this 2 were slightly off to one side and both of them got two holes but left sparse bloodtrails. The 3rd was last years buck and I hit the vertebral artery so obviously no issues

[KSdan]

D

[Fletcher]

D for me.  Impossible to get both lungs and with all the bone and tough stuff to get thru up high, an exit hole is unlikely, therefore no blood trail.

[Hatchet]

No.

[degabe]

Found one the neighbors shot straight down but it was three days too late and a tag and the meat were both wasted.

[KentuckyTJ]

I'll never do it again. If I cant get a shot as he is coming I'll wait for going or pass

[Whip]

I also agree, D is the answer.  The lack of a good blood trail is one reason,  but an even bigger issue is that you would need to be extremely lucky to catch more than one lung.  One lung hits are very often not quickly fatal, if they kill the animal at all.  The animal could suffer a long slow death, or may even survive a one lung hit.

If you pass, you might get a better angle as he leaves,  but if not,  you have a chance to match wits with him on another day.

[SuperK]

D.  I learned that lesson the hard way several years ago.

[rraming]

I did not but think I should have

[tracker12]

I'm with the "D" folks.  I shot a doe with that shot a few years ago.  She ran about 100 yards and piled up.  Arrow was hanging out the belly by the fletching.  Not a drop of blood found to where she fell.  Was very lucky I made the recovery.  Won't take the shot again.

[Kopper1013]

DDDDDDDDDDDDDD.....the antlers shouldn't even factor in here but the best shot in that scenario is breaking the back bone which I would never INTENTIONALLY do, (straight down only leaves one lung on either side of the spine and a heart underneath the spine) having an animal suffer while you ready for another shot isn't for me, accidents are accidents but choosing that shot is unethical in MY book. But this is just my opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs.

[Friend]

Restricted to the ground since 2007.

Had previously hunted from treestands. Have fortunately recovered all six deer on virtual straight down shots. Did stop taking this type of  shot 10 years prior.

1.Two spined

2.One single lunged - arrow exited..three hour track recovery...deer traveled 400 yards

3. Two single lunged - no arrow exit...pursued several hours and returned in morning for another  1 to 2 hours before recovery...blood trails seemed nonexistent

4. One single lunged... arrow exit...blood trail was sparse as he had travelled across two farms...after hours of patient pursuit, I requested assistance from two hunting buds, we stumbled upon him.


Knew that most of the recoveries were merely fortunate and that a lost mortally wounded deer was imminent due to a weak shot selection on my part.

Answer 'D' became my only consideration.

[Homey88]

D

[kennym]

D from here... Ain't worth it to me.