Shot placement is a hotly contested topic in each deer hunting camp. Every hunter has their own method for taking the shot. Usually, they derive from previous experiences in which shot placement contributed to success or failure.

However, I find the lungs are an ideal location to shoot a deer. Regarding crucial places to shoot, there is no broader imbalance of positives and drawbacks, no matter your hunting skills.

Advantages of a Lung Shot

I am not saying the heart or upper shoulder are not effective shooting positions. Most of those will cause instant death, and shot deer rarely flee. But I think I have a fair shot at it.

I am not the worst shooter in the world. But I also probably will not win any shooting awards. Honestly, most hunters are as good with a firearm as I am. I do not have the time to practice that more experienced hunters have! Besides, I think this also happens to the typical hunter.

Therefore, do not feel ashamed about taking high-percentage shots! Considering what we just have said, most hunters should do it. After all, it is better for the deer and the hunter to be conservative.

Because of their size relative to the other essential organs, the lungs offer the highest chance of survival. The neck and heart target areas are just far more difficult to hit.

I can still have a chance of placing a lethal double lung shot, or at the very least, a fatal liver shot. My nerves would not allow me to handle a heart or neck shot. But by having more room for error, I can make a more accurate shot.

Many rifle hunters do not want to track a deer. So, they aim to shoot at their upper shoulder, although this tactic is not always successful.

For example, an unseen branch can alter the trajectory of an arrow launched with precision. A detail like this may send your shot to an undesirable point or even into the earth. Also, sometimes jumping deer are as likely to take your broadhead in the front leg or shoulder blade. A shot in these places will do little to no damage.

On the other hand, blood trails are an excellent advantage.

A young 7-pointer was the first deer I ever shot in the lung. Its blood trail looked like someone had run through the woods while carrying a bucket of red paint. With the moonlight, we could have found our way along that route even after dark.

A few years ago, I shot a deer with my shotgun, and the round clipped the rear of both lungs. The shot was off-target. But the trail was far heavier than those of some deer I have seen killed by shoulder or gut shots.

A lung shot may cause a blood trail that leads you to cover a longer distance. But at least you have a direction to head in. Most deer wounded in the lungs don’t realize what happened. They feel like having the wind knocked out of them, making blood loss an effective killing method.

Besides, the meat loss is usually low, unlike a high-shoulder shot.

Drawbacks of Lung Shots

There are drawbacks to getting a lung shot. Sometimes things happen!

While shooting an arrow, it is possible to deflect a shot by hitting a rib. Also, a mechanical broadhead may not open properly. Perhaps your tree stand position is at the wrong angle.

It is uncertain how far a deer would go after being hit by a lung shot. Indeed, this is the most significant disadvantage of this type of shot. Predicting how a deer will react after getting hit this way is impossible.

I shot a buck in the lungs a while ago, and it ran a long way before collapsing. I had to go as far as 150 yards through extremely dense foliage to get it!

I will be honest and say the most frustrating thing about shooting a deer there is the blood trail. On the other hand, a deer hit in the lungs may still run. But you will not need a second shot.

After weighing the advantages and downsides of the lung shot, we find the pros outweigh the problems. It is hardly the most stylish way to kill a deer. However, it results in some meat for the freezer!

In the end, it is what matters to us.

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