Tips & Tactics

Often we get so focused on hitting a certain spot on a deer that we fail to think about the angles. It is important to remember that deer do not usually stand perfectly broadside, and the entry and exit holes of your shot need to be taken into consideration. For example, the archer who shoots at his backyard 3-D deer every day zeroes in on that vital area right behind the front leg. The problem is that if the same archer is presented with a shot, say, with the deer angled away from him, hitting the deer in his normal "bullseye" will result in a poor hit that angles into the meat and bone of the shoulder.

In order to reach the vitals, that hunter should aim further back into the stomach area so the flight path of the arrow would allow it to travel into the heart and lungs. Those of you who have 3-D deer targets can use your targets to get a better feel for these angles. Take a yard stick lay it on the deer's back to see where an arrow or bullet would enter and exit based on different angles to the hunter. Also look at the different possibilities as though hunting from a treestand by crouching directly behind the deer and using your yardstick (held up against the tail) to show different angles of entry/exit based on height.