On Target 2019: High Shoulder Shots

Listen in as Editor in Chief Gordon Whittington, provides us the low down on the benefits of a high shoulder shots.

[@scottsweger1708]

Lets get the science right. The reason a deer drops and is instantly killed with a high shoulder shot is not because the bullet has broken the shoulders and fatally damages the lungs (although that is true, that does happen), the reason a deer is dropped in it's tracks from a high shoulder shot is because the bullet and or the hydrostatic shock it creates disrupts a nerve bundle called the brachial plexus tie-in. Once that tie-in is destroyed all signals to and from the brain to the rest of the body are cut off and the animal is instantly dead. In the event the nerve bundle is un affected by the shot, the broken shoulders and massive trauma to the lungs will get you the same result, it just takes a few seconds longer for the deer to succumb to blood loss. In any event the high shoulder shot is extremely effective.

[@zzz7zzz9]

100%.

[@bcallahan3806]

You missed the point., it's a waste of meat. You're 100% correct. What you basically said is shattering it's shoulder will devastate vital internal organs and hit spinal cord. We don't need fancy names for it. But it wastes a lot of meat. If recovered a lot of deer, field dressed, and processed them. Shot from multiple angles, directions with multiple calibers and loads. It all makes a difference. Biggest one, Hunter knowing their firearm, load and their capabilities. I don't know about you, but I don't eat Antlers. I'm not saying I would pass up on a big buck or bull. But as saying goes, would have taken the first one, if it was last day? And you waited 20 years to get a permit?

[@mattkinneberg1791]

Ever heard of copper ammo? Stop using toxic lead bullets. Monolithic bullets will punch right through with minimal meat loss. It also won't destroy the organs cuz real hunters eat the heart and liver. @@bcallahan3806

[@gbasplen]

It would have been better if you showed a diagram of exactly where is "high shoulder"

[@CaveBear1031]

High Shoulder shot also disrupts the 5 major nerves that come together in a bundle right behind the Shoulder Blade. Drops them in their tracks whether there's lung damage or not. For Rifle , that's my go to shot.

[@curte6062]

The spine also dips right there as well, high shoulder = DRT.

[@bl4ze600]

Do you think a .223 is a good gun for High shoulder shot

[@exothermal.sprocket]

@@bl4ze600 If it expands adequately and doesn't blow to fragments before adequate penetration, and if it's a legal caliber.

[@peterhrkal8165]

That's not what drops the deer though... its the shock to the central nervous system aka the spine that drops the deer.

[@bushme69]

I mainly shoot a .243. Every deer I’ve taken with a high shoulder shot has dropped right in place.

[@jesusmarin95]

Good to know

[@leroymorris6036]

Really appreciate your advice and makes so much sense, I think if more of us did this, the amount of lost deer who drop sharply!

[@mbahbendil]

a very challenging adventure, I am also a hunter from the tropical forests of Indonesia, you can see our excitement when hunting. greetings success always for you, good Jobs

[@fortscottmunitions3278]

Great video!

[@quintonstone7324]

I have always chosen that aim point. I use a .308 and a 6.5 CM and 95% of the time they drop right there. My last one was hit so hard it sat down like a dog instantly and was dead in that position until it just flopped to its side.

[@desperado8605]

Did this Saturday on my buck it's become my new aiming point

[@twolak1972]

The high shoulder shot is awesome especially with a hi power in the 25/06 ,3006 7mm mag range , the hydraulic shock transmitted to the spine will almost always drop em right there and the added advantage is the bullet has taken the lungs out as well so the animal will not In most cases regain its feet again before it bleeds out. I,ve used the high behind the shoulder shot multiple times with great results .Heart shots are out cuz I love eating the heart fried in onions.

[@vincegordon6830]

Excellent

[@bcallahan3806]

Absolutely spot on. Never my choice shot. But always my second in a broadside situation. Knowing your gun and ammo can eliminate this meat wasting shot as well. Why I prefer heavier calibers with controlled expansion. Knockdown power with minimal meat loss. (Immediate prep included). 180 power points were standard decades ago. Not so much anymore. Nosler Partitions, bonded, semi-bonded. Boat tails etc. Right ammo and proper gun is as important as shot placement. Then practice, practice. When you still hunt, I've never heard anyone even notice recoil. Accuracy, bullet selection, and overall knowledge. It's great advice on a short. Just jumping ahead . My apologies. Great video. Spot on.👍👍

[@Simon-talks]

indeed, a heavy Nosler Partion in a .308 caliber bullet is my choice. No deer runs off and not a bit of meat wasted.

[@alangross2277]

Your comment is spot on. Knowing your gun and ammunition and being proficient with it is really the key to dropping your game and not wasting good meat. There are far too many people out there that have no idea what the ammo they are using is going to do and there seems to be many that believe you want a pass through shot. Those folks should not be hunting, in my opinion. Know your weapon. Know your ammo. Personally, I think hunters should have to qualify with the gun and ammo they intend to hunt with, to prove a certain degree of proficiency, before they can apply for a tag.

[@kennybobby7893]

Can you do this with a slug

[@leroymorris6036]

Yes sir

[@curte6062]

High shoulder is my go to shot, they drop and don't move. Too much margin for error in a neck or head shot, and the traditional behind the shoulder or heart involves tracking. Where I hunt ridge and valley country you don't want them running especially down hill unless that's where your parked..

[@richardjames6456]

Does this shot placement work on other species like Buffalo, Elk and Moose. I would assume yes, based on similar anatomy.

[@robertboyd3863]

Too high on a buffalo and you hump shoot him, which is not good,

[@ChristianoMoe]

That's how we Scandinavians drop moose with the 6.5 since 1894 👍

[@wayneaymor9875]

You need to show a better visual on where exactly you are aiming at?

[@snapcrack55]

Interesting, but "thumbs down" for no PICTURE of your shot placement you are trying to describe.

[@buckstarchaser2376]

Perhaps you could go so far as to show a diagram and/or point of aim for those of us who came here to learn something?

[@bluesman7475]

Point of the shoulder not high shoulder. Point of the shoulder results in 2 broken shoulders, taking out the heart or arteries around the heart and results in what I call tge "snow plow'. With both front legs broken and non functioning the deer falls on its chin, most of the time dead. If not dead, it can not run off as it only has the use of 2 legs. I will qualify this by saying I only use .308 diameter or larger in deer huntinng and it has worked perfectly for me for over 50 years on over 300 deer harvested. If you are shooting a. 223 or. 243, I have no idea if you can fully penetrate the chest cavity and break 2 shoulders with an exit would. A 30-30 is the smallest diameter/power level I have ever used.

[@m444ss]

hits the shoulders *and* the brachial plexus nerve bundle.

[@chriskoort5717]

Depends how good shot you are. I aim slightly behind shoulders because I wanna preserve the meat. My last deer dropped instantly because I missed that aim point and hit him in the head instead.

[@wayneaymor9875]

Getting too old to track them anymore got to drop them in their tracks

[@kennystrange8705]

Bug yah baby

[@kedaotuning]

.270 enough to take a deer with the high shoulder shot Or i need a bigger caliber? Thanks in advance.

[@northamericanwhitetail5801]

.270 is a great round, but ballistics will always vary based on the round you're shooting. Be sure to buy the best that you can afford!

[@scottstewart5784]

Yes, a lot of the effect is hydrostatic shock, which the 270 has in abundance because of its speed and weight. 270 is a great deer round - no need to go bigger for deer. For deer, use 130 or 140 grains in a hornady deer round and you can't go wrong.

[@kedaotuning]

@@scottstewart5784 i got it dialed at 100 yds with the winchester big game 150 grain, I place another target at around 150yds not sure on the range of this target but man it shoots flat it build your confidence right on the spot.

[@scottstewart5784]

@@kedaotuning Your set up will work great. Good hunting!

[@donmunro144]

.270 will absolutely floor a whitetail futher than most people are capable of shooting. I personally have 1 shot .270 kills to 750 yards. But at that range there is a ton of drop. I do a lot of shooting so I know what settings the scope needs. I also have my ammo custom loaded.

[@Taqtik1992]

Does high should work with 223?

[@bluecollarholler4082]

Dropped my buck this year with Underwood 60gr ballistic tip .223 high shoulder and he didn't move an inch

[@twolak1972]

Why are you using a gun to shoot coyotes FOR DEER, USE ENOUGH GUN.

[@bluecollarholler4082]

@@twolak1972 .223 dropped my buck in its tracks. Shot placement

[@twolak1972]

@@bluecollarholler4082 That's just stupid, 223 is way to small for deer. Dumbest thing states ever did was remove the 24 caliber minimum laws. Hundreds if not thousands of deer are lost every year due to idiots using varmint bullets for deer. Man up and get something bigger , if you need to get a padded shoulder recoil pad .My 7 mag does,nt kick that bad and Ive never lost a deer .

[@bluecollarholler4082]

@@twolak1972 I see more deer lost from over confident bo-zos shooting high caliber rifles

[@joztunes69]

Neck shot will drop them in there tracks, I've done that and was in the same situation as you guys are, not being able to go onto private property to get the deer

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Spinal column is a very small target. That's the only issue with it. A small movement of the animal at the trigger pull will cause the shot to go off intended point. The high shoulder gives you more options, that being the nervous system bundle of nerves at the base of the neck which incapacitates consciousness and signals to the muscular system, upper part of the lungs which also ensures a secondary guarantee, and busted up shoulder bones which is a third guarantee.

[@ericgebhardt4058]

I used an Airforce Texan .457 air rifle last year and the 350 gr hollow point through the brachial plexus (high shoulder) absolutely dropped her on the spot.

[@ajjubhairamallinone603]

Can. 22 rifle also work on high sholder of deer?

[@fjb4932]

"One picture is worth 10,000 words." Confucius. ☆

[@coreystoner4129]

Neck shot also works.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Spinal column is a very small target. That's the only issue with it. A small movement of the animal at the trigger pull will cause the shot to go off intended point. The high shoulder gives you more options, that being the nervous system bundle of nerves at the base of the neck which incapacitates consciousness and signals to the muscular system, upper part of the lungs which also ensures a secondary guarantee, and busted up shoulder bones which is a third guarantee.

[@coreystoner4129]

@@exothermal.sprocket very true but if someone is confident in there shot let them take it. Shot a buck over 10 years ago running full speed and I hit him right in the neck and rolled him up. The best shot to take is a headshot because then they are guaranteed to be dead on arrival. In the end I know what shots I will take and I only take shots that I know that I can hit

[@exothermal.sprocket]

@@coreystoner4129 That's fine. So long as confidence is something earned and learned, not merely a overestimated or oversimplified view of one's self. Confidence isn't the end-all be-all for medium game either. One has to develop a respect for the game and the act of wildlife conservation. In that process of respect, optimizing the process of harvesting game should also be considered from the ethics standpoint, not merely the estimation of self confidence. I guarantee the one time a neck shot is attempted, the animal makes a sudden move, bullet strikes another spot and blows the animal's jaw off or some other inhumane act, it runs off suffering for hours and hours somewhere unable to ever heal and not dying very quickly, that estimation of confidence will sink out of sight in a hurry. The entire head is on an easily-moved pivot. The shoulder/main body doesn't move quickly no matter. When you consider the terrain, the range, the animals mannerisms, the weather, the caliber you chose, the angle the animal presents itself to you, the ethics of conservation, the factors really converge on double-lung shots or at least upper shoulder shots.

[@coreystoner4129]

@@exothermal.sprocket only had one time when I attempted a neck shot and it did hit the jaw but with the rifle I use I cycled another round and got a better shot on it. I use a 308 for deer and bear with a 165 gr hornady sst hand load. My inline I run a potent magnum charge of Blackhorn 209 with a 330 grain elr bullet from powerbelt.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

@@coreystoner4129 That's one example. Secondary shots diminish accuracy and probability, as the animal is 99% guaranteed to move.

[@winstonskafte5505]

Base of the skull works to and you dont lose any meat at all .

[@robertboyd3863]

Yea, and a slight bit off takes out his jaw

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Spinal column is a very small target. That's the only issue with it. A small movement of the animal at the trigger pull will cause the shot to go off intended point. The high shoulder gives you more options, that being the nervous system bundle of nerves at the base of the neck which incapacitates consciousness and signals to the muscular system, upper part of the lungs which also ensures a secondary guarantee, and busted up shoulder bones which is a third guarantee.

[@billcraig1540]

Neck for me.

[@josephjenschke7057]

As a meat processor please do not listen to this advice and then ask us where all your meat went, with a high shoulder shot you typically loose Both blades as well as sometimes up to half your back straps and or neck meat. I’m talking 5-10 lbs of meat loss which for an average whitetail in my neck of the woods is about 10%-20 percent sometimes more. I would recommend behind the shoulder for less meat loss or if you don’t want to track then high neck. I have shot deer upon deer in the neck and seen hundreds come in and it is minimal meat loss and a dead deer in its tracks. High shoulder is wasteful and I’m disappointed that it’s being taught as a preferable shot. Btw I in the last 2 years I’ve touched about 6000 deer so I’m not pulling this out of my ass

[@robertboyd3863]

5 lbs of meat lost, compared to losing the whole animal , pure nonsense

[@joshsinglefooter]

Robert listen to the man. If you can't make a good shot shot behind the shoulder... you need practice.

[@robertboyd3863]

@@joshsinglefooter I have shot Kudu , Gemsbuck, Impala , Black Bear, Grizzly bear, White Tail, Black tail , Mule deer, Moose , Caribou , Elk , wolf, to name a few, only an idiot would shoot any African game behind the shoulder, and a not to bright person on American game, so why would I listen to an idiot, when I damn sure know more than the both of you

[@robertboyd3863]

Sure thing , listen to a meat cutter rather than a hunter that knows what he is talking about

[@joshsinglefooter]

@@robertboyd3863 not to argue. I hate waste. I've harvested well over 200 deer.

[@easttexan2933]

Gordon? Really? "A few pounds of meat"? Freaking hilarious. There's no "meat" in the area you're describing. Even if there was some meat there, it's gonna be ground up into hamburger anyway. Hopefully hunters are not shooting 50BMG at whitetails.

[@joshsinglefooter]

Its just too oos much meat lost!

[@robertboyd3863]

Nonsense , much better than losing the whole deer

[@joshsinglefooter]

@@robertboyd3863 practice. You'll get better. Plus a 30 cal rifle. You'll be fine.

[@ASSHOLE123456ish]

A high shoulder shoot is the deadliest shoot