RL338
Handloader
- Mar 23, 2017
- 4,355
- 7,602
Fine looking buck , nice tall rack. Congrats to him.
2025 Hunting Season
- Thread starter JD338
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #322
- Nov 4, 2004
- 26,712
- 12,675
In this specific scenario, I couldn't see all of his vitals due to the terrain and brush. I took what he gave me within the ethical limits. It was only an approximate 140-yard shot while supported with shooting sticks, so I felt confident enough to take the shot.
It's my understanding that the "high shoulder" shot should be centered on the scapula which is the juncture of several critical structure elements such as the spine and main leg bones. It's not necessarily my preferred shot but does seem effective with my Barnes load. In my opinion, there does seems to be a smaller margin of error than the traditional "behind the shoulder/lungs" shot...
Blkram
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2013
- 3,302
- 4,035
I have used the high shoulder shot effectively for years where I need to anchor the animal in its tracks to keep it from getting into rough/steep/deep terrain that will make extraction more difficult. Note, that this is not my preferred shot placement...I still prefer the double lung shot to any other for quick, clean kills with less meat damage and short follow up, if they run at all.
salmonchaser
Ammo Smith
- Dec 13, 2013
- 5,749
- 7,718
Big big fan of the high shoulder shot. Thirty yard dead from a heart shot sprint can get you 1000 feet down the hill. Anchor them where they stand if you can. Flat ground, when I find some, I’ll shoot them in the crease.
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I certainly can see the desire to anchor them with hills like that. I imagine they could even slide away on their own in that terrain. I can't relate to that demanding of hunting at all...
salmonchaser
Ammo Smith
- Dec 13, 2013
- 5,749
- 7,718
About 1980 I was hunting with my dad, second photo if you look over the tall tree you see a flat. I was working my way up one of those fingers below the flat to meet up with Dad. Near the top a bull came up out of some brush below me and gave me a cross canyon shot. There was snow, I hit him good but he moved a little and went down on a north facing slope. Slid well over 1000 vertical feet. I bought a 338 for the next season.
- Thread starter
- #330
- Nov 4, 2004
- 26,712
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Ralt71
Beginner
- Jun 6, 2025
- 245
- 270
That's a great buck! I hunt WV up in the Mt Storm area. Not every year, but often. Some of the guys that work for me out of our Clarksburg branch invite me out to hunt and stay at their camp from time to time.
Ralt71
Beginner
- Jun 6, 2025
- 245
- 270
Thank you very much for this. I am going to try this shot this season on a doe. I had to track my buck this year and a 30 yard sprint turned into two hours of tracking, 5,811 steps because I walked by him twice and never seen him haha.
Ralt71
Beginner
- Jun 6, 2025
- 245
- 270
What is your reason for preferring the double lung over this one? Asking out of curiosity.
Ralt71
Beginner
- Jun 6, 2025
- 245
- 270
My central PA buck is in the books for the year. Was fantastic getting him because it was my daughters first year staying at camp to hunt with me and the gang. She toughed out a couple hunts trying to get her on a buck, did some cold sits and this particular morning sat in some heavy snow with me and a wind that would not let up. Only thing she said to me was her feet were getting cold, but didn't ask to leave. Couldn't ask for much more out of a 9 year old.
Got this buck with my 7 mag. 150g SilverTip, WLRM, N160, Peterson brass. He came in where I have never had deer come before and was only about 70 yards out. My load is doing just a touch under 3100fps. I'm guessing it didn't have enough time to slow down because the entry hole was small and the exit hole was smaller than usual. The deer kicked, hunkered over, did a 180 and took off. This in itself is not normal for the mag. Most drop, some may stumble a little then drop. This guy was on one after getting the smoke. I lost sight of him in the thick after about 20 yards but heard him crash shortly after. I sat back and had a Mtn Dew with Maddie and we split a bag of chips. We talked about the hunt, the wind, where he came and why we thought he did that, and the art of tracking haha. Gave the deer roughly 30 minutes. I told her she can lead the track (thinking it would be easy with the snow and based on the sound of the crash how close he was) we will go to the spot of the shot, get on some blood and follow it to our harvest. It was snowing decent so the fresh tracks were filling in but still usable. Go to his tracks and much to my surprise, not a drop of blood. We started following the tracks and never found blood, about 15 yards in there were 4 sets of tracks (was so thick I never seen the other deer). We ended up on a long hunt of track following with no blood for a while... I was all but giving up when I told Maddie I was going to look one more time and we were going to focus on cover he could have hit to lay in and expire. This time we found him, very well covered in a small stream but out in the open area next to the thicket, with snow laying on top of most of him. He had only ran about 30 yard total.
Double lung shot, while field dressing I noticed both lungs had big holes in them. I'm not sure if the round was just going too fast to leave the bigger exit hole I'm use to with this load or what. I am considering trying a load that is down around 2800 though. This can be my load for hunting the areas I know I won't be shooting out past 100 yards.
Super fun time at camp, great to get a harvest with my daughter by my side, and a great learning experience for both of us on the track (we walked within 2 yards of this deer twice before we seen him!!) and one in the books! I take my wife out later this week and take everyone out for some meat deer next week.
Got this buck with my 7 mag. 150g SilverTip, WLRM, N160, Peterson brass. He came in where I have never had deer come before and was only about 70 yards out. My load is doing just a touch under 3100fps. I'm guessing it didn't have enough time to slow down because the entry hole was small and the exit hole was smaller than usual. The deer kicked, hunkered over, did a 180 and took off. This in itself is not normal for the mag. Most drop, some may stumble a little then drop. This guy was on one after getting the smoke. I lost sight of him in the thick after about 20 yards but heard him crash shortly after. I sat back and had a Mtn Dew with Maddie and we split a bag of chips. We talked about the hunt, the wind, where he came and why we thought he did that, and the art of tracking haha. Gave the deer roughly 30 minutes. I told her she can lead the track (thinking it would be easy with the snow and based on the sound of the crash how close he was) we will go to the spot of the shot, get on some blood and follow it to our harvest. It was snowing decent so the fresh tracks were filling in but still usable. Go to his tracks and much to my surprise, not a drop of blood. We started following the tracks and never found blood, about 15 yards in there were 4 sets of tracks (was so thick I never seen the other deer). We ended up on a long hunt of track following with no blood for a while... I was all but giving up when I told Maddie I was going to look one more time and we were going to focus on cover he could have hit to lay in and expire. This time we found him, very well covered in a small stream but out in the open area next to the thicket, with snow laying on top of most of him. He had only ran about 30 yard total.
Double lung shot, while field dressing I noticed both lungs had big holes in them. I'm not sure if the round was just going too fast to leave the bigger exit hole I'm use to with this load or what. I am considering trying a load that is down around 2800 though. This can be my load for hunting the areas I know I won't be shooting out past 100 yards.
Super fun time at camp, great to get a harvest with my daughter by my side, and a great learning experience for both of us on the track (we walked within 2 yards of this deer twice before we seen him!!) and one in the books! I take my wife out later this week and take everyone out for some meat deer next week.
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salmonchaser
Ammo Smith
- Dec 13, 2013
- 5,749
- 7,718
Blkram
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2013
- 3,302
- 4,035
As the high shoulder shot usually hits bone, and can tend to damage more meat of the back strap at the shoulder, I usually like the lower double lung shot that does not ruin as much meat, with less bone and heavy muscle (read steaks or backstrap) encountered for most shots where the animal isn't likely to go far or get into steep/deep/rough terrain that will add to the workload when getting the animal out. The double lung shot is typically a quick, clean kill that results in short tracking jobs if required. Often an unwary, or unalarmed, or non-adrenalized animal will just hump up and take a few steps before tipping over when no major bones are struck.
As an example, my caribou taken at 76 yards with the 308 Win and 175 gr Terminal Ascent ammo fell within a few feet of where he was when shot with this shot placement in October. Has also been experienced on mulies, whitetails, moose, and elk over the years too with various cartridges and bullets placed in the same manner.
It's about working smarter not harder! (Lessons learned over the past 38 years)
Excellent buck. How nice that you could share that experience with your daughter.
Wolfshead
Handloader
- Feb 5, 2022
- 316
- 835
From what I understand, there also is a “junction” of nerves? Or nerve bundle? in the high shoulder area that is an “off switch” when hit.
That is where I hit my Buck from this year, and he didn’t take a step.
The shot did cause a loss of some backstrap, and shoulder meat from both shoulders, which is why I prefer a double lung shot myself.
I did find, using the copper monos, that the amount of bloodshot meat was much less than what I have experienced with lead based bullets.
That is a positive for me!
