Thoughts/Experience with shooting a deer between front legs?

I am in no way condoning this, but was having a conversation with a buddy of mine, and we were wondering what kind of damage that would do? Was wondering if anyone out there has shot a deer from straight on between the front legs? Or has heard of someone doing it.

I understand this is not a good shot, just a general wondering.

 

You will have to be more detailed.

 

I don't foresee a likely situation that I would try a TX heart shot on a whitetail. Very little room for error.

Sure it can be deadly, but it's just not a shot I'd like to take.

 

I shot a deer a few years ago facing me, one thing I would say is make sure they are directly facing you. When i shot that deer, he was quartered slightly and i did not calculate the angle properly and blew out one shoulder and had to finish him off after I found him. I had completely missed the vitals and the only thing holding him down was the force of the rifle on his shoulder. This was with a rifle though, so obviously it would have a different outcome with an arrow. With an arrow I would think that it would be hard to get a real good shot on a deer. You could hit them in the heart or lung, but don't think you could get a double lung shot which is the way to go with a broadside shot. It's just not the high percentage shot I'd like to take with a bow. But that's just my opinion.

 

At best you would get part of one lung and if you were really lucky there's a chance you could get heart too. Not a good shot to take in my opinion. The ribs are more tightly packed in front and the sternum is a solid piece of bone which does a pretty good job of shielding the heart.

 

Sorry: Deer is facing directly towards you. Not quartering towards. You decide to shoot directly between the front legs. Essentially you are entering into the chest, and exit (if it did exit) would be out the backside of the deer.

I added a picture of a random deer almost in the stance i am refering to. Hope this clarifies

 

I have a friend that took that shot from off the ground. Entered straight in and by the time it was done the arrow did considerable damage and the little doe didn't run far. Not a shot I would take, but on the ground or in a treestand could make a huge difference. Can't decide which I would perfer though. (Like you said this is all in theory) From the ground you are not going to get a blood trail, but from a treestand you should get a pass through, but with less damage. Interesting topic for sure.

 

I have taken this shot with a gun before and it was very lethal, with that said I was a teenager and I should have waited. I will never take that shot with a bow.

 

I shot my first deer years ago like this. Low poundage setup and the arrow didn't passthrough. Arrow stayed in the chest cavity a destroyed the heart and lungs as it ran away. He fell dead less than 100 yards away.

Not a shot I reccomend and I most likely wouldn't do it again but it can definitely be deadly.

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I would think you could have some type of bad deflection
depending on where you hit. Not a shot I would take.


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If I am not confident about a shot then I am not going to take it. I know there are no guarantees even broadside, but for me personally, if that was the only shot that presented itself...then I would have to take a pass.

 

X 2....

 

The straight on shot is DEADLY, but if you are not confident in your skills you shouldn't take it. I have never had a straight on shot deer travel more than 40 yards. It is also a very profuse blood trail.

 

I don't care how confident you are. A couple inches left or right will not have a good outcome.

 

Dead center between the legs would hit the sternum most likely, and that is a very thick bone

 

This. I've shot two deer like this with a bow. Spot a stalk. Both crashed in sight less than 40 yards. I wouldn't take this shot from a stand. From the ground I know for a fact it's deadly.

 

Confidence in skills is one thing. Ensuring the deer doesn't move while its looking up is an entirely different thing. We've all had deer jump the string and on a shot where you only have an inch or two of play. That's a shot no ethical hunter should take with a bow.

 

I'm pretty sure a Texas heart Shot is shooting one facing straight away from you, essentially aiming at the deers..ummm...arse hole if you will. Would hate to process any deer shot in that manner with any weapon.

As far as a head on shot on a deer with a bow, I'm not taking it but I know Stan Potts would;] It's not that I don't think it's lethal but to me it's a smaller target with minimal room for error and lots of room for weird deflection(especially with a mechanical BH). Not to mention the fact that even if you do stick one in there it likely won't come out and the blood trail could be poor depending exactly where the arrow entered and at what kind of angle.

Now with a shotgun or a rifle...Cancel Christmas for said deer.

 

I'd much rather have 2 holes for blood to pump out of, an entry hole and an exit hole, and a directly facing chest shot really only implies an entry hole. I, personally, would not feel confident in the shot simply because I dont prepare myself to take that shot on 3d targets. I'd imagine some luck would have to be involved in penetrating through the sternum and hitting vital organs, while assuming the deer doesnt see me draw and jump the string. I'm sure it could be done and very much lethal, but I'd rather wait for a shot that I know I'm confident in making, broadside or quartering away.

 

There are allot of bow hunters taking this shot now. Sickens me. Not all but most It seem are new to the sport bow hunters. It seems some of the others are the people who think speed kills. I had this very same conversation this last weekend. He laughed at me when I told him that I don't believe In the shot. Too much room for error I told him.