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I have noticed a few knowledgable Utubers showing how to take frontal shots with a bow, discussing shot placment and heavy arrows.
Take it from me, someone who has watched two deer run away with my arrow in their chest, dont do it.
The deer we hunt are living breathing creatures who deserve nothing but the most humane shot placement. For us (most of us) this sport is just recreation, for the animals we hunt it is a matter of life and death.
is a frontal shot lethal? absolutely
I will tell you it's extremely difficult to track because many cases there's no exit and blood has to make it's way all the way up to the entrance wound to start to bleed out.
I've been a part of 3 frontal deer recoveries and all 3 didn't bleed until the last 50 yards and all 3 went over 100 yards
When hunting on the ground I have taken 3 deer with the frontal shot with my crossbow.
Aim in the middle of the white throat patch and they fold on the spot.
Never shoot them mid chest. This may hit one lung and cause unnecessary suffering.
that a pretty small target, basically have to hit the neck bone which is what inch maybe 1.5". I have also taken 3 frontal shots, 2 with xbow, heart and 1 lung Doe went 50yds. other went 600yds missed the heart got lung and out side back of lung. The other was with slug 12ga at 25yds it went about 70yds.
you have a higher chance of wounding than killing cleanly. not recommended with a bow and sometimes pulled off with a gun.
The most lethal shots and shortest tracking jobs I've taken were frontal shots.
Granted these were from close range, as in 15 yards or less. But other than that there is no dense bone structure in your way and it gives you a clear shot to the network of arteries and blood vessels from the top of the heart. Killing that deer very quickly. I've taken frontal shots on deer and had them go only 15 yards.
If you aim mid chest you will hit the blood vessels coming from the top of the heart as the heart is also in the mid line of the deer. Aiming in the middle is actually your most lethal shot.Quote:
Originally Posted by bellerivercrossbowhunter
Call me crazy but, I think the bottom line is don't take a frontal shot. Too many things can wrong.
Your not crazy
Good advice.Quote:
Originally Posted by fieldtrip
The Truth About Frontal Shots on Deer | MeatEater Wired To Hunt (themeateater.com)
Great article.Quote:
Originally Posted by werner.reiche
this is a good article. with mine this year, 355micro, fixed broadhead, 10ft with slight quartering away. from the ground. So I pretty much covered off all the check marks to make the shot, was still almost a mistake. Bolt entered right of centre, I aimed low, not low enough, crossed over heart and got the back of the left lung, before exiting barley as bolt traveled with deer for over a 100yds before it fell out of deer, ahead of diaphragm on the left side. This deer easily went 600yds, if not for my lab I'd still be there looking and crying. So no a frontal shot is not a good idea, even if you have all the check boxes in this article checked.
'' The deer we hunt are living breathing creatures who deserve nothing but the most humane shot placement. For us (most of us) this sport is just recreation, for the animals we hunt it is a matter of life and death. "
Amen to that !! I can't even look at the animal's eyes afterwards, and always hope & aim for a 1 shot, quick kill event with bow or gun .
I've taken frontal rifle shots on Moose and Deer with instant lethal results. I would never take the same shot with a bow. Like already mentioned,and I agree, far more can go wrong quickly with a bow.
I like to wait until it gives me something better to shoot at and occasionally that happens. I will never shoot at the chest with a crossbow and have only done it once with a shotgun slug. I’ve seen one guy drop one quickly by hitting it dead centre just above the base of the neck, but I like to leave a little room for error.