Knowing where to aim at a deer is a perquisite to going hunting.
September 18, 2023
By Josh Honeycutt
Knowing where to aim on a whitetail deer is a crucial skill all hunters should know by heart. It’s a foundational component of being a good, ethical, law-abiding deer hunter. Of course, when it presents itself, hunters should take clean, broadside shot opportunities at a properly identified target with a safe backdrop beyond it. For bowhunters and gun hunters, quartering-away shot opportunities can also be deadly. For gun hunters, quartering-to shot opportunities can be considered ethical as well, with certain limitations.
That said, what are good hits and bad hits? Where should hunters aim at a whitetail deer?
The author poses with a buck that dropped in its tracks. GOOD HITS There are only two aiming points hunters should ever consider. The most lethal is the heart shot. The second-most deadly shot is the lung hit. Either of these are considered good, ethical aiming points and shot locations.
Heart Shot The heart shot is a difficult one to aim for, but it’s the best option available. This leads to the fastest death of the target animal. It’s the most lethal and ethical hit, but also offers the smallest target. A deer heart is only slightly larger than a human fist.
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Anatomical Position: Behind the lower portion of the front leg near the bottom of the best cavity.
Animal Reaction: Typical mule kick, fast dashing, short run, etc.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Rich, crimson blood.
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Blood Trail Expectations: Moderate to heavy.
Average Wait Time: If the deer falls in sight, follow up immediately. If not, wait 30-45 minutes.
Lung Shot The lung shot is the most common aiming point for deer hunters. Although not as quick of a killer as a heart shot, this is a high-odds shot location that leads to rapid death. It’s also a much larger target.
Anatomical Position: Behind the shoulder; ultimately taking up the front 1/3 of the body cavity.
Animal Reaction: If ribs are hit, the deer will bolt. If ribs are missed, the reaction might be more subtle.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Pink or bright-red blood.
Blood Trail Expectations: Moderate to heavy.
Average Wait Time: If the deer falls in sight, follow up immediately. If not, wait 45 minutes to an hour.
The color and concentration of the blood trail is indicative of the shot location and how to procede on the tracking job. BAD HITS While these shots should never happen purposely, other, less ideal hits can occur. Hunt long enough and you will make a bad shot. It’s unfortunate, but likely to happen. So, while hunters should never aim at the following areas, it’s good to know how to recognize and respond to these occurrences.
Liver Hit The liver hit is a lethal shot location, but isn’t one to ever aim for purposely. While technically a vital organ that will lead to death if stricken, it takes time for a deer to succumb to it.
Anatomical Position: Located directly behind the lungs and in front of the paunch.
Animal Reaction: Might react like a lung-shot deer, but it will soon stop, and might hunch up and walk off slowly.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Dark-red blood.
Blood Trail Expectations: The blood will start out moderate and taper off.
Average Wait Time: 5-7 hours.
Paunch (Gut) Shot Another shot location to never aim for, the paunch (stomach) is another lethal hit. However, it takes a very long time to die from it. Furthermore, gut-shot deer are quite difficult to recover.
Anatomical Position: Located behind the liver and diaphragm. It is about halfway between the front and back legs.
Animal Reaction: The deer will run a short distance, stop, and hunch up. It will likely bed down or walk off slowly.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Green bile and stomach contents with minimal to no blood.
Blood Trail Expectations: Little to no blood.
Average Wait Time: 12-18 hours.
When hunting, be sure to wait until the vitals are clear before taking the shot. Intestinal (Gut) Shot Like the paunch (gut) shot, intestinal shots aren’t anything to hope for or brag about. While these can result in death slightly faster than a straight paunch hit, this still takes a long time to be lethal. Again, these hits make for very difficult recoveries.
Anatomical Position: Located behind the paunch. This takes up the back 1/3 of the body cavity.
Animal Reaction: The deer will run a short distance, stop, and hunch up. It will likely bed down or walk off slowly.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Brown or green stomach contents with minimal to no blood.
Blood Trail Expectations: Little to no blood.
Average Wait Time: 12-18 hours.
Shoulder Shot The shoulder is a tricky one. Sometimes, it can be lethal. Other times, it isn’t. It also depends on gun or bow usage. Sometimes, a high-shoulder hit to the scapula with a gun can result in a fast death. Whereas an arrow to the scapula may not kill a deer at all. While shoulder-hit deer sometimes die, it can be a toss-up, especially if the hit is too high.
Anatomical Position: The scapula is located straight above the front leg about 2/3 of the way up the body.
Animal Reaction: With a bow, the deer will bolt, run quickly, and likely make it out of sight.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Bright-red blood. Broken arrow likely.
Blood Trail Expectations: Light to moderate blood to begin with, then tapering off.
Average Wait Time: Follow up immediately if the deer doesn’t fall in sight.
As an archery hunter, you should never take a quartering-to shot with a bow. Hind-Quarter Hit Hitting a deer in the ham isn’t advised. Oftentimes, these are mere flesh wounds. That said, if the shot strikes a major artery, such as the femoral that runs up the hind quarter, or the aorta which begins in the upper thigh and runs along the underside of the spine, it can produce a shockingly fast death. Still, this is not something to aim for.
Anatomical Position: Located directly above the hind leg.
Animal Reaction: If a major artery is hit, the deer will run but bleed out quickly. If a major artery is missed, it will certainly make it out of sight.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Bright-red blood. Broken arrow likely.
Blood Trail Expectations: If a major artery is hit, expect a massive blood trail. If a major artery is missed, light to moderate blood to begin with, then tapering off.
Average Wait Time: Follow up immediately.
Lower Leg Hit Hitting a deer in the lower leg is a very unfortunate thing. In and of itself, this isn’t lethal. However, it oftentimes leads to infection. Other times, it slows deer down, resulting in predation. Still, many deer live with only three legs, so it isn’t a death sentence.
Anatomical Position: The lower half of each leg.
Animal Reaction: The deer will run off. Depending on how much damage is done will impact how quickly or far it runs before slowing down.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Bright-red blood. Broken arrow likely.
Blood Trail Expectations: Light to moderate blood to begin with, then tapering off.
Average Wait Time: Follow up immediately.
Snow-covered ground offers the best blood-trailing conditions because of the high contrast in colors. Neck Shot Many gun hunters live by the neck shot. While it’s a small target, it is very lethal – if a hunter’s skillset is good enough to make it. That said, miss by a fraction and it leads to an agonizing wound. Of course, bowhunters should never aim for the neck.
Anatomical Position: Located between the brisket and head.
Animal Reaction: If the shot doesn’t drop the deer, it will likely survive. Sometimes, if the jugular is stricken, it might make it out of sight (especially in thicker cover), but likely won’t.
Arrow/Blood Condition: Bright-red blood. Broken arrow likely.
Blood Trail Expectations: Moderate blood to begin with, then tapering off.
Average Wait Time: Follow up immediately.
Spine Shot A spine hit generally isn’t lethal on its own. That is, unless hit with a high-power rifle that produces hydrostatic shock. Oftentimes, deer hit with a gun still need a follow-up hit. Deer spine shot with an arrow always do.
Anatomical Position: Located along the underside of the back line.
Animal Reaction: The deer will drop. It might get back up, though.
Arrow/Blood Condition: No blood. Broken arrow likely.
Blood Trail Expectations: No blood trail.
Average Wait Time: Follow up immediately.
Broadside shot opportunities at a properly identified target with a safe backdrop beyond it is the optimum shot to take on a deer. All things considered, making the shot on a deer isn’t easy. It can be quite difficult, especially under pressure. But that is why we practice and strive for excellence. That way, we can be confident when we aim at a deer.
