Western Hunting Journal, Premiere Issue whj001_premiere | Page 68

TECHNIQUE
Hit List
Six areas to place your shot on big game. By Pat Hoglund
S
ITTING ON A LARGE ROCK about 1,000
feet below the summit, I waited for
my hunting partner to get above me.
The plan was to side-hill the face of
the mountain until we reached the top of the
Steens Mountains in Oregon. Scott would
start ahead of me and I’d trail him with the
idea that if I jumped something I’d push it in
his direction, and vice versa.
It was a good opportunity to take a drink
from my water bottle and eat an energy
bar. I set my rifle aside and marveled in the
splendor of the snow-capped mountains in
Southeast Oregon. I had no more swallowed
my first bite when I heard shale rock crash-
ing down above me. Scott had spooked a
mule deer and it was running across the hill-
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WESTERN HUNTING JOURNAL
side above me. I grabbed my rifle and took
two shots at the running buck. The shale
rock exploded behind him twice as both
shots missed. In the confusion, the deer
stopped to see where the bullets were com-
ing from. At that point, the buck was facing
me. I placed the crosshairs on his chest and
squeezed the trigger. The bullet penetrated
and took out both lungs. The four-point
buck dropped instantly. Had I hit him while
he was running the results could’ve proved
disastrous. But I got lucky and a better shot
presented itself. That night we feasted on
heart steaks cooked over an open fire.
A clean, humane shot is critical when
hunting big game. No hunter wants to
wound an animal, let alone lose it in the
woods. While rudimentary to most hunt-
ers, revisiting shot placement is always a
good idea. Knowing where to place your
shot begins with a basic understanding
of an animal’s anatomy. For example, you
should know where the heart and lungs are
located. Understandably, these two vital ar-
eas are where most hunters place their shot.
The shoulder is also a popular aim point as
is the neck. And a well-placed shot that hits
the spine drops them instantly. What follows
is a hit list of shot placement when hunting
big game, in particular deer and elk. There
are pros and cons of each shot and this arti-
cle should give you clear picture of where to
place your bullet or arrow depending on the
position of the animal.