Another shot placement question.

[Dry Bones]

I know this is very subjective as to situation and location, but after a long go Saurtday I am looking for a few answers.
The situation was I was Turkey hunting out near Sonora and had a good sized Sika doe walk well into bow range. After a little hesitation I decided that I would shoot her and have more freezer meat. She presented a perfect 25 yard broadside shot which I took and felt really solid with. She almost hit the ground when the arrow struck and went 50 yards to stand and wobble with blood flowing from the crease just behind the shoulder. Then she proceeds to walk into the woods where a good blood trail started. Late into the morning I had not found her and lost the blood trail. The last time I saw the deer it had large amounts of blood coming from both sides in the lower section tight to the shoulder.
The shot hit exactly where I thought it was a homerun, tight and low. I have no doubt as to the point of contact. NONE.
If you have stayed with me this far, here is the question. Do you shoot for lungs and if you get part of the heart, great, or where is your "preferred shot" location? I have always tried for a straight heart shot if it is manageable, so again lower in the "triangle" but this is not the first that has left with flowing blood, however this one I did not find.
I have only been bowhunting for about 3 years, and do feel like there is a lot more here to learn. This is just a bigger part of it. I shoot relentlessly at home in all sorts of weather and scenarios with my compound and traditional bows, but I need someone with more experience to shed some light here.

Thank You for any help.

[Axe Man]

I can't remember who, but someone much wiser than me stated on here to shoot right up the leg in the shoulder. It gave me great results this season.

[rjtkdplus]

Maybe the shot was too low?

[Dry Bones]

RJ, I have thought about that a good bit, maybe it could have been to low, but the arrow had plenty of meat below the impact point. I had a very cloudy overcast and watched the nocturnal disappear into the animal. I was in a 20 ft tripod so the exit would have been lower, and that in itself may be the difference. I had one situation this season with hitting one a little high and not much blood, as it would have to fill the cavity more to get out, though fortunately they did not go very far either and was an easy recovery.

[Mike Murphey]

I always aim behind the shoulder, no matter what animal it is.....behind the shoulder allows for animal movement and a bad shot.....

[kd350]

Maybe too low, shot a doe real low once and she bled a lot, and it slowly trickled out. but luckily she ran into a pasture so I could see her and finish her off, that may be what happened to you as well

[Chance Love]

"Tight and low" from 20 feet up is probably the problem. You probably just pinched her. They can bleed a lot from that. And 25 yards is "getting out there" for most of us.

I have seen a LOT of bad results from "perfect" shots right in the crease. And have done it myself many times. I try to get more into the the shoulder. Preferably straight up the leg, just below dead center of the shoulder. Contrary to what some will tell you, there is no bone here. My goal is the top of the heart, from any angle. If you get that you will also get both lungs, every time.

[Fajkus7]

"Tight and low" from 20 feet up is probably the problem. You probably just pinched her. They can bleed a lot from that. And 25 yards is "getting out there" for most of us.

I have seen a LOT of bad results from "perfect" shots right in the crease. And have done it myself many times. I try to get more into the the shoulder. Preferably straight up the leg, just below dead center of the shoulder. Contrary to what some will tell you, there is no bone here. My goal is the top of the heart, from any angle. If you get that you will also get both lungs, every time.

^^^ this. I lost my first archery buck the same way OP. Put it right on the heart in the crease and let it rock. Saw the hit and watched him run about thirty yards and stop. I picked up the binos and saw blood pumping out everywhere before he just walked off. About thirty minutes later I got up to track a found what looked like someone poured out a paint can. After several hours and 1000+ yards later we lost it and never found him. We saw him again like a month later and he was fine. We believe the shot was just a little too low. The amount of blood was incredible though. Now I will always shoot straight up the leg like said above.

[bowfisher1725]

I've always shot for lungs, wether it's 20 yards or 40. I know a lot a lot of guys that shoot for the heart. The lungs a bigger target and leaves room for string jump and shooter error. I've heard other day to shoot right up the leg on the shoulder as stated above. But I've never tried it, I've just stuck with what always works for me.

[Kenner97]

I can't remember who, but someone much wiser than me stated on here to shoot right up the leg in the shoulder. It gave me great results this season.

Exactly like this.
Shot a doe and buck this past year and neither one went more than 40 yards.

[JW]

Another shot placement question.

If you hit a Sika Doe behind the shoulder crease you barely clipped the back of her lungs. That's where your problem started. Aim straight up the leg on then and Whitetails in the Deadly V and in the lower 1/3 and your trails "will" get a lot shorter.


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[bphillips]

From here to Africa and anywhere else straight up the leg and just below halfway up the body is a dead animal. Now tight and low from 20' up my bet is it was just too low. Gotta make sure you're aiming for where you what your exit to be.

[CabezaBlanca]

On a 20' foot stand I always shoot straight up the leg and center mass. It usually gets both lungs and the top of the heart. Very short tracks every time.

[Diamond S]

I always try to double lung them. I started doing that about 15 years ago. everything but the Cape Buffalo and a Gemsbok I have watched fall in 60 yards or less. The two above hit the brush, The Cape went down after about 50 yards, but got up and went another 15 or so before he was down for the count. The gemsbok only made it about 40 yards.

[Dry Bones]

Thank you for all the responses. I believe I will move my pin up and maybe more to the front just a tad. Explain to me straight up the leg. Like straight up to mid depth of shoulder.? In that your going through the scapula or ?? I feel confident in my gear and set-up so I'm willing to try most anything to make my recovery better then the last.
Thanks again.