Where to Shoot

The area of the vital organs also contains major blood vessels and arteries. A shot in this area causes considerable bleeding. If the animal doesn’t die immediately and tries to flee, it will leave a blood trail that’s easy to track.

Aside from being a good marksman, the key to a quick, clean kill is patience. Hunters should limit shots to the vital organs only.

• If you do not have a clear shot to the vital organs, wait until the animal presents the best possible shot.
• It is OK to let an opportunity pass. Patience in waiting for the clear shot does not always pay off with an ethical shot opportunity.
• When a hunter is never presented with a clear shot to the vital organs, he or she should let the game pass.

While some hunters advocate taking shots at the head or neck of an animal, this is not desirable shot placement. A shot that misses the small critical target zones is likely to cause severe wounds, such as broken jaws, that will kill the animal in the long run, but will probably allow the animal to escape.