Shooting down a deer with a single shot

Once you have found a deer and stalked it for a long time, last thing you wish is to lose it on the bushes because your shot didn't shoot down the animal instantly; moreover, killing a deer with a single shot is the most humane way to do it and should be the aim of every responsible hunter.

But shooting down a deer with a single shot is not just an easy task, instead it takes hours of practice and some wounded animals before achieving the required mastery to neutralize a deer with a single bullet.

And to do it, everything is about technique. Most of hunters prefer a direct hit to the heart-lung area because it offers a large target and almost all deer wounded on this area will have a massive hemorrhage which will kill them sooner or later.

Even when shooting to the heart-lung area is a shot for sure, it does not always kill deer instantly; thus it will be necessary to follow a blood trail for a long course before recovery your trophy. This will waste your energy and alert other deer on the area about hunters presence rendering new trophies more difficult to catch.

On the other hand, a wounded, suffering animal running away for its life is not the most humane way to kill a deer.

Because of the above some hunters prefer a straight hit on the brain. This way the deer will die instantly with almost no meet loses, however the head is a small, hard to aim target, especially on long range shots, thus it's easy to miss over the head or hitting the jaw because of a tiny aiming mistake.

This is common when aiming to the head from the animals front; using the technique to  point to an area located around 2 inches above the imaginary line linking both tear ducts. Especially from below, missing or hitting may be just a matter of luck.

To reduce fail chances some hunters prefer to hit the skull from the side, a couple of inches below the eyes. This approach allow a larger target and deer will die immediately too; however you don't have the chance of a lateral head view all the time.

Regardless front or side approach, when a bullet hits straight on head, the animal will die instantly with almost no meet loses.

A major problem using lateral or front shots is that deer may detect your presence easier, not only because they are able to see and ear you, but also smell your presence. That's why some hunters prefer to shoot from behind, just on the base of the skull, on the first 4 cervical vertebrae.

A bullet put on the neck properly will immobilize the animal and prevents meat loses but you'll need a second shot  or a neck cut to finish the job. Once again this might not be the most humane method because even when useful and safe, it provoques more agony to the game.

An alternate method would be the shoulder to shoulder hit. To shoot this way it will be necessary a lateral approach, aiming to the nearest shoulder and sending the bullet on a trajectory towards the farter shoulder. 

This shot will cut the spine leading to a massive neurogenic shock, killing the deer on a matter of seconds, furthermore, bullet cavitation will generate massive internal organs damage, imposibiliting the animal to run away.

Hunters who have mastered this type of shot think it's the best choice not only because it takes down deer quickly but also because there's almost no chance to miss, even when you might go high on the first attempts. 

The problem with this shot is the massive meat loses, something you don't wish if you hunt for living instead of sport; however it's better some meat loses than a whole wounded deer lost forever among the bushes.

No matter the technique you decide to use, remember to master it until the time you are able to kill a deer with a single bullet, no matter distance and position; that day you will be a top deer hunter.