16.4 Shot Angles

Head-On Shots

• A straight-on shot can be effective if your firearm is already positioned for the shot. However, they rarely result in a clean kill and ruin a lot of meat.
• For large game, aim for the center of the chest.
• This shot should not be taken by bowhunters because of the reduced chance of hitting a vital organ.

Quartering-Away Shots

• The quartering-away shot is when your target is facing away from you, but at an angle. From this angle, a shot aimed at vital organs may miss the rib cage entirely. There’s also less tissue to pass through before penetrating vital organs.
• Rifle hunters should use the chest area above the opposite front leg as the aiming point for a lung shot.
• Bowhunters using cutting point broadheads for this type of shot are less likely to encounter heavy bone and increase their chances of hitting a vital organ.

Broadside Shots

• Because of their mass, the preferred shot for larger game animals, such as elk and bear, is a broadside. It’s also the most effective shot on deer, antelope, and similar-sized game.
• This is particularly true for bowhunters. Large animals have bigger stomachs and intestines, which may stop an arrow before it reaches vital organs in a quartering-away shot.

Quartering-Toward Shots

• The quartering-toward shot is when your target is facing toward you, but at an angle. A deer or other game quartering toward you presents a clear shot to the vital organs. A rifle shot can be taken at this angle if the gun is already trained on the animal.
• Rifle hunters should use the chest area above the near front leg as the aiming point for a lung shot.
• Bowhunters should avoid this shot because the vital areas are protected by bone. Also, an arrow should not be fired at an animal that is looking at you.

Rear-End Shots

• Not recommended—rarely results in a clean kill.
• Ruins a lot of meat and can rupture stomach and intestines.
• Very narrow target area.