Consider Your Location

Your location above or below the target presents additional considerations.

Above the Target

• A tree stand or elevated platform offers good shot opportunities, especially for the broadside and quartering-away shot angles.
• As a hunter climbs higher, the vital area becomes a smaller target area because the animal’s shoulder bone and spine shield more of the vital organs.
• Often the reason a hunter misses when shooting from above is because the point of aim and impact has changed.

Below the Target

• It’s possible to shoot from below the target, but it’s not a high-percentage shot.
• The aiming spot is lower on the body, and the sternum (chest bone) may shield part of the heart at this angle.
• Broadside—particularly a double-lung shot—and quartering-away offer the best shots.