Choosing the right shot when hunting

Part of being ready is knowing how to harvest your own game for food. Along with that, you take on the responsibility of knowing how to be a safe and ethical hunter. A big part of that falls under how and when to take a shot. A good clean shot is not just about being ethical it also saves on resources from using less energy when tracking the game to having more usable food after harvesting. 

One of the first rules you learn when hunting is knowing what is beyond your target this needs to always be followed the last thing you want in a survival or any hunting situation is an accident that could have been prevented by simply being aware. 

Once you know you are safe take a shot you can look to where is the best placement, the most effective shot is to the heart or lungs. In a typical game, those organs are located in the forward body cavity behind the front shoulder. You should never try to take a headshot, the target is very small and is very likely to ricochet off the skull. The only exception to this is when turkey hunting. 

Now that you know where to aim let's look at what angles you can safely and effectively take a shot. 

Broad Side Shot 

The very best shot you can take is when the animal is broadside to you. This angle provides the best chances of a clean and efficient shot with little to no damage to the meat

Quartering Away

The next best angle is when the game is quartering away from you. This is when the back of the game is towards you but the front chest cavity is still visible. Hitting this angle right can result in a very clean shot only hitting soft tissue and not damaging any meat if you don't hit this shot right there is a chance that you could damage the front quarter meat. When taking the shot aim behind the further way shoulder that is facing you just behind the elbow this will allow the exit to be clean. 

Quartering Toward

This is when the game has its shoulders toward you but you still have a clear line of sight to the front chest cavity. This shot can be taken but aim right above the shoulder of the leg that is nearest to you. Just like Quarting way if you miss this angle you can damage a good bit of meat. 

Head On 

A head-on shot can be very effective and clean but will result in damage to the meat. I do not recommend this shot in anything other than a survival situation when getting food is the most important thing at that moment also if using a bow this shot should never be taken as the arrow will most likely glance off and only hurt the game.  When taking this shot aim between the front shoulder blades