The Frontal Shot!

Would you take a frontal shot inside 20 yards?

  • YES

    Votes: 94 89.5%
  • NO

    Votes: 11 10.5%

  • Total voters
    105

velvetfvr

WKR
Joined
May 12, 2012
Messages
700
Location
Nevada
I don't care if anyone does it but I probably wouldn't do it since I wouldn't say I am completely seasoned. Once I get my first bow kill under my belt and know what goes on I will be able to really tell ya.
 

Lost Arra

FNG
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
56
Location
Oklahoma
Nope
My goal is to put an arrow thru both lungs, preferably the lower half.
If the conditions are good (wind, cover, unaware animal) and an elk is facing me at 20 yards, chances are I will get that opportunity if I'm patient.
If not, well that's huntin'.
I would rather question myself later about a shot I didn't take rather than a shot I did take.

This no way implies it is not a desirable shot for someone else.
 

littlebuf

Banned
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
1,983
this bull was 21 yards looking right at me. hit heart and 1 lung. he went 80 yards and tipped over. no problem with a frontal shot,just hit where your aiming
 

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Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,624
Location
Colorado
The cool thing with the frontal shot is you more times then not hit heart and lungs. Hard to do that with a broadside shot. The blood loss associated with frontal shots is ridiculous! Looks like someone was pouring buckets of blood on the ground.

The frontal shot is an interesting topic. I feel as a hunting society we have always been taught to shoot broadside shots and nothing but broadside shots. But the truth of the matter is there are shots that are just as if not more effective than a "broadside" shot. This misinformation that we are taught is just like shot placement up the leg vs behind the shoulder. Shooting up the leg is the better shot but not what we are taught or where the 12 ring is on 3 d targets.
 

Hardstalk

WKR
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
1,094
Im in. And feel completely confident with the frontal. Justin makes good points. You also have jugular veins in the mix even without vitals that will stop an animal very fast. (Seen many meat goats go out that way) not to stereo type at all but one of my first ventures as a kid was selling meat goats to mexicans. They show up. Cut em. Burn the hair with a torch. And throw em in the trunk of their hyundai within 10 minutes of pullin up. Guts and all.
 
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
12
Location
Wisconsin
Aron is back to stir the pot a little more. First he askes about machanical heads now frontal shots, trying to drum up a little RokSlide activity? Good discussion none the less, I would take that shot in a heartbeat, but it's not for everyone.
 
OP
Aron Snyder

Aron Snyder

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
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Jan 23, 2012
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The Wilderness
Aron is back to stir the pot a little more. First he askes about machanical heads now frontal shots, trying to drum up a little RokSlide activity? Good discussion none the less, I would take that shot in a heartbeat, but it's not for everyone.

Hey now, I don't think I asked about mechanical broadheads, but I could be wrong.....
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Messages
328
Location
Colorado
[/QUOTE]Shooting up the leg is the better shot but not what we are taught or where the 12 ring is on 3 d targets.[/QUOTE]

Justin,

Can you describe an "up the leg shot"? Not familiar with the term.
 

Craig4791

WKR
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
2,215
Location
AK
The cool thing with the frontal shot is you more times then not hit heart and lungs. Hard to do that with a broadside shot. The blood loss associated with frontal shots is ridiculous! Looks like someone was pouring buckets of blood on the ground.

The frontal shot is an interesting topic. I feel as a hunting society we have always been taught to shoot broadside shots and nothing but broadside shots. But the truth of the matter is there are shots that are just as if not more effective than a "broadside" shot. This misinformation that we are taught is just like shot placement up the leg vs behind the shoulder. Shooting up the leg is the better shot but not what we are taught or where the 12 ring is on 3 d targets.

X2

Aiming for the center of the "V" is where you should be aiming on a broadside shot. Most 3D targets do not correctly show the vitals on game.

4y9e3u3e.jpg
 

bounds

WKR
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
413
Location
NW Arkansas
I think it's the same with almost any shot. If you hit where you need to, it's effective. Of course, this leaves less margin for error than a broadside shot, but as others have said, it can be just as effective.

Like Justin said, I think it's been so ingrained in us to only take broadside, behind-the-shoulder shots, that we shy away from other opportunities. I know I've hesitated on shots that I can make but aren't broadside and ended up not getting a shot. Yes, you will have other shot opportunities, but I definitely could have made those as well.
 
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
1,135
Location
Texas
I would take the shot, but it might be a 15 yard limit for me, given that my traditional bow is a little harder to hit an apple with at 20 yards...
 
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
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Location
Texas
Just to stir the pot though...now that I think about it. What happens if you are a little off center and ONLY get one lung? I shoot 2 inch wide broadheads and I am very confident in their blood letting ability. But just say you DID only get one lung... Elk can, and will, go a very long way with one lung.
 
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
12
Location
Wisconsin
If you hit only one lung on a frontal, or broadside shot, what is an elk most likely to do? Will it keep going and join up with the herd like nothing every happened, or will it act like a gut shot and bed down in 100 - 200 yeards?
 

littlebuf

Banned
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
1,983
Just to stir the pot though...now that I think about it. What happens if you are a little off center and ONLY get one lung? I shoot 2 inch wide broadheads and I am very confident in their blood letting ability. But just say you DID only get one lung... Elk can, and will, go a very long way with one lung.

the elk in my picture was shot through one lung. knicked the top of the heart. i watched him fall over after turning him around at 80 yards with a cow call. this shot really is over analyzed. its actually a pretty big kill zone considering what we all use for target practice. i put broad heads on playing cards at 60, i can hit a 1 foot square at 30 all day
 

Matt Palmquist

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 22, 2012
Messages
112
Location
Kansas
You must have been bored to open a topic like this:) With that said, I would much rather have a frontal shot at close range (25 and in) than a broadside at long range (60+). Most hunters in the western states wouldn't hesitate to take a 60 yard shot at a broadside animal, but to me a frontal at <25 yards is a lot higher percentage shot than broadside at 60.

Matt
 
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