The shot placement is very important when hunting Elk & Deer. This elk walked and laid down approximately 80 yards from where it was shot.
All ethical hunters will not take a shot unless you can put your shot right where it needs to go.
As you will notice this was shot right behind the front shoulder. That is where you want your target to be. if you go further back than this you may hit
the entrails then you have real problems an animal of this size can travel for days if hit in the stomach area.
If you hit higher by the back bone, that is an effective area because the major arteries run along the lower edge of the backbone.
i hit a White tail deer one time right in the backbone and it instantly fell right where I hit it.
the newer compound bows have enough power to actually break a vertabrae if hit correctly and will drop an animal in its tracks.
My boys & I hunt as humanely as possible to eliminate any more shock to the animal than is necessary. A quick kill is top priority in our book.
Same goes for gun hunting I myself shoot for behind the skull it is an immediate kill site. Our average shot is 250 yds. or less where we hunt and a lot of shots under 100 yds.
Hunting is much Like adjusting if you are going to do it, DO IT RIGHT!!!!