Just wondering about your experiences putting an arrow through shoulder blade? Did it break through? How far did it penetrate into the deer? Does anyone intentionally aim for the shoulder itself (rather than just behind)?

I took a doe on public land last Thursday and had my first experience with a shoulder blade shot. It entered about an inch behind the near shoulder blade and exited through the far shoulder blade. The arrow snapped about 1/3 of the way down from the nock, and I found both pieces in the same spot where I shot the doe. I was shocked to see this kind of power Recovered the deer maybe 50 yards away.

Shot through both shoulders, not on purpose just got to high.

I likewise don't try for the shoulder blade but it happens sometimes. With a good head you should be okay most times. I'd say your best chances would be with a good stout fixed blade.

I had a horrible experience with a shoulder shot this weekend. Shot one of our bucks on the hit list and hit him a little forward. Only got 6 inches of penetration and the arrow popped out after 20 yards. Waited 2 1/2 hours to go look and only found small amounts of blood for 800-900yards and lost the trail. Rage Chisel tip. Wondering if the fixed blade would have punched through in that situation.

Sorry to hear that

G5 Montec for me. I hear fixed blade has more punch, but I sure like the cut diameter I see in a lot of Rage photos. Blood trail was very weak - only a couple of drops about 10 yards from where she went down. Luckily it was double lung and I heard it crash from my climber.

Just saw your post about Montecs - I'll add that the blade was in excellent condition after it's bone breaking journey. I buffed out a small nick in the tip and intend to put it right back on the active roster.

I had 3 G5 montec's in my quiver at the time but bought them for hogs. I will be giving those a try next time out. Before this the rage have worked great for me, but never hit shoulder with them.

Rage work great for a double lung shot.

I shot a buck in the shoulder blade with a Rage a cpl years ago. 6" of penetration and arrow broke off. He piled up about 100 yds from shot. No blood at all. I knew where he went so recovery was easy.

Shot plenty of deer with Montec's and hit them in the shoulder or lungs. Ive had a pass through every single time and never had one make it more than about 50-60 yards. Ive hit them in the shoulder bone on both sides and still got a pass through.

FIxed blades do not loose energy when they hit like an expandable does therefore you will get better penetration every time on those shots that hit bone.

That being said, I love the blood trails from most shots with an expandable.

6" of pentration is in the vitals.


Only heads I know that you will be ok the majority of the time on true higher shoulder bone on smaller deer is a two blade style coc, GK, Solid, hunor, etc. Once you get on a bigger deer even those are suspect

There was blood on the arrow shaft that went back about 6 inches. All I can think is it glanced of bone and never made it to the vitals. Blood, hair and muscle meat on the broadhead. What confused me was when the deer took off the arrow was sticking straight out of him. Don't know, hope its something he can recover from. If not there goes my good buck for the year.

Only shoulder shot that I have made and not gone through was with a grim reaper penetration was terrible

This was the front shoulder of the large doe I shot Thursday. I hit her with a 2 inch Grim Reaper and she just dropped. As you can see it made a massive hole and she died instantly.

^^^^ because you hit her spine.

Most of the shoulder blade covers the spine.

Actual shoulder bone that doesn't cover the spine is very thick compared to the upper "blade" itself, but not very big. Most people can shoot through the Blade, and some think they have passtru the bone, but most actually miss it

Great picture. My shot actually hit just to the left of where the shoulder blade and the bone come together. Honestly dont know why it dropped her but the broadhead did not make contact with the spine.

I have used the rage 2 blades for quite some time. I have taken several 225-260lb+ whitetails and a big oryx that I've hit in the mid to upper third of the shoulder blade. I haven't always gotten pass throughs but 75% of the time I have. I've also had great luck with recovery and blood trails. Longest recovery to date was just at 100 yards...most of which were in the 40-70 yard range. I don't aim for the shoulder shot, but I'm not afraid to take it either.

Lot of times only takes a nick. There is also a major blood vessel right there. Spine actually runs right in middle of the shoulder blade. Why mid/high shoulder shot with a rifle drops them. Unless you take out or nick the spine they aren't dropping right there...99.9% of the time.

Regardless sounds like my kind of tracking job!!! Congrats on the deer

I like the Montec's. That said the best broad head for hogs is the cheapest one's you can buy on the clearance rack...For anything else, I personally opt for the Grim Reapers with the hard point instead of the blade cut point....they fly like field points, even in a gusty wind, and will put animals down quickly.

When hitting hard bone an expandable is never going to preform like a fixed

Feetdown did I meet ya dunday pulling your doe out I was hrlping buddy bring his buck out if we hunt the same type 2.

try using a steelhead or a sidewinder.

you might be surprised

I've dropped a lot of deer with a high shoulder shot as well as I've hit 2 deer lil high in shoulder as well and both dropped dead on the spot. I guess I was hitting spine as well and didn't realize it at the time. Pulling 70# on Mathews z7 with grim reapers were complete pass thru both times. Come to think of it ,I've never not a complete pass through with reapers...my wife has had several not pass thru all the way but she just pulls 45# on her z7.

No sir, that wasn't me - I went Thursday on non-type 2 land. Thanks for asking though, come to think of it I've probably run into THF members before and not even known it.

Killed a Bull in colorado at 17 yards shooting thru the shoulder blade. nearly went all the way thru, the chisel point was sticking out on the other side, was shooting thunder head fixed blade 100 gr. to me that is the only way to go. I do not change anything if it is not broke.