The Hunter: Call of the Wild – Where to Shoot?

I’m going to talk about where you have to aim with a basic scoped rifle, as a hunter when you get the opportunity to shoot at:

• A Fallow Deer
• A Roe Deer
• A Red Fox
• A Wild Boar 

I won’t talk about the ammunition needed to shoot, just know that you have Outposts were you can purchase different types of ammo in order to hunt different species.

Introduction

When you have a visual on a potential trophy, don’t automatically shoot. The angle you’re looking at the deer/boar/fox matters a lot!

If you are in front or behind your prey, WAIT don’t shoot at a butt. Shooting at first sight won’t guarantee you a kill and you might have to chase your prey for a long time (happened to me, 2km and 1h30 chasing a male fallow deer).

An example of good angle:

The following picture says it all about angles and it’s true for every species:

Legs and shoulders are not what they look like, it’s a trap! You can shoot at the top of a leg without touching any bone. See how it works:

It’s basically the same for boars and foxes.

Fallow Deer

As beginners, and looking at the picture, the best way to put down a fallow deer is to shoot at 12 (the lungs) and you can try 11 (the heart) but it’s more difficult.

It might not be an instant kill but certainly a vital hit and you won’t have to go far to find your prey laying down.

Why the heart (11) isn’t the first spot to shoot at? Because of the size, the stability of your aim and the flesh/lungs covering it. You may miss it ending up failing a one shot kill.

Again, ammunition can help with penetration, you’ll learn it by yourself.

Remember that 16 is surrounding every other part, and if you miss a vital point you might end up making low-rate bleeding which means chasing your prey again. Note that 7 is a bone.

Roe Deer

It’s basically the same as a fallow deer, but the target is smaller, so the angle matters even more. Looking at the picture below 11 and 12 are preferable targets.

The heart (11) isn’t that easy to get because of 16 (flesh) and the legs covering the sides (just like a fallow deer, a better ammunition will help). Note that 6 is a bone.

Red Fox

Being way smaller the hardest part is finding it, getting the angle and the timing right.
Shoot behind the shoulder, around 11 and 12.

If you miss and you don’t get at least a medium-bleeding hit, you’ll probably have a tough time chasing it as it’s small, quiet and fast. Note that 7 is a bone.

Wild Boar

First of all, wild boars move in groups. Which means there are males and females, biggers one and smaller ones. Choose your target well.

Obviously it’s quite different. If you miss by a hair you can end up shooting a non vital point.

For example a common mistake would be aiming for 12 (the lungs) and end up shooting 14 (the stomach = low bleed rate and non-vital).

In “reality” 12 does cover a part of 11 and a perfect shot would be right behind the leg where the lungs cover a part of the heart.

Example:

I won’t talk about shooting at the neck (right after the ear), because it’s way more difficult to do it and it’s a beginner guide.

Finally, just in case you didn’t know, wild boars can be agressive. If you’re sitting too close to them, you will shoot at one and an other one will run over your face. Note that 7 is, again, a bone.

Clarifications

• When hunting deer, it’s not about headshots like in video games. If you still want to try for the head, aim inside the ear.
• If you hit a deer and it runs away, you might have hit its ribs instead of a vital area. This happens sometimes, but the deer probably won’t run far.
• You’ll need to learn about wind effects through experience.
• Ammunition choice matters a lot. Better ammunition improves penetration, which is important for quick kills, especially for long-distance shots or when aiming for the heart.
• When you see a target but don’t have a good angle, don’t move around trying to get a better position. Movement creates noise that alerts the deer.
• Be patient. If you lose sight of your target, don’t chase after it – you’ll likely be spotted and have to start over. Check your map for open areas where you might get a shot. Follow the tracks since you know roughly how far ahead your target is.