Europe · Shot placement

Ibex shot placement

Ibex shot placement is the heart-lung zone low behind the front shoulder of a powerful, barrel-chested mountain goat, usually shot at long range across steep rock. The long winter coat and heavy horns make the chest look deeper than it is, so aim by the front leg line.

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51 species, fully offline. Formerly Hunter's Field Guide.

Single-angle preview. The Ibex diagram is in the app.
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Single-angle preview. The Ibex diagram is in the app.

Broadside

Hold on the back line of the near front leg, a third of the way up the body. An ibex's chest is deep and the heart sits just above the elbow. The billy's winter coat and beard hide the leg line, so glass for the elbow before you settle the reticle.

Quartering and other angles

Shooting steeply downhill, hold higher on the near side so the bullet exits low through the far lungs. Uphill does the opposite. Quartering away, aim for the far front leg.

Do not

Do not shoot an ibex above a drop you cannot reach, and do not guess range across a valley. Mountain range is almost always further than it looks.

Where they live and the typical miss

Alpine ibex live in the Alps and Spanish ibex in the Spanish sierras; other ibex species are found across Central Asia. The typical miss is high, caused by misjudged range and steep angles.

Wind in the mountains

Thermals rise in the morning and fall in the evening. Plan the stalk so the rising or falling air carries your scent away from the ibex, and allow for crosswinds on long shots.

Related species

The full diagram is in the app

51 species, fully offline. Formerly Hunter's Field Guide.

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