handofcod wrote:I've heard of something called hydrostatic shock but it sounds a bit vague to me.
Hydrostatic shock is a legitimate phenomenon.
Basically the impact of the bullet sends a pressure wave through the fluid in the targets body which can stun or damage the brain even though it was not directly damaged by the wound channel.
e.g. a solid shot to the upper chest or neck can cause a concussion or hemorrhaging in the brain.
Have said that though it's hardly a sure thing. Bullet weight, velocity, weight retention, point of impact, expansion or pass-through etc. all effect the result (or lack of).
Same concept as an explosion. You don't have to be burnt to a crisp by it - it's not the fire that gets you, it's the shock wave.
To your actual question then...
Correct bullet choice is obviously important.
Headshots are another obvious answer but as you say, you can't do that 100% of the time.
Outside of that you just need to be aiming for the most damage possible to the most vital areas.
Whatever you're hunting, deer, pigs goats.. Do a Google to find a little anatomy and learn where their heart, lungs etc. sit. You want to put it straight through there. If you were shooting a calibre on the smaller side, avoiding any masses of bone if possible would also be ideal.
As we're talking deer, and by looking at your signature, I assume you're talking about hunting with your .308 Scout?