Headshots are just not right

[nyantler]

For me it's what ever vital spot is available... my biggest buck i had to shoot just underneath the jaw line and the neck.. it was the only shot offered as he laid in his bed.. it was only about a 30 yard shot... his head fell and he never moved another muscle.. his feet were still nicely tucked under his body

[dave6x6]

Nice shootin' Joe, You took the best available clean kill.

[gjs4]

Anyone who says they save meat by taking a head shot - what do you do with the rib meat? Internal organs? Come on....if youre that concerned let us know

This is just one more tasteless sect of our fraternity that keeps PETA powerful- some jackwagon will post a pic of a Bambi labotomy and a stack of beer cans and keeps things boiling..... how stupid and tactless. It is the way they dispatch beef cows but there is not place to brandish this as a hunting mechanism..or a hunter..... just some d bag toting a gun.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

A few years ago, a Trooper had traffic stopped in both directions as I was on my way to work. After realizing what was going on, I walked up and see the trooper had put 3 shots from a 9mm in the head of a small button buck. The thing was still kicking and bucking. I showed her where to shoot the heart, and after one shot, he expires, I drag him off to the shoulder, and everyonewenttoworkontimeandhadaniceday.

"just sayin'"

[BucktheBuck30-06]

Why do hunters talk about ethics and a slow death, and then go bow hunting ? And the bow hunters class will tell you to wait 4 hours before searching for the deer.

I agree*Im pretty shure that anywere in the head you will drop a deer with one shot,witht the right gun!Hit a deer in the ear and it won't fall,I beg to differ that sucker will drop in its tracks.And a shot is a shot your killing the deer either way head shot is faster with out a doubt!!

[GreeneHunter]

I usually aim for heart/chest shot . I dont trust myself to a head shot and dont want to wound one and watch it run away ! But thats me !

[dave6x6]

hey gjs4 , D-BAGS who said anything about shooting Bambi in the head and who said anything about taking tasteless pics of head shot deer?? If i had a nickle for every deer that i've seen with the front leg blown off i'd be be planning my Brown bear hunt. Or how about gut shot deer? Choose the best, most humane shot that presents itself and know your limitations. Like i said earlier and people i hunt with do the same, one shot kills , 99% of the time that's right through the boiler maker. But heads are not off limits

[erussell]

Depends on the skill of the hunter.Not trying to brag but I have taken 5 doe with head shots and all were DRT with no wasted meat. My only complaint is its a bit messy with the watermellon effect of a 230 grain hallow point in the mellon. It's just like any other shot you have to know your limitations. Even a broadside shot could be unethical if you are sighted in for 200 yrds and your blasting away at 300 hopeing to hit them.

[NFA-ADK]

I always go for the heart/double lung area but I have no issue with head shots if it's a capable shooter. If I had to I would take a head shot with my 30-06 just because of the scope and accuracy of the gun. I think I would be too scared of shooting off a antler on a big buck to attempt it. Heart shots enable a larger kill zone resulting in a better percentage of kills using this method, it's simple and works very well.

[Ford]

Horror stories....Thats what I am thinking of...One that made a guy give up hunting..I aint gonna write what happened...But..If you can do it EVERY time...Well, thats fine. Not for me.

[Doc]

Yes, I think a lot of us have seen some rather unfortunate results (Horror Stories) from some of these "special" kinds of shots. It's the kind of thing that you might expect when someone choses one of the smallest lethal spots on a deer to shoot at. Some of those visions can stay with you. I'm sure that is where many of the differences of opinion are coming from. It all relates to what you have seen, or have not seen afield.

[fasteddie]

I don't see anything wrong with a head shot , if you are capable . I don't take them as I am not confident that I could do it well enough . " A man has to know his limitations " !

[MountainHunter]

I am not a fan of head shots. They just don't appeal to me. I am not worried about the opportunities I will have to shoot doe's and I am not likely going to ruin the ability to mount a good buck by messing up his skull.

For me personally (notice that I said for me personally) it doesn't seem to give the animal enough respect. May sound stupid for some but thats how it is for me.

[adirondackbushwhack]

For me personally (notice that I said for me personally) it doesn't seem to give the animal enough respect. May sound stupid for some but thats how it is for me.

I understand that completely. There are lots of things that hunters do that seems to not give the animal enough respect to me.

[adirondackbushwhack]

hey gjs4 , D-BAGS who said anything about shooting Bambi in the head and who said anything about taking tasteless pics of head shot deer?? If i had a nickle for every deer that i've seen with the front leg blown off i'd be be planning my Brown bear hunt. Or how about gut shot deer? Choose the best, most humane shot that presents itself and know your limitations. Like i said earlier and people i hunt with do the same, one shot kills , 99% of the time that's right through the boiler maker. But heads are not off limits

Those deer with their leg shot off should be a testiment to many hunters inability to shoot straight. I'm not sure that a guy shooting the leg off a deer should be taking a head shot. I've only ever seen one. Actually the leg wasn't blown off it was just a broken shoulder. I shot the deer and after I finished gutting it I saw a guy tracking it up the hill in the snow. I waited for him and he told me his story. He had shot it over a mile away and he had been tracking it ever since, we checked the wound and he had put a perfect shoulder shot into the deer and broke the shoulder but the bullet did not penetrait to kill the deer. The fella was useing a 243. That was back in the early 70's but i have always remembered that.

[nyslowhand]

More power to you if you practice and are confident enough to take a shot at small target like a head.

No for me, I need a bigger target like the base of the neck or preferably the chest.

Ever see one taken during a deer drive that was shot at 20+ times.

IMHO - Not a pretty sight or a good testimonial to hunters' ethics.

Mostly why I gave up group hunts and do the single shot ML all through gun & ML seasons.

If it isn't presenting a good shot I can't afford to waste the opportunity.

[bigbuckhunter]

if you hit a deer in the heart he instatly dies his body is running on pure adrenaline he/she does not feel a thing while running

[First-light]

Unfortunately the worst shot I ever saw was a head shot on a great buck. This was the only shot the hunter could make, shot the lower jaw and half top jaw completely off. tracked the deer after the shot and got him. He actually took pictures and showed them off, I looked at him and said it was gross and walked away.

[Paulie]

I know a guy that took 4 shots at a deer while it was running....one of them hit the jaw. He took the first 2 shots while running, after tracking the deer he had two follow ups, one in the arse....and finally put the deer down after about 1000 yards...He should have never taken the first 2 shots in my opinion (say what you will) Needless to say the deer was a mess and I will no longer hunt with this fellow...

[gregz1]

if they are close enough and you have the skill why not go for it. we say eye shootem . its quick and they go down in a pile. only if they are close and you are capable.

[dave6x6]

Ya know, I think ya'll may have changed my mind on this subject. I guess i've been lucky enough to hunt with guys that wait and take only high percentage kill shots and so thats what is on my mind every time a deer worth shooting comes my way. I've simply been arguing for a hunters rights to choose his own shots but after reading all these horror stories , it reminded me how many people there are out there who really have no business toting a gun in the woods. So far be it from me to give any ideas to any of those beer drinkin' , deer driven' , lead emptyin' guys who have only one thing on there mind and that is to shoot at anything they put their eyes on. I'm going to start a new post with scientific evidence that proves that the most efficient way to kill a deer is to shoot the ground 5 ft in front of the deer and they will instantly die of a heart attack. Hopefully they'll all believe it and spare some wounded deer.

[gregz1]

maybe you should just take up knitting

[bigbuckhunter]

maybe you could stop being an ass...

[Paula]

maybe you should just take up knitting

who are you talking to?

[dave6x6]

Big Buck, I know that my last post sounded sarcastic but i'm being serious!! Really!! I'm not trying to be an ass it's just i've been thinking about this subject and there were things i didn't take into account when expressing my opinions on head shots. My point was that alot of todays hunters dont spend the time shooting yr round and only head to the woods on opening weekend and then let er rip. Double lung shots are their best option and should concider no other shot. And i dont know what blew up you skirt. you started this post , i thought your original comments were wrong, and then i came around a bit to your side .