ORIGINAL: retrieverman
I have killed does with head, neck and vital shots. There are a bunch of "elitists" here want to label other hunters as "unethical" if they don't agree with their shot placement or hunting methods, and that is a bunch of horse crap. I will hunt my way, and you can hunt yours.
I kill from 6-10 deer every year between the two states that I hunt, and in 25 years of deer hunting, I have not lost a single deer that I have pulled the trigger on. I shoot my guns all year and am confident with my ability, but for the weekend warriors that only shoot just before season opens, well heck no, they need the largest target they can get. For this type of "hunter", I still wouldn't call a head or neck shot "unethical" because it would be a MISS.
I agree, i hunt in a shotgun only zone, with the exeption of muzzleloaders, so 99% of all my shots are within 100yds. i have my 12ga. shooting 1" groups @ 50yds. and i am confident with my shot. if a CLOSE PRACTICALshot presents itself i will always go for the neck shot just behind the head, i thinks its very human and provides for instant death. in my 13 years of deer hunting i have never lost a deer, every deer i have shot at has been killed....all with ONE slug with the exeption of my first hunt at age 12 and 2 years ago, they required 2 slugs.