ORIGINAL: MOhunter46
ORIGINAL: oldsmellhound
With an accurate rifle or muzzleloader, if the range is short and the deer isn't moving, I think it's an okay shot. Most of the time you'll either kill the deer instantly, or miss completely. Yes there is a chance of wounding a deer, causing suffering, but that chance is still there for you "double lung" guys- if your aim is off, if the deer moves, etc, you can wind up gut-shooting them- also a lot of pain and suffering for the deer. Fact is, we're hunting deer and trying to kill them- and it doesn't always work out the way we want it to every time- there's always a chance of wounding a deer. Our job is to keep that chance as low as possible.
A deer that is gut shot will die a lot quicker than a deer thats shot in the jaw. So again, a head shot is VERY unethical.
My brothers first deer he ever shot he was aiming for the neck, but he must have jerked the trigger and he shot the deer in the Jaw. The deer dropped in its tracks because of the shock.
IMO a head shot will is just as good as any other. But its not the easiest sho, in the right circumstances it is an okay shot to take.