as in anything in life, there are UNWRITTEN rules that we should all follow. Head shots are a no-no. If you want to be a jerk, no one will stop you from shooting a deer in the head, in the end, you'll have to live with yourself and your actions taken in life.

Here's an example of a head shot gone bad:

About 15 years ago on the third day of PA's bow season, I had just gotten in my tree when I saw a deer coming. I quickly saw the antlers and decided that it was a shooter. As it approached me itwas grunting loudly with every step. Then I noticed its tongue hanging out and it's mouth was open like it had been running hard. I thought "this is a bit early for rut behavior". he eventually passed almost under my stand and I shot him through both lungs at about 6 yards quartering away. When I picked up his head to admire the rack, I noticeda cut on the top of his nose. Furher investigation showed that some jacka$$ had shotat his head straight down. The broadhead was lodged under his chin and the shaft was broken off with about 6" of it stuck in him down through his mouth from the top. His tongue had been hanging out becauseit was about 90% severed. he wasnt grunting in rut, he was grunting in pain! That buck would not have survived and would have died a terrible lingering death if he hadn't happened by my tree.What a shame it would have been for a nice racked mature deer to take days or maybe weeks to die and rot because some fool took an irresponsible shot!

portable ladder nope, in this case, black and white I can head shoot deer all day long at 125 yards with dull broadheads if I want to- and be 100% lawful in doing so !

I'm a jerk if I want to do that ? Why ? How is it any more unethical than guys shooting, missing and wounding at ANY shot they take ?

In the end, isn't "ethical shot" really " dead deer " ?

Can you take a " good shot " and end up with a " bad " hit ?

Can you take a " bad shot " and make a " good hit " ?

I mean, really, ya'll speak of the " understood " and " unwritten " bowhunting " rules " .......... list them for me, I'd like to see them.

BTBowhunter you GUESS that the bowhunter took a head shot, you don't know that for a fact. He could have taken a number of shots and ended up hitting that deer like that.

What I dont guess is that there was NO responsible shot that could have resulted in the hit on that particular deer. The angle was virtually straight down from right to left and was likely taken with the deer coming straight at the hunter and about 2 yards out.

You said it best! And if you have to ask why then it could probably never be explained to you.

No

Yes, of course you can

Yes, but not likely

We could make you a list a mile long, but based on your replies here, you either wouldn't understand them or would argue with each one ad nauseum with no real basis for disputing them.

WORST IDEA EVER! Someone I know thought it was a great and funny way to kill a deer. I think it is so wrong but here what happened. A doe ran in at twenty yards. He aimed at the head and a split second before puling the trigger she turned slightly. The bullet ripped through her teeth taking out large "packs" of teeth and the tounge. That doe ran off...he thought he missed....another down for some reason came running....stopped...got shot in the head and died instantly. He got down called me and told me the stroy. He didnt know he hit the first deer. When i got there I was disgusted at what had happened. The doe surely died after days or weeks of suffering. I couldnt sleep....the sad thing is....I dont think this person thought twice about it.

The moral is: yes, it will kill deer. Yes, you will wound deer. And yes it should be illegal.

define responsible

I've taken 2 straight down shots that resulted in 2 very dead deer. 100% success rate is hard to argue on that shot isn't it ? I'd take it again too and make it given the ciurcumstances

I see, you have no eclipsed into the "holier than thou" club where you can sit above all others in our judging of what constitutes a "good" shot vs a "bad" shot.

You cannot list these "understood" "unwritten" rules because they, in reality, don't exist at all, do they ?

For every head shot deer lost I'd bet there are 25 broadside deer lost. C'mon, we all know the "perfect" shot is the one that leads to the most, and poorest, hits.

And what should that tellus ? No shot is fail proof. No shot is better than any other, unless you make it.

pahunter45

BRILLIANT ! Now we have someone calling for a particular shot to be outlawed !

How about .......... you don't make the shot you take, and you lose your license forever ? That law would tickle you I bet ? Huh ?

My god people! What the F?
I am an ethical hunter, and I have shot two deer in the head with a 30.06. Call me what you want, I don't care.

Here is the real argument since no one is willing to state the facts, and I'm sure the anti's will be happy to use it against us. But since many of you can't seem to think for yourselves, I'll explain it to you.

More deer are lost, only to never be recovered by bow hunters. Go look at the statistics if you don't believe me. Or just go read how many post there are on this site alone for "shot me a deer now what? I can't find him" and then go and see how many of those same posts are in the firearms section of this site. So, that said, if you are sooooooooo ethical, how about throwing your bow in the trash and getting yourself a good'ol thunder stick? Let the deer get in with in 20 yards, broad side and then take your shot. After all that is the most important thing isn't it?

Hmmmm, or is it not? I can't wait to hear these replies! Go ahead an justify your actions. But you high-and-mighty's can do it to each other, because I don't want to hear it.

That fact is, when we go hunting, we're there to kill an animal, oh sorry, harvest...
You can sugar coat it all you want, but that is what it is, and that is what we're doing. Don't get me wrong, because I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm perfectly happy with that and accept it for what it is. And in my opinion it is completely natural. Death is just as much a part of life as living is. We all have our own lines that we will and will not cross, but when you come here, people try to use their own lines and force them on others.

I stated that I've shot two deer in the head with my 30.06. Sorry if you don't approve, but that is for you do deal with. I have my own line, and I do respect these animals, probably more than most of you, because the first deer that I shot in the head I poached. And the reason I poached it was I was really worried about my family going with out food. It was the only shot I had and she was lying very still. I explained this yesterday on a different topic and here is the post.

Devastation...................and a little doe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Killer_Primate

Sorry about your luck man.

On the lighter side, all the important things are still there for you and your family. Your lives, your home and your 4x4!

Facing these situations either kills you, or makes you stronger, we're glad you're still here!

Congrats on the deer. Nature has a funny way of providing with its offerings during hard times.

About ten years ago we had about five inches of freezing rain, hail and sleet in Virginia over the holidays. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power. Many, like my in-laws were without power for weeks afterwards. We spent the Christmas holiday at their home with one small 3000 watt generator, and we were about three hours from home in a pretty remote part of the state. Once their road became impassable and food was at least short enough to start having to plan meals accordingly, I poached a small deer. I had a license and it was the season, but I'd brought my new 30.06 that my wife had gotten for me for Christmas only to show her uncle, who is also an avid hunter. But we were in shotgun only territory which I have never hunted. My wife was pregnant with our first child at the time and I did what I had to do. We (our family and neighbors) picked the young doe clean. Everyone knew what I had done was illegal, but no one spoke of it. It changed the way I've felt about hunting to this day. I've always been an ethical hunter, my father raised me that way. But Ifelt a real connection when I was in real need of help and this fine animal presented its self for a good cause, and gave its life. I've had four children since that time and if they choose to hunt, I will raise all of them to be responsible and respectful hunters.

Best wishes and good luck to you and your family
[Unquote]

I thanked that doe at least twenty times that day for what she'd provided.

The second time I shot a buck the same exact way, but I was not in the same circumstance. It was hunting, it was legal and I did what I was there to do. And the reason I chose this method was because it worked so well the first time. Neither deer ever took another step. In fact, neither one ever even stood up. When performed right, there is no more ethical way to do it! If I had to choose my own fate, that is what I'd choose!

Disclaimer time...
I do realize that this shot does come with some serious responsibility, and I would not recommend it unless you're absolutely sure of your abilities, given the situation that you're in at the time.

But I've heard statements from some of you like "you've lost my respect as a hunter, no wait, you're not even a hunter"

Yeah whatever!

A few years ago there was a deer spotted (spotlighting is legal here) here on seveal occassions with an arrow sticking out the side of its head. It was really sad. The deer was still living its normal life though as if nothing was the matter. I would never recommenda headshot with a bow, but I've seen the old farmer up the road nail more then a dozen in the head with his 22/250 and they dropped instantly

Imagine that...

Nothing better than double lunging a deer. You know it's going to die if you double lung it, so why shoot it in the head and take the chance of it living or missing the shot.