Good post davepjr71. I agree.

I guess then that it comes back to the subjective. What do you or I or another member here think is unethical??Obviously, as we all here have pointed out, it may not always coincide with what is legal. It may actually sometimes lay on either side of the lawin a case by case basis.

Sometimes, as shown in this case, what the law allows is not ethical. Other times, what the law forbids, may be the ethical thing (ie. putting a wounded animal out of its misery after dark, when the law may forbid shooting after dark)

Obviously, as is expressed by the very action that caused this thread, the problem is, that all hunters don't feel the same when it comes to ethics.

Now this issue was a pretty easy one with an overwhelming majority on one side of the fence, but we all know of other issues (that don't even have to be mentioned) that cause a much more even dispersement of those on both sides. Yet, many would say "keep your mouth shut for the sake of unity and brotherhood and let the law dictate what's right and wrong"

So which is it?? Speak out for what we each individually believe in or keep our mouths shut for the sake of "brotherhood"??
The age old question when it comes to ethics.

His name is Longbeard, and apparently he is out to make a fool of himself over and over and over.

Taking a head shot at a deer tips the scales well into the realm of pure idiocy. 30 years of hunting and haven't learned a thing or gained one ounce of respect for the game which you persue. That is scary and even sad. It is no wonder people think hunters are nothing but a bunch of dumb rednecks. Because a group is always judged by its lowest 10%, namely people like Longbeard who think that a "buck of a lifetime", which is also the most over used phrase in thehunting world these days, is worth discarding your morals for.

I wish that there wasa pukingemoticon to end this with.

Oh, and longbeard,if you are so jealous of those who hunt private land, why don't you do something to get permission to hunt some or better yet buy your own.There is not one thing you have said yet that makes onemolecule of sense. All I sense is envy eminating from you.

Very well said on your part also. You bring up an interesting discussion about things that are left unsaid for the sake of the brotherhood.

You should not have taken the shot unless you are poor and hungry.

My buddy was telling me about a buck that his dad took a head shot at with a gun. Deer ran away. 3 hours later the deer was seen on the road walk and falling over. His wife spotted it and called the old man. He walks up to the deer ready to gut it and it kicks him a couple of times gets up and walks about 15 yards and falls over again. He went back to the truck got his gun and shot it. Turns out the bullet split the deer's head right down the middle but didn't break it apart. That deer must have suffered something terrible.

Head shots are not a good idea. You shooting it because of the antlers makes it an even bigger insult.

Tom

All I can say is, WOW!!!!! I hunted in Maryland and I gotta say that I saw buck that were just amazing. Let me guess, you where hunting the western side of the state? I hunted there and saw three buck that were 8 points or better. You can't hunt in the same area and say this is the best this state has to offer. Maryland has alot of hunting to offer, you just have to relocate from time to time. Maybe if you did that, you wouldn't have had to make such a poor decision on taking a lucky shot!

HillBilly, Don't fuel the fire any more! as stated, legality and ethics are two completely different things. Taking any shot you can just to get a deer is killing not hunting. There is enough trophy hunters out there, and that is what the animal rights activists are after, senseless meaningless killing. By saying that if it is legal its ethical and any shot is ok as long as its dead just adds to the stereotype that all hunters are uneducated, toothless, low-class, hicks, and itis ridiculous. A majority of the hunters are educated, classy, and respectful to the public, other hunters, the game, and the laws. However, it is the minority that voice their opinion and find it necessary to "toot their own horn" and brag how great they are. It's classic little man syndrome, make up for other shortcomings. We as sportsmen need to band together and not squabble amongst ourselves, or we'll be our own undoing.

I've killed 4 deer with head shots... 2 does and 2 bucks... Haven't lost one yet... The deer I have lost were from shoulder shots... How many of you have shot deer in the shoulder???

Or maybe I should start another post asking how many deer have you lost over the course of your bowhunting???

I've killed over 100 deer with a bow... Prob 95% being does... Out of the bucks I've killedall were spikes,3pts and 4pts... I've only killed 1 8pt on public land that I got mounted and it wasn't that big prob 2.5 year old with a 11" spread... I've been hunting for 30 something years and when a decent buck showed up I took a shot that I felt comfortable with... The shot was close and the deer didn't have a clue I was there and My bow is super quiet...

A few people on hear said that they would do it with a rifle and not one person said a word... You dont think idiots can wound a deer with head shots with a rifle...

I'm sure there are a few people on this forum who are so called "ethical" hunters... And I'm sure that a lot of people that came on hear and roasted me are hipocrits... Roast me for shooting a deer in the head with a bow and call me a slob hunter... I wonder how many of these so called "ethical" hunters have broken some kind of game law or shot over there bag limitWere not going to hear anytrhing about that are we... I'll bet that out of all the people that roasted me only 1 or 2 have walked the walk

I will hunt the way I want... You hunt the way you want...

As far as the coment about killing big deer on public land in Md... I know there are area's in Md with better deer than I hunt... But like I said I hunt Western Md... Green Ridge State Forest to be exsact... Your not going to come on hear and tell me you've killed any big bucks inside GRSF with a bow... If you did you got lucky!!! How come your aviator deer isn't one of your public land monsters

Dude I've argued with your type before...I only believe about 1% of what you say... You would say anything to discredit what I say...

I'll say it again... Good luck to all you green field,corn field,perminant stand,box blind,"hunters"You guys wouldn't make a pimple on my !@#...

you just opened another can of worms on yourself man

I think I'll side with you Mr. Longbeard on head shots with a bow, I just don't see how the overwhelming majority of bowhunters and bowhunter education courses could possible be right on that shot selection.

Well Mr. Longbeard. I know the area your talking about. I hunted there once. You are correct in stating that there wasn't any big buck there. I did how ever see a nice 8 point on the other side of 68 in Billmeyer state forest. I also saw two bigger buck ( not sure of the exact size) on the eastern side of Sidling (spl) Hill Mountain. I said that I saw them, never said that I got them. As for the avatar, well that is for the hunting team that I am a member of. If you would like, I can give you some locations in MD that I have seen good buck at while driving. Not sure if they allow hunting, but they should. Just send me a pm and I would gladly provide that info. Just to let you know though, they are in the Frederick area and south.