jake smith09

I shot my doe in the head this year on accident and i felt really bad. I was hitting a waterbottle at 100 yards with my 12 gauge slugs the night before i went out. I got up and went out in the feild, 8:15 rolls around and here comes a few does, last day of season, though i would take her. By the way she was a 180 pound beast. Just huge. but anyway, i shot once...missed, shot again...missed, shot again...missed. I didnt know what was wrong. I reloaded and sat on the ground for better braceing. Shot...missed. the last time when i shot she dropped, I waited a couple of minutes and walked to her slowly because i could'nt see her till i got right on top of her so i walked slowly. I got about 10 feet away and she started kicking. I aimed to shoot her again and she let out one gasp of air and stoped moving. It was horrible!!! I felt so bad. I examined her to see where i shot her and i hit her on the bridge of her nose on accident. I was aiming at her vitals!!! I must have bumped the sights or something because it shouldnt have been off that horrible. Well i try to think positive so at least i didnt ruin any meat and let me tell you what she sure tasted good.

Paul L Mohr

I could see if this would have said shoulders or vitals, or maybe neck as well. Some consider this to be a decent shot, I'm not one of them though.

But a head shot, come on now that is probably the lowest percentage shot you can make on large game. Just too many things to go wrong.

I put that right up there with shooting one in the spine on purpose.

Paul

snedd162

vitals becuase its a much larger area and if your of by an inch or two chances are you still have a dead deer

monsterbucks2011

vitals all the way.

archer58

Vitals is IMO the only ETHICAL shot. Neck ans head are too , too risky.
FYI, I consider the shoulder a vital hit. The heart is almost directly behind the shoulder bone.

younggun308

If it's under 100 yards,where my rifle is dead on,I would shoot it in the head, no need to waste meat, or, I would shoot them in the shoulder if they're farther away.

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.

indianahunter83

The positive of a neck shot is that if you hit it anywhere in the nexk then the shockwave from the bullet will break the spine causing death. That being said I shoot for vitals just because that is what I have always done.

Bugeaters

i aim for the vitals regardless if i am shooting a buck or a doe. i feel it is the best shot for me to take. as long as you are confident in your shot and can consistently hit what you are aiming at i guess you can aim where you want.

rem250

Very well said retrieverman
25 years here to 5-10 deer per year also no losses
just like to add to your post
Ability =Lots of practice not just at the range on perfect benches/range
but in the woods with your stands or blinds.(they are not a perfect benches)
The woods also have variables and obstacles trees,bushes and limbs ect...
these are bullet deflectors. Deflected bullets are misses and or wounded game.
When you become aware of all of these.
Then we get to BUCK FEVER (also in the case of Does DEER FEVER) this causes
problems with nerves,ripid heart rate,shaking,and some blindness to range and
obstacles such as trees and limbs which takes us back to bullet deflectors.
(missed and or wounded game)
When you take all these things in to consideration before you pull the trigger
then you should have the ABILITY AND CONFIDENCE to shoot any kill spot
on deer or any game.
MOST weekend warriors don't do all this just go out blasting.
Don't want to affend anyone BUT jake smith09's post is good example I'm sure his
deer did not just stand there in same spot while he fired 5 rounds at it.
SORRY jake your post just happened to be there. LOL