jlsherr

You have to know your own ability. I hunt with guys that only take neck shots. I also hunt with guys that will only take vital shots. To each their own. I bow hunt and know my limatations. So I only take shots that I know are a sure kill. Whithin my range and at the right angle. That is me. There is a rifle hunter on my lease that can shoot a fly at 100 yards. He takes neck shots. He , I , and all that know him are sure that when he pulls the trigger, the deer will drop. The answer to your question is, Know your weapon, now your range, Practice, Practice, Practice. When you pull the trigger, pull the release. Know you will put your projectile where you aimed it.

isatarak

Taking an easy head shot on a deer with a rifle is no riskier than a 30 yard shot with a bow, and I don't give a dam who the bowhunter is.

stubblejumper

If the shot is placed perfectly,there will be an instant kill.If the shot is slightly off,the jaw can be shot off resulting in a slow death due to starvation.Deer often moves their heads suddenly,so it isn't difficult to miss the small brain of a deer.

Robertesq1

ayup.

Leafrivermac

Yep, you can miss the head and hit the jaw or the neck. Manys the deer tho that die a slow painful death because folk can't shoot and won't take time to zero their rifles. I've known folk take to the woods with only a bore sighted rifle or a new shotgun they have never taken the time to see how it patterns with different loads. . . .not to mention the folk that buy a new bow right before deer season and climb in a stand.
I realize that everyone hasn't grown up with rifles and shotguns and hunting deer. A lot of people don't have the opportunity to hone their skills on a regular basis. I pretty much agree that most folk should'nt go for head shots and some folks shouldn't shoot at one at all if they can't hit what their shooting at.

oldsmellhound

Congrats everyone for keeping this discussion civil, so far. It's certainly a hot topic for some.

I'd agree with several things that have been said.

1. It's hunting/killing - there is always going to be a risk of wounding a deer and making it suffer. Our goal as ethical hunters is to try and minimize this.

2. From my experiences & the experiences of my hunting buddies, I'd say that there is as much as a chance, if not more of a chance of wounding a deer with any bow shot over 25 yards than with a 50 yard head shot (with an accurate rifle). By FAR the most experiences I've had with wounded deer were with bow hunting - either myself or hunting buddies/friends. Frankly, I have a hard time believing someone who claims that they've bow-hunted for any length of time and have NOT wounded a deer with a bad shot. Before anyone rips my head off- I'm talking about people who take shots farther than 25 yards or so - very close range shots are a different story. The point is, we should do our best to take high-percentage, ethical shots. And in my mind, a close-range head shot at a stationary deer is just as high-percentage as many shots that bow hunters routinely take.

3. I've never taken a head shot, but I have taken neck shots- always dropped the deer instantly. Neck shots are not my first choice, but I've taken them when necessary. IMO - if you are in a position to take a head shot, why not take a neck shot? It's a bigger target and less likely to leave a deer seriously wounded - i.e. jaw missing. With a neck shot, you'll usually either hit the spine or a major artery, killing the deer quickly. If you miss, you'll either miss completely or put the bullet through the meaty part of the neck- something the deer can usually recover from.

So yes, IMO head shots are ethical to take in certain situations and I wouldn't judge anyone who takes them wisely. Personally, though I aim for the heart/lung area when possible, and neck when I don't have a clear shot at the lungs.

FlDeerman

To small a target for me,neck maybe but not the head.

Bocajnala

Everyone is playing nice so far! Good job guys!
-Jake

JagMagMan

I have not read all 5 pages of responses. But to answer your original question, NO, I DO NOT agree with head shots! Too risky!A deer's head is always moving and a slight mistake equals a slow and painful death! Since you have to ask, I'd say that you are not totally sold on a head shot. A good heart/double lung shot offers the largest room for error. You just CANNOT go wrong with this shot!

Bocajnala

^^ Just to add to that. If you aren't convinved in your own ability and have to ask, don't do it. it's a personal decision. But if you need to ask us, than no. I wouldn't do it if I were you.
-Jake