.243Heartshot

I do not get it everybody can take shots at deer at like 500 yards, but If someone wanted to take a head shot at 50 yards, they would get a whole bunch of flack for it.

ipscshooter

Ear. Drops them like a rock. You most certainly don't want to be much forward of the ear, because if you get a little low, it seems to me that you could end up with a jaw shot and a wounded deer. If you're back by the ear, and you go a little low, you'll get spine, and/or jugular and they're still going to be dead instantly. Be aware that they do tend to twitch a bit afterward, kinda like when you chop the head off a chicken.

LeftyBuckmaster

The reason for not taking is because of the low margin of error that is allowable. At close range a head shot can be taken quite easily as long as you know how your rifle shoots but further distances make it harder to be exactly on. This can lead to possibly wounding the deer. If you compare the size of a deer's brain to the size of the lungs and heart the brain is a much smaller area. Also at longer distances a bullet could be easily deflected by the skull depending on the power of the rifle and mass of the bullet. If you are to take a head shot you would want to aim between the eyes but up just a hair from the eye line. Many people have seen the consequences of making bad head shot leading to deer with broken off jaws or damaged faces leading to eventual starving that is the reason many choose not to. Although a bad shot at the lung/heart area can lead to a gut shot it is less likely due to the larger area the lungs/heart cover. It is all personal choice. It doesn't matter where on the body you want to shoot just make sure you know your gun and make ethical choices. I have shot 2 running deer in the back leg with a 12 ga. shotgun not wanting to but it happens although it seems unethical there is a main artery that runs along the femur that if hit the deer will bleed out very quickly. Although this kind of shot will ruin a lot of meat.

TGRIZWALD

i will head shoot does so i get all the meat from them. looking at me between the eyes side shot below the ear. not out pass 100 yards i go for the vital shot

terbzz

If you wanna shoot it in the head,and your able to hit its head,then i dont see why not,its your deer isnt it?

MOhunter46

Thats the whole point ofNOT taking a head shot. You could blow off the deer jaw and wound the deer. I dont care how good of a shot you think you are, things can happen and you might not hit what you are aiming at.Why cant people understand that.

Zrabfan26

If you don't want to ruin much meat and are unsure about the small room for error with the head, shoot the neck. It is my favorite closer shot with the .243. They go right down and bleed out, which they wont do if shot in brain.

Leafrivermac

I took a head shot this yr st about 70 yds. In the past 10 yrs I've probably done that 3 or 4 times. You know if your rig is together or not and you should know your capabilities or lack thereof. I say if the situation feels right, your rifle is on, your hand is steady, then go for it. I've never batched a head shot the few times I've taken them but if I ever did I would never do it again.
A small hole in a pelt can be easily fixed with a little careful needle work. The one I'm doing this yr was a lung shot . . .it's turning out nice.
Actually, the reason I took a head shot this yr was that it was almost dark, I was in a really thick swampy place, and didn't want to have to track it . . . .forgot my flashlight. I was using my 30/30 with the Hornaday Leverlution . . .there was no exit . . .it wasn't pretty.

MOhunter46

No, you shouldn't go for it. There could be a twig or branch that can deflect you bullet and cause you to wound the deer. Just shoot em in the lungs/heart. Kills em just the same.

Leafrivermac

Brush in the way would be part of "if the situation is right". Of course if something was in the way that could cause deflection a head shot should'nt be taken.
A few times I have shot thru brush going for a shoulder shot to have my round deflected as much as 20 inchs. . . .broke the deers spine just forward of the hips. Once , missed a deer entirely and the brush was pretty close to the deer. . . . .Maybe it's not ethical to shoot at any part of an animal if there is a chance of the bullet deflecting of of brush and missing the vitals.