deerchump

To those of you claiming headshots are bad because the deer can move it's head, are you aware that a deer can move it's body too?

The deer is just as likely to take a step forward as it is to move it's head during the time you are squeezing the trigger.

7.62NATO

Why is it disrespectful to shoot a deer in the head? Because it isn't a pleasant sight? If deer could talk, I have a feeling they'd all agree it isn't very respectful to shoot them anywhere.

When I catch a fish big enough to eat, I take a small spike and drive it into its brain. All the fins stand straight up and it dies instantly. I guess I'm disrespecting the fish by having it quickly meet its end instead of tossing it in the cooler to freeze and suffocate for hours.

I don't mean to get too touchy, but the bottom line is that we're killing an animal here. I read in magazines and hunting forums about the best way to track a deer once it's been hit, how long you should wait before tracking, accounting for conditions, etc. And the advice is given is usually assuming a good shot, though they provide advice for bad shots as well. Obviously the advice is given so that you don't spook a deer running on empty off into never-never land before it expires, given that they are shot but still ALIVE.

The point is, given the vast amount of info out there about this, I can only assume that a great many hunters place good or decent shots on deer that don't expire (sometimes for hours) and need to be tracked. So how is THAT any more respectful than someone shooting a deer in the head and ending it instantly? EITHER WAY, people are going to make bad decisions or take bad shots, whether or not they take head or body shots. Yeah, it sucks, but a deer with its nose or jaw blown off is gonna die a whole hell of a lot more quickly than a leg-shot deer that might take weeks or longer to die.

Bottom line is, whether or not you shoot for the vitals only or take head shots when presented to you, make good, accurate shots and make your range time count. There should be almost NO delay between the time you decide to shoot and when the primer is struck. And no, you don't need to jerk the trigger to do this.

P.S. How do you multiquote? I clicked the icon and then quote, by only the last quote was included.

Todd1700

I'm 44 years old and have killed way over 100 whitetails here in my home state of Alabama. I have never seen any logical reason to attempt a head shot in all those years and shot opportunities at deer. Why do it? The heart lung area is a far bigger target and kills them just as dead. A bullet through the ribs just behind the shoulder wastes no edible meat unless you guys are eating the lungs these days. Want them on the ground quick and don't care about meat damage? then use a tougher bullet and shoot them through the shoulders. Even a deer standing dead still often continues to move it's head, sometimes rather unexpectedly.

So lets recap. There is absolutely no advantage to taking a more risky head shot and a pretty serious potential downside as evidenced by the OP's post. So why do it? Just because you can? Just to see if you can pull it off? Because you think it's cool to see brain matter spray in the air or eyeballs go in two directions when and if all goes well? Does your state fine you if a deer runs more than 10 feet? Why?

Small brain pan kill area + often moving target + no real world advantage vs a heart/lung shot = utter stupidity to attempt. I don't give a rats @$$ how much someone on here is wailing and trying to brow beat everyone into backing off saying it. If something is stupid and there is no reason to do it I'll tell you so. On here or to your face.

Todd1700

Yeah but if you aim for the center of the heart lung area even 3 or 4 inches of movement as you squeeze the trigger will make little difference. With a head shot 3 or 4 inches is the difference between an instant kill and blowing a nose, ear or jaw off.

7.62NATO

If you've never seen a logical reason to make a headshot, then you haven't spent much time trying to put yourself in others' shoes. The economy is tough now, and getting even tougher. There are people out there that are going to use what they have (i.e. not buying any new "deer-trickin' contraptions) to hunt in order to provide meat for their family. Maybe you see 20 or more deer per season, but some people people don't. Sometimes you only see a few, and sometimes they don't turn broadside like you want 'em to.

I've not taken a headshot, but I won't sit on my high horse and condemn it. If I were in a situation where the deer would provide meat for my family and the only sure, lethal shot I had was a headshot, I'd be damned if I didn't take it.

Todd1700

All states have legal limits on what calibers, cartridges and ammo in general can and cannot be used for whitetails. With one possible exception (Louisanna used to allow 22lr not sure if they still do). Any caliber or slug legally allowed by almost all states (except potentially the one mentioned above) will reliably kill deer with heart lung shots.

If you live in Louisianna, can only afford a 22lr and your family is starving to death then by all means you have my apology and I completely understand your need to take head shots. But I'm gonna go out on a limb here and bet that 99.999 percent of the hunters hitting the woods in this country every year do not fall into that narrow category. And if every shot counts because you need the meat so desparately then that is all the more reason to take a higher percentage shot. Right?

Nor do they have to. Use a good bullet and you can kill them quite effectively quartering to you, quartering away from you, broadside, etc, etc.

Are you in that situation? Is the original poster? He still has a computer to post on the internet. If my family was starving the computer would have long been sold to provide much needed food money.

Lets not get ridiculous with contrived circumstances here to condone something. If all of society went into the toilet and things desolved into utter chaos out there I'd kill people who came to take what limited survival resources my family had left. But under normal circumstances I consider killing humans pretty unethical. Likewise in 99.9999 percent of hunting situations there is no reason to take head shots.

Gunplummer

I agree with the hillbilly from Alabama. If you don't think you can make the shot, don't try it. It is not a shot for amateurs. However, I have seen countless three legged and multiple body shot deer running around the woods. Both my buddies and I have dropped three legged and shot up deer. I have never seen or dropped a deer with half a head running around the woods. According to all the experts here there must be hundreds of them, or maybe 1 with a good rumor mill at work?

7.62NATO

What is your point about caliber? Because I'm sure you won't agree that legal = ethical. I'm sure most states don't prohibit headshots.

Who said anything about starving TO DEATH? How in the hell can you assume that ONE THOUSANDTH of ONE PERCENT of hunters out there don't hunt because it greatly assists them economically by putting food on the table that they'd otherwise have to purchase? And it's also pretty asinine to assume that just because someone in a tough situation who has a computer and internet connection isn't putting their family first (because they should have sold it, as you would have). They could have a POS computer that they could get $100 for, which might feed them for +/- a week, but they'd have given up a TOOL that has lots of potential to lead them to a job or other money-making opportunities.

So the circumstance is not so contrived as you like to make it sound. And if you feel that waiting for a quartered or broadside shot is the only way to go, then that's what YOU do with YOUR gun. But if someone doesn't have a good broadside or quartered angle and THEY want to take a headshot they feel confident in, that is THEIR prerogative...WHATEVER their motivation. I suppose it's yours to call them utterly stupid.

Obviously we've entered into a pissing match and we're not going to concede either way. Maybe I should concede with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnIZfn6XKF4

Todd1700

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What is your point about caliber?

My point is that the minimum allowed cartridge in virtually every state out there is powerful enough to kill deer with heart/lung shots. Therefore that is no excuse to "have" to take head shots unless you are using an illegal cartridge or caliber.

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Who said anything about starving TO DEATH?

I did. Because it's a circumstance under which I would concede taking any shot necessary. But I also went on to state my sincere belief that it doesn't apply to very many hunters hitting the woods each year.

If there was one thing I could purge from the psyche of the American hunter it would be the notion that not killing something on a hunt or even in the entire season is the "worst" possible thing that can happen. So bad in fact that taking any risk, or low percentage shot is justified in an attempt to prevent such an unbearable outcome. As mentioned before unless you and your family are starving to death it isn't the end of the world. The original poster talked about how bad he felt about the outcome of his hunt. Would he have felt worse if he had just passed on that terrible low percentage shot? Bet he would choose that option now given the outcome.

It's called hunting not killing. Learn to enjoy the experience itself and look upon any kill as icing on the cake and you will be a happier hunter.

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Because I'm sure you won't agree that legal = ethical.

No I wouldn't. I could go out every day and catch a limit of bass or bream or catfish and come home and just throw them in a trash dumpster. No law against it here. Nothing that says I have to eat them or make any use of them at all. But you would have to admit that would be a pretty lowlife thing to do? At least I hope you would. So lets dispense with this notion that unless something is illegal it can't be unethical or a bad idea. It certainly can.

Todd1700

Deer with a leg shot off often survive indefinately giving you much more opportunity to see them. Deer with a jaw shot off aren't gonna make it a week.