head shot. is it ethical
09-02-2010, 07:18 PM
#31
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 411
I did it once when I was in my teens with a shotgun, hit the buck in his jaw. It took a second shot to kill the deer. Before that, Dad told me never to shoot the head, I was determined to prove him wrong. Never tried since then, never will as long as I continue to hunt.
09-03-2010, 07:20 AM
#34
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Montana
Posts: 151
If there's no question in your mind you can hit the animal in the cranium, take the shot. Personally, I only take those shots at about 100 yds or less and with a good rest.
You also have to remember the head of ANY animal is the most animated so getting a still shot is difficult. IMO, it's up to you, but I don't like them and usually end up finishing a deer every couple years that has been shot in the snout or jaw.
You also have to remember the head of ANY animal is the most animated so getting a still shot is difficult. IMO, it's up to you, but I don't like them and usually end up finishing a deer every couple years that has been shot in the snout or jaw.
09-03-2010, 07:57 AM
#35
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hayes, Va.
Posts: 2,332
I had shot a doe last year in a swamp and I ended up getting a shot to high and hit her in the spine. She raised her head up a couple of times and I felt really bad. The only shot I could take was a head shot and it put her down.
I didn't like doing this, but under the circumstances I had no choice in the matter. This was the only time I had to take this kind of shot.
I didn't like doing this, but under the circumstances I had no choice in the matter. This was the only time I had to take this kind of shot.
09-03-2010, 08:10 AM
#36
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,076
to me its not a matter of ethics. i dont like when people try to inject ethics into hunting. everybody does things differently and thats fine with me, even thou some things might make me say WTF.....
whatever oh well.
If i new i could have a 100 percent one shot kill rate on deer with headshots id do it all the time. But if you have any brains atall you know its a piss poor shot, to go for the head, as far as success rate.
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what situation is there were the only shot open on a deer is a head shot????????
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Is he peeking over a brick wall at you or something?
whatever oh well.
If i new i could have a 100 percent one shot kill rate on deer with headshots id do it all the time. But if you have any brains atall you know its a piss poor shot, to go for the head, as far as success rate.
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what situation is there were the only shot open on a deer is a head shot????????
--------------------------------------------------
Is he peeking over a brick wall at you or something?
09-03-2010, 05:58 PM
#37
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Kansas
Posts: 616
to me its not a matter of ethics. i dont like when people try to inject ethics into hunting. everybody does things differently and thats fine with me, even thou some things might make me say WTF.....
whatever oh well.
If i new i could have a 100 percent one shot kill rate on deer with headshots id do it all the time. But if you have any brains atall you know its a piss poor shot, to go for the head, as far as success rate.
--------------------------------------------------------------
what situation is there were the only shot open on a deer is a head shot????????
--------------------------------------------------
Is he peeking over a brick wall at you or something?
whatever oh well.
If i new i could have a 100 percent one shot kill rate on deer with headshots id do it all the time. But if you have any brains atall you know its a piss poor shot, to go for the head, as far as success rate.
--------------------------------------------------------------
what situation is there were the only shot open on a deer is a head shot????????
--------------------------------------------------
Is he peeking over a brick wall at you or something?
Live it up! Doug
09-03-2010, 06:22 PM
#38
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 489
absolutlely not. we are not sniper's and we are talking about the fastest moving part on the animal. I always shoot just at the front shoulder and in the past 10 yrs with about 6-10 harvested every year I have only had 1 that did not drop in its track's and that was with a muzzleloader at 150yds in high winds. anyone that takes a head shot on a deer makes me sick to my stomach, thats very un ethical and dis-respectful to the animal we hunt.
09-03-2010, 06:42 PM
#39
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
absolutlely not. we are not sniper's and we are talking about the fastest moving part on the animal. I always shoot just at the front shoulder and in the past 10 yrs with about 6-10 harvested every year I have only had 1 that did not drop in its track's and that was with a muzzleloader at 150yds in high winds. anyone that takes a head shot on a deer makes me sick to my stomach, thats very un ethical and dis-respectful to the animal we hunt.
Interesting...You'd take a 150 yard shot with a muzzleloader with high winds, yet say a head shot is not ethical...That slow moving muzzleloading bullet is awful when the wind gets up...
09-03-2010, 09:25 PM
#40
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Camp Lejeune, NC
Posts: 3,869
I so no. It's not ethical IMO. There's a lot more room for error in taking a vital shot. With a head shot, the deer going for a tic can be the difference between a dead deer and a blown off jaw/nose. NO ONE knows when the deer will decide to move it's head.