Head shots..
- Thread starter Stingray
- Start date
I like a bigger target than the brain. When I shoot one broadside through the lungs I don't lose any meat.
Uh, no. Have seen more than a few deer with their jaw shot off. I don't think that's from attempted headshots; I think it's more likely taking shots at running deer - but I could easily be mistaken about that. Heart/lung shots dont ruin hardly anything (and I love eating the heart); neck shots also have minimal meat loss.
I am pretty confident in my shooting, but have zero reason to try a head shot. Taking out the heart and lungs doesn't waste any meat, unless you are counting the heart.
If you ever make a bad head shot and have any heart you won't don't again. I got the shirt and I won't take one again . Blew the bottom jaw off a doe once because she moved just as I shot @ 10 feet . 
I could never head shot one.... No matter how comfortable I am with that rifle it just takes a split second of movement to change everything. I won't take unless I am 90% comfortable with it. Wounding a deer is the worst feeling.... and If your okay with wounding them and don't worry about it, you should probably just not hunt. Its still a leaving creature and wouldn't want and anything to suffer.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2015
- Messages
- 1,211
Can I hit a 2" circle at 200 yards or further? In the right conditions, yes. Would I attempt it on a deer? No.
I knew a guy who shot a doe in the head with a bow at 47 yards, one of the most impressive, irresponsible shots I have seen.
I knew a guy who shot a doe in the head with a bow at 47 yards, one of the most impressive, irresponsible shots I have seen.
Ridgeline300
Well-Known Member
I shot a doe in the head once years ago @ 20yds. She was looking right at me. It was kind of a disgusting sight and I said I'm not doing that again. 338 win mag between the eyes.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
No way. Not taking head shots. To many opportunities for something to go wrong. The risk is not worth the reward. Double lung is a dead deer with minimal meat loss.
Im afraid for some guy's the head shot has little to do with meat loss...no thanks.
Im afraid for some guy's the head shot has little to do with meat loss...no thanks.
Doecrusher
Well-Known Member
I know your talking with a gun... But I had a buddy that was pretty good shot with a bow and taken a doe with a headshot... We weren't sitting to far from each other maybe 120yds or so... He said he dropped her so I told him to come meet me... It was dark and when we started heading back to the deer I was like dude is that a deer looking at us thru our head lights... Sure enough that deer hopped back up and was running circles with 8" of the arrow and head poking out... We chased that thing around and around til she got caught in some trees thankfully before we got another arrow in the vitals.. no way I'd try it...
Tennessee280
Well-Known Member
Neck is the classy way to go if you're not gonna shoot em in the shoulder..
This ought to be good…..
Popcorn on standby.
Me, no way. I'm confident in my shooting ability, but a deer can move in an instant and turn things into a nightmare.
There's a lot more grace given with shoulder and rib shots. That's my wheelhouse.
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
No you mess up even a little the deer will live and will absolutely die a terrible death. You aren't messing up any meat or very little to none shooting them in the lungs.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2017
- Messages
- 828
irresponsible
A buddy of mine put a deer down years ago that was starving to death because his bottom jaw had been shot off. The deer was literally skin and bones. Anyone that takes headshots on deer should be banned from hunting for life and shunned by decent people everywhere. There is absolutely no reason to do something so utterly stupid and unethical. Ruining meat? Please.
I don't necessarily disagree with what you say and would never advocate for headshots on deer.
But at the same time, I have killed countless pigs with a 22mag by shooting them in the ear.
Perhaps we value the critter's lives differently.
WTNBowHunter
Well-Known Member
Don't see any reason to shoot one in the head for any reason. The amount of meat lost from an errant heart or lung that hits a shoulder is probably nothing. In theory it sounds like a win but practically you're likely not losing any meat.
Good point. How far were these ear shots?
BSK
Well-Known Member
I once shot a doe in the head with an arrow (and killed her instantly). I was aiming for her lungs. Have I ever mentioned I gave up bow-hunting because I'm a terrible shot with a bow?
Flintlocksforme
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2019
- Messages
- 323
Topshelf
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2015
- Messages
- 159
Yeah I remember the heat off this very topic several times in the past
On purpose ??Entry and exit. 150 yards plus. Not a flintlock used the vintage 700 30-06
How far were you from said pigs? What happened if you miss your mark, on the pig in a pen? That's probably the biggest issue here. You screw up on a deer and it runs off and you probably won't catch up to it end the misery.
I'm confident in my shooting ability to be able to do it but would never. The key word in your statement is "marksmen" because a true hunter wouldn't take head shots.
Yes, that's more like it.
