Head shooting deer?

[johnmventers398]

Whats the worldwide view on this? I do it but only when my self set rules are met.

I understand this is a hot topic and i want to get views opinions and no doubt some griefe.

I am a profecional guide and population manager and my veneson goes for comercial perposess. I will shoot arount 120 animals thisyear my self and clients willl take around 80.

So thats abit about me.

 

[shadrac]

you don't ruin any meat when you shoot them in the boiler

 

[Preacher]

Some folks have no real reason to head shoot anything, but those like you that have moral's and wait till there is a 100% chance of the critter being DRN, well I for one have no problem with it.
I do the same thing now and then if I'm 100% sure I can get the job done inside of 100 yards, and only when it's a meat thing.

 

[johnmventers398]

The thing i like about the computer shot is that there is no tracking. They just seese to be. The way i do it is when i see the back of the head bullet drops and its in the spine and high is a clean miss. I will not do the between the eye and ear shot. Alsoi will never ever do the front on looking at me shot

 

[ShootDots]

I shot exactly 2 deer in the head. Both were does. Both were under 100 yards. Yet, I was still a bit skeptical about taking head shots. On the other hand, if a deer is broadside to you there is an easiler, much more forgiving shot that will drop them right there. If you take the "middle" of the neck and shoot a little above the middle portion BUT just about where the neck meets the body, you will break the neck and or snap the spinal cord and that turns their lights out. It is a larger target. Even if you don't hit exactly where the spinal column is, the shock from the impact will normally snap that spine like a pretzel. I have never had that shot fail.

 

[johnmventers398]

I had a low neck shot burst on the skin of a hind last winter it was then shot by my frient about a mile away after some frantic babble over the hand held radio on direction of travel description of the way it was moving and so forth. I was utterly shocked uppon examening the carcus that the bullet had just burst.

 

[ShootDots]

I had a low neck shot burst on the skin of a hind last winter it was then shot by my frient about a mile away after some frantic babble over the hand held radio on direction of travel description of the way it was moving and so forth. I was utterly shocked uppon examening the carcus that the bullet had just burst.

Well that was not the fault of the shot. That was the fault of bullet failure! The shot was good, the bullet was not..

 

[johnmventers398]

I had a low neck shot burst on the skin of a hind last winter it was then shot by my frient about a mile away after some frantic babble over the hand held radio on direction of travel description of the way it was moving and so forth. I was utterly shocked uppon examening the carcus that the bullet had just burst.

Well that was not the fault of the shot. That was the fault of bullet failure! The shot was good, the bullet was not..

I agree, it was just an obversation.

 

[people]

I will take them when I know I can make them.

 

[jonbearman]

I did it one time opening day with a spike buck as I only hunt for food. He dropped like wet cement.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Taken two head shots, one the doe ran through and stopped between trees looking back at who kicked her out and I took the shot she gave me.. Dead before I recovered sight after the recoil. The other was nuisance tags we were just shooting for the freazer.. Headshots are not my forte, a good double lung shot is as good to me.. I don't really de-bone the ribs any who..


Ray

 

[HTSmith]

Not a good idea if you are after meat. It STOPS all functions instantly and there is no bleeding. A lung or heart shot will bleed out. Better meat. I don't mind tracking a few yards. I used to work in a plant where the USDA discarded all that were not properly bled.

 

[johnmventers398]

Bleeding the deer is importaint but it only takes five mins to walk 100yrd then you pull everything out and bleed it by that big old artery in the back that i canna mind the name of.

 

[snert]

nearly all my cull deer (30) were taken with head shots...mostly 220 Swift or 22-250. Never had one move. Longest shot was 200 yards, right between the eyes, DRT. Shortest was 90 yards, same shot. Bridge of nose seemed to be just about the best hit. Of the 30, I had one wounded, and I shot it in the chest before it went 20 yards. That one was dead within two hops.

All of these were similar to what the Aussies do with roo's. Spotlight, very careful choices, good rest. NOT sport hunting.

 

[johnmventers398]

I ballance sport with cull. Clients pay my wages and the gvt tell us roughly what we shoot. More guid us. I have the final say. My closest head shot was about 20yards or so. Ive had no head shots this year but a few neck shot. The farthest head shot i ever took was 130yrd on a wounded stag. Had managed to break its leg sone how poor thing had gangreen settin in and wasnt for shiftin. It recived two rounds at the same time. I was usin my 7mm rem mag ant my colige .243. He swears the pressure from my muzel broke his shot. But there was two clear holes behind its ear. It was a once in a lifetime situation

 

[AckleymanII]

I have shot them in the head every from every angle, does. With a 6x-24x and a rifle that groups 3/8-1/2" or less at 100 yards, there is not much of a challenge on a doe's head or a p.dog's head for that matter. The real question is whether or not you want to take off the top 1" of the skull or split the head like a canoe. I prefer a neck shot breaking the spine, less mess.

 

[1shot]

I shot exactly 2 deer in the head. Both were does. Both were under 100 yards. Yet, I was still a bit skeptical about taking head shots. On the other hand, if a deer is broadside to you there is an easiler, much more forgiving shot that will drop them right there. If you take the "middle" of the neck and shoot a little above the middle portion BUT just about where the neck meets the body, you will break the neck and or snap the spinal cord and that turns their lights out. It is a larger target. Even if you don't hit exactly where the spinal column is, the shock from the impact will normally snap that spine like a pretzel. I have never had that shot fail.

I'm in Shoot Dots camp on this one. Took a shot at about 100 yds. Bullet placement was about 2" down from the hair, and about where they lay there ears back when they sense danger. A 300gr. Nosler in .45 made her DRT before her knees buckled.
Lloyd

 

[dragman]

It's all about distance,
I hunt from a bench with a 20lbs target gun. I shoot ground hogs that way too. I have yet to miss a ground hog at under 400 yards with the set up and how I shoot. (I don't EVER take a questionable shot, I always take my time)
so with my same setup for deer if one comes in at 200 or less then it's lights out, but it wont happen unless someone I know is really needing some meat as I am trying to fill my tags with some long range game if possible.

 

[MrMajestic]

When the conditions are right I do. Where I hunt in NC it is beneficial as if they make it off the shooting lanes they sure can be tough to find. Of course it is over bait and good rests off the shooting rail.

 

[Roe]

I will not do the between the eye and ear shot. Alsoi will never ever do the front on looking at me shot

Out of curiosity, why not a front shot?

For me it seems to be the one headshot I take the most - on alert, frozen deer, aim top nose. The bullet have not failed to smash through the whole head yet.
At the skull/neck intersection from behind also works well, the jaw/ear intersection is rare with me.

I use 6,5mm 123gr and 140gr bullets.