Deer Hunting: Headshots

Hold on guys. There are plenty of photos just like that when people come back from shooting gophers. Nobody says boo then.
 
Well while I'd agree a photo of a deer with it's head turned inside out is not what everyone wants to see as a quality "hunting" photo, fact is both deer and gophers are living creatures. And there can't be any doubt that the deer in the photo suffered in any way. I'm not one to jump all over someone for not "Disney-ing" up his pictures that he posts.
 
Posting one photo like that might be excusable as being an illustration of the effects of a head shot on a deer. Posting the second photo was just spite... throwing it back in the face of the person who called him on the first one.

Like it or not, we are held to account for the public image we present. As hunters we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. You wouldn't open a hunting magazine and expect to see a photo like that.

I didn't take photos of the last moose I shot, because by the time I'd put a finisher in his head he didn't have a good side. I didn't expect anyone else to want to see a picture of that, and frankly, I didn't either. Nor would I post a photo of a pile of groundhogs shot to be rid of a nuisance, or of a bear shot for the same reason.

Ethics is about more than what to shoot and when.
 
At the very least that should have been a link instead of a live photo and a warning that the content may be disturbing to some.... I would advocate this for deer gophers coyote, whatever the animal may be if the photo is gory.... There are some of us who are trying to bring new hunters to the sport and help it grow... Although blood is part of the sport it certainly isn't the part that should be showcased...

I could post equally grotesque photos illustrating what happens when head shots go wrong btw..... Unfortunately in the case of those photos the deer are still alive....
 
Agreed, to a point. But what happens when that new hunter shoots their first animal and it's not laying there with little X's where it's eyes were and cute little pink tongue sticking out? What happens when the shot is not perfect and the animal is laying there blowing air out one side and guts out the other? Let's not try and sugar coat what we are doing, which is killing a live animal. Wouldn't you rather a picture on a forum BEFORE the gore in the field the first time out?

Sorry for derailing the thread, OP.
 
joe-nwt said:
Agreed, to a point. But what happens when that new hunter shoots their first animal and it's not laying there with little X's where it's eyes were and cute little pink tongue sticking out? What happens when the shot is not perfect and the animal is laying there blowing air out one side and guts out the other? Let's not try and sugar coat what we are doing, which is killing a live animal. Wouldn't you rather a picture on a forum BEFORE the gore in the field the first time out?

Sorry for derailing the thread, OP.
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I actually involve my son in the gutting and hanging and butchering for this reason.... My son also wouldn't be exposed to a headshot because I don't advocate them personally... I do see what you are saying Joe, however one should be given the option of viewing the content rather than having it front and center and "in their face" as it were.... Also, I think standing over an animal you just harvested for the first time and realizing you have taken a life determines whether hunting is for you or not... it's part of the process and it's that realization that can make someone a better, more ethical hunter.... getting desensitized to it on the internet isn;t doing them any service in my opinion....
 
To be frank, and I respect your posts and opinion Joe, you're making a peculiar argument defending a peculiar fellow seriously lacking in tact, and respect. No, I really would not, as my hunting doesn't look like that, neither will my son's. If an error occurs he'll see it, be affected by it, and decide to do better. Jading him, or people in general, to gore is in fact very much against what I want him as a hunter to know, experience, and feel. We are doing more than "killing animals", every hunter I know and respect would get angry having it suggested that is simply what they're doing in their sport.

Rather, we are hunting and that is why we don't say to our wives we're going on a killing trip. If confronted casually at a dinner by non-hunting guests over your mounts, and they ask do you merely enjoy killing animals and is that all it is, would you say yes? I've been asked that, and I know you and I have both given long, meaningful explanations on what hunting really is. I don't need to repeat all those reasons as we all know them, those that hunt, and not simply kill that is. A big part of it is respect for wildlife, conservation, and the sport. Ethics, seasons, tags, reporting poaching and an appreciation for what the animals give us make us hunters.

That picture, falls short of those ethos. It is as you rightly identified a representation of killing, a gloating, hideous pride in gore I have no wish for myself, my son, or anyone to become "used to".
 
Oh you guys, they photos are just guys bragging that they can make head shots!!!! ;)

I very rarely take photos, let alone post them or even less give the details of a shot/hunt/harvest of an animal.There is always someone that will not approve of the photos or content, myself, yes, there should be a touch of class and/or discretion when using an open and public forum.

"Allahu Akbar" could be shouted when posting those pics!!
 
Ardent said:
To be frank, and I respect your posts and opinion Joe, you're making a peculiar argument defending a peculiar fellow seriously lacking in tact, and respect. No, I really would not, as my hunting doesn't look like that, neither will my son's. If an error occurs he'll see it, be affected by it, and decide to do better. Jading him, or people in general, to gore is in fact very much against what I want him as a hunter to know, experience, and feel. We are doing more than "killing animals", every hunter I know and respect would get angry having it suggested that is simply what they're doing in their sport.

Rather, we are hunting and that is why we don't say to our wives we're going on a killing trip. If confronted casually at a dinner by non-hunting guests over your mounts, and they ask do you merely enjoy killing animals and is that all it is, would you say yes? I've been asked that, and I know you and I have both given long, meaningful explanations on what hunting really is. I don't need to repeat all those reasons as we all know them, those that hunt, and not simply kill that is. A big part of it is respect for wildlife, conservation, and the sport. Ethics, seasons, tags, reporting poaching and an appreciation for what the animals give us make us hunters.

That picture, falls short of those ethos. It is as you rightly identified a representation of killing, a gloating, hideous pride in gore I have no wish for myself, my son, or anyone to become "used to".
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And your son is well aware that there are people who take head shots (I don't) and what the outcome is. I can't comment on pilot's hunting capabilities, as I can't prove he didn't shoot that deer while it was standing in the back of his truck.;) All I'm saying is that his picture, however distasteful to some, is the outcome of his particular hunt. It might not be my cup of tea, definitely not yours, but it is the result of a successful hunt non-the-less.

My pitchfork stays in the closet.:D
 
The pictures are an extreme protest to the " HOLIER THAN THOU " attitudes towards hunting. I go out in the bush ethically dump bucks and cut tag's, its that simple. I savoured every gram of that little buck, and i enjoyed every moment from the time i pulled the trigger to the time i wiped my rearend. Especially knowing he never heard the gun go off. Nothing wrong with head shots as long as your comfortable with them.

As for those who's blood that boiled ...Exspecially the finger pointer's that scream " HE'S NOT A HUNTER !, HE'S NOT A HUNTER ! " Myself and a fellow member have had an entertaining Sunday morning reading your posts. I have not taken a single comment personally and respect everyone s opinion... Cheer's ! :D
 
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Ardent said:
You would beat literally all Olympic shooters, not an exaggeration, if you can offhand 2" groups with an SKS at 100 yards. You should be out there taking every service rifle trophy there is as well. Blatant exaggeration like this is hard to ignore, take a video without stops or editing of you shooting a 2" hundred yard offhand with strap SKS group and you will literally be a shooting community hero. Actual results I'd still be impressed by a 6" five shot group, heck even 3 shot. :) I'd just like to see this happen quite frankly and would honestly root for you. It's beyond my abilities with any rifle I own and so would be very impressive to me.
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I agree with you for the most part. Getting 2" groups with an SKS would be incredible. However. There were a couple of times that I did 2" groups of 7 rounds with my Marlin 336 among other rifles. Most of my muzzleloaders could also match that feat. That was when I shot offhand for 99% of my shooting. You get really good at it. I don't think I could do that now. Although you have now peaked my interest.
 
pilot2001 said:
The pictures are an extreme protest to the " HOLIER THAN THOU " attitudes towards hunting. I go out in the bush ethically dump bucks and cut tag's, its that simple. I savoured every gram of that little buck, and i enjoyed every moment from the time i pulled the trigger to the time i wiped my rearend. Especially knowing he never heard the gun go off. Nothing wrong with head shots as long as your comfortable with them.

As for those who's blood that boiled ...Exspecially the finger pointer's that scream " HE'S NOT A HUNTER !, HE'S NOT A HUNTER ! " Myself and a fellow member have had an entertaining Sunday morning reading your posts. I have not taken a single comment personally and respect everyone s opinion... Cheer's ! :D
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Just an observation...your conduct in the field may be ethical according to your personal standards, however, it is your choice of photographs to take, then post (there is a reason such pictures are not published in hunting/shooting magazines) and your choice of words that have caused some to have questions.
 
Ardent said:
You would beat literally all Olympic shooters, not an exaggeration, if you can offhand 2" groups with an SKS at 100 yards. You should be out there taking every service rifle trophy there is as well. Blatant exaggeration like this is hard to ignore, take a video without stops or editing of you shooting a 2" hundred yard offhand with strap SKS group and you will literally be a shooting community hero. Actual results I'd still be impressed by a 6" five shot group, heck even 3 shot. :) I'd just like to see this happen quite frankly and would honestly root for you. It's beyond my abilities with any rifle I own and so would be very impressive to me.
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i have a few tricks for the sks one is a .311" bullet maybe when it warms up i'll get out and try again
 
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Chuckbuster said:
Just an observation...your conduct in the field may be ethical according to your personal standards, however, it is your choice of photographs to take, then post (there is a reason such pictures are not published in hunting/shooting magazines) and your choice of words that have caused some to have questions.
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You should go snivel on the gopher thread 5 lines down if your done here
 
If it's close and low risk I will take a head shot for the sole reason that I eat heart but not brain. Distances beyond 50 yards, the heart/lung area just provides a better target. There are lots of angles where a heart/lung shot means some damaged meat too though that's still better than a wounded animal.
 
stuckon308 said:
I agree with you for the most part. Getting 2" groups with an SKS would be incredible. However. There were a couple of times that I did 2" groups of 7 rounds with my Marlin 336 among other rifles. Most of my muzzleloaders could also match that feat. That was when I shot offhand for 99% of my shooting. You get really good at it. I don't think I could do that now. Although you have now peaked my interest.
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Do you guys realise how good, and how impossible, shooting off hand 2" groups with lever guns, SKSs, and muzzleloaders sounds to most of us quite familiar with shooting? :) 2" groups, bench rested, are in reality likely better than the average, let alone with these guns. Off hand you're making professionals with $10,000 rifles look bad if you're truly able to do that. Reference the "prove it" accuracy threads, most attempts come in at double the claims. If either of you guys can do this one video you will forever be remembered as some of the greatest shooters witnessed on the Internet. I bid you good luck, and rooting for you.
 
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