Head Shots

bill c68

bill c68

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This thread is for you Bigredd....

There is plenty of argument over wether or not a head shot is ethical, practical etc. Whatever.

For those who do take head shots, where do you shoot 'em? between the eyes?, behind the ear? in the eye? etc. We are talking deer size plus animals. Bunnies and grouse are easily killed with head shots.
 
I have taken my share of head shots and neck shots on whitetail deer over the years and find it very effective and less spoiled meat. But there are cases where a heart and lung shot is better. The circumstances is what plays role in any shot I take and in the 50 yard range I prefer the head shot on a whitetail anyday. Now a bear, well thats a whole different kettle of fish and will always try to hold out for a shoulder shot.JMHO

Wayne
 
Head shots are a department of last resort shot as far as I'm concerned.
I have used them as kill shots of course.
The chance of a kiler wound that can't be recovered is too great.

If you damage a deers jaws, it will likely starve to death slowly, and you won't get another chance to shoot.

By the way, this has been hashed to death so many times, I'm surprised you would bring it up again.
 
John Y Cannuck said:
Head shots are a department of last resort shot as far as I'm concerned.
I have used them as kill shots of course.
The chance of a kiler wound that can't be recovered is too great.

If you damage a deers jaws, it will likely starve to death slowly, and you won't get another chance to shoot.

By the way, this has been hashed to death so many times, I'm surprised you would bring it up again.
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Might have been hashed to death, I haven't read any head shot threads... just some snippets in other threads.

Who had the thread about the coyote shot with the 54 cal muzzleloader? It was messy.
 
I always found that interesting. In your original post, you stated a head shot will kill a rabbit or bird. Your 100% correct. And most folks who do this feel comfortable doing so, and can mae such a shot out to say 50 or so yards. But alot of these folks feel that can't do the same on a deer sized animal. Think about the size of the target. If you feel comfortable hitting a grouse or squirrel's head at 50 yards, why can't you deliver a shot to the skull of a deer at 100? I feel people do not have the confidence in themselves that they should. If you have more confidence, you will become a better shot.
 
Right between the LQQKERS.:ar15:

Never taken a head shot on a big game animal but between the windows makes sense.:)
 
pharaoh2 said:
I always found that interesting. In your original post, you stated a head shot will kill a rabbit or bird. Your 100% correct. And most folks who do this feel comfortable doing so, and can mae such a shot out to say 50 or so yards. But alot of these folks feel that can't do the same on a deer sized animal. Think about the size of the target. If you feel comfortable hitting a grouse or squirrel's head at 50 yards, why can't you deliver a shot to the skull of a deer at 100? I feel people do not have the confidence in themselves that they should. If you have more confidence, you will become a better shot.
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To be faor to those who fell that way. I was shooting a skunk at 40yds the other day with my .22-250 which is sighted for about 150yds. It took me 5 tries!!!
Personally if Iknew exactly where my gun wa shooting at 30 yds and had a bear or deer at 30yds i would go for it. But if you are not certain within 1/2" I would not take it.

My buddy is a huge believer in head shots and his son's first bear was a head shot at 30yds with a .223. My buddy :rolleyes: uses a .338 Lapua, make's a mess of the head!
 
Pickles said:
Right between the LQQKERS.:ar15:

Never taken a head shot on a big game animal but between the windows makes sense.:)
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The diff between a kill & a complete miss on that shot is what?? 1 1/2"


pharaoh2: there was no mention of what distance or whether it was rifle or shotgun used on grouse & rabbit head shots, I would suggest he was refering to a shotty at much closer distances on that game! :rolleyes:
On the other hand if someone can garrentee a head shot on a rabbit or a grouse with a rifle at 50yds off-hand :eek: I would suggest they can shoot at a deer anyway they want :D

Hunting conditions do make a huge diff too! I could see a lot of hunters here sitting in a nice comfortable tree-house waiting while a flock of deer walk up to with-in 50yds. I would think it would not would be outside the limits of your average stand hunter to hit accurately with they're newest whambanger & telescope using the comfortable rest provided :D
 
senior said:
The diff between a kill & a complete miss on that shot is what?? 1 1/2"


pharaoh2: there was no mention of what distance or whether it was rifle or shotgun used on grouse & rabbit head shots, I would suggest he was refering to a shotty at much closer distances on that game! :rolleyes:
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I head shoot bunnies and birds with a shotgun, at up to 40yds while they are travelling at top speed... I was referring to rifles but not at 50yds... more like 10-30.
 
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Talk to the tree squirrel hunters. They don't shoot the bodies, too much damage. And I know of one fellow who just claimed a 75 yard head shot on one. as for the shotgun thing, a head shot a 40 yards? Yup, and a wing, and a few in the body, a couple in the neck...:D

Try this on for size. Head shot on a rabbit with an air rifle at 80 yards. Don't watch if your a sissy! :D
video 80yard shot


Yeah, it died by the way. I say it was a hell of a shot.
 
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Your right. my point is if your confident in your rifle, and your ability, you are capable of making the shot. If not, don't do it. Thousands do, and the job is as dramatic as any. I won't tell anyone it's ok to shoot at a deer at 900 yards. Nor will I say fire past 100 unsupported. But a good shot is more than capable of hitting a target at least the size of a baseball at 50 yards. If not, don't do it.
 
pharaoh2 said:
Your right. my point is if your confident in your rifle, and your ability, you are capable of making the shot. If not, don't do it. Thousands do, and the job is as dramatic as any. I won't tell anyone it's ok to shoot at a deer at 900 yards. Nor will I say fire past 100 unsupported. But a good shot is more than capable of hitting a target at least the size of a baseball at 50 yards. If not, don't do it.
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I agree, hunting situations can & do diff in many cases.
In Ontario you seldom see a deer standing at 50yds unless he's in thick brush & preparing to leave! It's also usually just after you"ve climbed what seems like mount Everst with, also usually in Ont with an open sighted gun. Combined, that makes for even a standing 50yd shot not quite so easy off-hand! Even confidence in your rifle might not help in that situation. It takes your complete statment "my point is if your confident in your rifle, and your ability" to make that shot acceptable + conditions!
 
:sucks: Brilliant... lets pick the smallest target behind the biggest bone in the animal... then we can all brag about how good a shot we are....:rockOn:
:needPics:

Thanks for thinkin of me Bill;)
 
Here is an example of a head shot that was off by mere inches... a real hunter managed to kill this deer with a well placed shot in the boiler rooom as it was running away after that head shot... and save it from a painful lingering death.


bs1.jpg
 
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Come now Bigredd, you really don't want head shot pics do you?
I had the misfortune to be hunting down a wounded doe one year. A Condition where ANY shot is apropriate. She was bellering and caterwalling like you would not believe. Up to that point I'd never heard a wounded deer make any noise at all.
That time, when she raised her head from the raspberry bushes some thirty yards away, in a small clearing of a logged off area, I did take an off hand head shot.
The results, with a hard cast bullet from the 30-30, was a bloody rag of skin where her head used to be. A well placed brain shot would be my guess.
Messy.
But under the circumstances, I think justified.
The original shot from a 303 British was center of mass, and passed between the spine, and the front of the stomach tearing the diagphram. The guy shooting was no newbie, and should have known better.
Like I said, a shot of last resort IMO.
 
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