Head Shots

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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Well....There is a difference..

A head shot on a grouse will either miss or hit. And wherever you it it is going to kill it or at the very least stun it long enough for you to walk over and dispatch it.

There are many non vital areas on the head of a deer...An errant shot may very well blow it's upper or lower jaw off or rip a chunk out of it's neck, without kiling or stunning it.
 
I can't ##### too much at head shooters, though.

There is a time and place for everyting..I once took a 200 yard neck shot on a mule deer, as it was th eonly shot presented. I was set up liek a bench rest and despite scope problems, I kileld the deer wiht a neck shot.

I just wonder what is the motivatin for most head shots? Saving meat? How much do you lose if you shoot them through the ribs?

is it to put them down fast, because you are worried abotu recovery? A doulbe shoulder shot will do that.

. I can shoot, I have accurate rifles/loads etc. I just think that the margin of error is too high, and the stakes too great for most head shots, so I avoid them
 
hope i never have to make a head shot, ive always been one to wait for a broadside shot, even if it means i dont get to bring some venison home for the freezer that day, id like to have a happy and successful hunt than risk the chance at pure misery.

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:wave:
 
Totaly depends on the situation, in my tree blind over an open field 75 yards in with a good steady rest? and a rifle you have 100% confidence in, its a no brainer, I have shot many in the mellon and not one moved. In the woods under tense hunting and stocking condition stocking or rattling NEVER! always plant thenm in th eboiler, I take the shot under the situations.
A head shot does make for a nice clean up! and yes i do it but only when i know 100%
 
there is a time and place for head shots, an ethical hunter will know when that is.

two seasons ago there was a deer(doe) walking around home with the bottom jaw shot off. after a couple of days of not eating it weakened and eventually could not carry the 30 pound block of frozen drewl that was on its neck and was laying out in a field close enough for passers by to see. until i came by and put it down.

a message to the hunter, Nice shot A**hole!!
 
A head shot on deer is to be avoided if at all possible. There is the question of the animal bleeding out properly after being shot. A shot through the heart lung area will ensure the meat is well bled out. When the deer is then gutted there will be lots of blood collected in the body cavity at the bottom if the deer is shot in this way. This can easily be drained out. When a head shot is made however the brain shuts down the heart and lung activity immediatly (like turning off a light switch upstairs). Blood then collects in the meat making for messy butchering not to mention a much much greater chance of spoilage. The idea after all is to end up with a clean, well bled out carefully dressed out carcass that you would glad to process and eat when you are finished. I pass on head shots.
 
Dave L. said:
Hey, just for reference, aren't you supposed to take elephants with headshots or something like that?

- Dave.
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That's one of the options. There's a few differences;
1) You will be backed up by a professional that will more than likely drill it again the second it doesn't get flattened.
2) 25 yards is considered a real long shot.
3) whatever the outcome, the second you pull the trigger you just spent between 20 and 50 grand and your license is filled.

The old cliche is that braining an elephant is like shooting a Volkswagan in the carburator.
 
I've taken a few head/high neck shots with 100% success. I always had a good rest, a short range and confidence in my rifle. With a head shot the throat should be cut as soon as possible to drain the blood from the muscles, the heart continues to pump for a bit as the nervous system shuts down and will push most of the blood out.
 
I had a head shot once on a spike muley and dropped like the proverbial sack. Expecting to see blood and brain but there was none. Cut his throat and then found the cause of the sudden drop. Shaved the hair off the top of his ear and struck a burr at the base of the antler. Didn't waste any meat!
 
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