Ethical, neck or head shots?

[Duckologist]

Ethical? By whose ethics??

[Ætheling]

Killed a bunch of deer with a .204 this year. Both body shots and right in the ear hole and forehead. None of them liked it much. Will attach pics shortly. Most deer were looking right at me one was looking away and one was shot looking to the right. All shot between 60-130 yards and the body shots went less than 30 yards from impact. Hard to run when your heart has been shredded. Thought I had more pics of the deer but I will substitute pics of rabbits both shot at 125 instead.


Warning graphic photos ahead.

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Classy

[kumathebear]

NO one at our place makes head or neck shots for many of the reasons mentioned above. I was always taught AND taught my son's with the assistance of their Grand Dad that you ALWAYS take ethical shots. Those are defined as "side body shots" and placed as heart/lung. Don't shoot from behind or in front..too easy to miss vitals and "gut shoot" or worse.

I am the only full time rifle hunter due to physical limitations, but the other guys or their spouses will rifle hunt some and again...NO head or necks. "Take game with one lethal shot is always the goal and intent."

[TexasArchery_27]

I remember having a very similar discussion last year after a picture surfaced from FaceBook. The picture was the aftermath of a hunter taking a head-shot on a doe with a crossbow bolt. I think the general consensus was "The ends justify the means", or "If you can make the head-shot, take it". Not to hijack the thread, but I'd like to pose the following question: Would the target animal influence your decision to take the headshot? Where is the line drawn as far as species? Game animals, no way. Exotics, all day?

[TheHammer]

Hahaha I was thinking the same thing. During season all I read were threads about people here needing dogs, cause their deer ran off.

Bad shots happen in bowhunting. If you have never made a bad shot, you haven’t bow hunted long. I made a bad shot last year and had to get a dog. Unethical would have been to say, I’m not paying $600 extra just to recover the animal. Getting a dog out there and paying extra to retrieve the animal in my eyes is being ethical as you can get given the circumstances at that point. In a perfect world no tracking dogs would ever be needed, but bow hunters don’t live in a perfect world.

[trophy8]

Bad shots happen in bowhunting. If you have never made a bad shot, you haven’t bow hunted long. I made a bad shot last year and had to get a dog. Unethical would have been to say, I’m not paying $600 extra just to recover the animal. Getting a dog out there and paying extra to retrieve the animal in my eyes is being ethical as you can get given the circumstances at that point. In a perfect world no tracking dogs would ever be needed, but bow hunters don’t live in a perfect world.

Guy buys bow and shoots it a few times. Puts it in the closet. Pulls it out 2 days before the opener. Shoot a few. Puts it by the door with his gear. Goes hunting. Makes a bad shot. Not much practice. This same scenario plays out over and over and over every year. Hence why several made the comment.

[trophy8]

I remember having a very similar discussion last year after a picture surfaced from FaceBook. The picture was the aftermath of a hunter taking a head-shot on a doe with a crossbow bolt. I think the general consensus was "The ends justify the means", or "If you can make the head-shot, take it". Not to hijack the thread, but I'd like to pose the following question: Would the target animal influence your decision to take the headshot? Where is the line drawn as far as species? Game animals, no way. Exotics, all day?

Depends on the circumstances. Like frontal shots. I killed a big mule deer at 350 facing me. Drilled him. Killed a bunch of deer quartering hard to me. Shot one walking away quartered hard. Shot my antelope on a full sprint but only 100-150 yards. Dropped him. Confidence in your equipment, abilities, and the present conditions are major factors. I’ve not taken but 2-3 head shots. I have a buddy who shoots dozens every year in the head for MLD. Pigs? Any shot any time haha.

[glen]

And head shots get nasty matter all over the truck. Neck and virtually no mess

[TX03RUBI]

Bad shots happen in bowhunting. If you have never made a bad shot, you haven’t bow hunted long. I made a bad shot last year and had to get a dog. Unethical would have been to say, I’m not paying $600 extra just to recover the animal. Getting a dog out there and paying extra to retrieve the animal in my eyes is being ethical as you can get given the circumstances at that point. In a perfect world no tracking dogs would ever be needed, but bow hunters don’t live in a perfect world.

Oh i absolutely agree with you on this. I’m just laughing at everyone here who’s talking about head shots being unethical, but the amount of tracking dog threads I read daily here are staggering. If they’re that concerned with “unethical” shots, then a lot of those guys need to hang up the bow.

[WalkieTalkie]

Most processors will be glad to save them for you, because they charge by the pound

[Gherkin05]

Yep. Bowhunters here scream ethics. Yet keep a lot of tracking dog handlers pockets full lol

For the win.

Put em down how you see fit.

[CrookedArrow]

I remember having a very similar discussion last year after a picture surfaced from FaceBook. The picture was the aftermath of a hunter taking a head-shot on a doe with a crossbow bolt. I think the general consensus was "The ends justify the means", or "If you can make the head-shot, take it". Not to hijack the thread, but I'd like to pose the following question: Would the target animal influence your decision to take the headshot? Where is the line drawn as far as species? Game animals, no way. Exotics, all day?

Fine Axis meat. Not gonna ruin any of that good eats

[Sika]

The ranches I guide for have a no head / neck shot rule. High percentage shots only. We've seen too many botched head and neck shots and those deer are tough to recover with a dog.

[kmitchl]

I’ve seen too many deer with their bottom jaw shot off doomed to a slow and painful death to try head shots.

[Smart]

Ethical, neck or head shots?

I’ve seen too many deer with their bottom jaw shot off doomed to a slow and painful death to try head shots.

Man I have seen a lot of body shot deer die a long painful death or seen them take 6 months to year to “recover” from their injuries, probably suffering all year long with blown off legs and destroyed shoulders, limping for the rest of their life.. or infection sets in and it finally kills them after a month or three. Low brisket shots, gutshots, intestine shots, etc etc etc. infection is a *****. But I’ve never once thought about not taking another body shot. Same with neck and head shots.