Deer Hunting Ethics question

[ScubaLatt]

I was reading an article the other day in Field & Stream about the perfect shot placement to kill an animal quickly. The article said to shoot deer, hogs, etc. behind the shoulder or in the shoulder. The article stated that shooting an animal in the head is unethical.

What is your opinion on shooting deer,hogs, etc in the head? Ethical or not?

My son and I shoot all of our deer/hogs in the head unless we are going to mount it. Reasons why: 1. No meat gets messed up. Even if you shoot behind the shoulder you still get blood clots on the shoulder and rib cage. 2. They don't run away! No tracking in cactus, thickets, thorns, ponds, gullys, etc. 3. No chance to gut shoot if you flinch -- chances are that if you flinch you will miss cleanly and no harm/no foul.

Just looking for different opinions.

[DA COVE]

I have taken head shots before with success. But what changed my mind on it was with a 150 yd shot from a 7 mag being about 2" low and removing most of the lower jaw. Had to track it and put it down. (about an hour after the initial shot, and she was running.) It would have probably bleed out finally, if not it would have starved. It's also not real pretty to look @. Some prospective hunters may be turned off by the sight..IMO.

[Gerald]

While a head shot is usually very effective...... [IMO] The head is a small target area [eye and ear area that will hit the brain].

Probably what the article means is that it is likely that the shot placement could be low or more in the jaw area which may not be fatal.

The same holds true for a neck shot. A shot placed in the center of the neck will break the spinal cord and/or the major arteries. But if the shot is off just a little, it may not be fatal.

A shoulder shot [or just behind the shoulder] is a bigger target. Therefore, for the average shooter, the shoulder is a better choice.

Anyone that gun hunts very much, knows that on the average you will hear several gun shot misses, for each deer killed. Why.....IMO, poor shooting ability or taking bad shots.

Go to a rifle range [like Sherburne WMA] and watch what the "hunters" do while there. A high percentage will have a fancy shooting rest that they use while shooting. They take several shots [using the rest] and check how they [the rifle] are shooting. They may make adjustments to the rifle scope to get the gun on target. Then they shoot a few more shots....if they are hit the bull's-eye, they stop shooting thinking they are ready to hunt.

Again....IMO....they probably should practice shooting without the fancy rest because they will not have it in the woods. If they can still hit the bull's-eye without the rest, they are ready hunt.

FYI....I am not perfect either, but I like to think my shooting ability is way above average.

[specktator]

I was raised where if I has hunting close to briars or thickets and I wanted to shoot a doe, it had to be a head shot or I had to track it by myself.

[Top Dawg]

Originally Posted by DA COVE

I have taken head shots before with success. But what changed my mind on it was with a 150 yd shot from a 7 mag being about 2" low and removing most of the lower jaw. Had to track it and put it down. (about an hour after the initial shot, and she was running.) It would have probably bleed out finally, if not it would have starved. It's also not real pretty to look @. Some prospective hunters may be turned off by the sight..IMO.

I had this same exact thing happen to me. Shot the bottom jaw off. She flipped flopped all over screaming then got up take off. Ended up having to shoot her again. Wasn't a pretty sight.

90% of the deer I have shot behind the shoulder have dropped in their tracks. And the ones that run usually go no more than 20 yards.

[Crawl79]

This is well debated subject. And I have seen the effects of head shots and neck shots gone wrong. Some are terrible to look at and I can understand why some think unethical but I believe the same about a shoulder shot. If you cant put your bullet where you aim you won't always have a clean kill. Like someone else mentioned must hunters get there rifle on the bulls eye then pack it up. I shot my favorite deer rifle year round, always trying to improve and it has helped kill more deer. Too many hunters are ready for the deer that comes out in the middle of the green field and poses but have no clue what to do when they have a deer at 30 yards in thick briars and only a head, neck or piece of shoulder to shot at. Or too many are unprepared for the big buck that comes out on the shooting lane never stopping giving us a 3 second or less chance to get our eye to the scope, crosshairs to the deer and pull the trigger.

[weedeater]

I don't like shoulder shots due to wasted meat but I hate seeing an animal suffer due to a poor shot,I think a lot of the problem is most people shoot to big of a caliber for the animals we have here causing more damage then needed.... just my thought

[Top Dawg]

If a shoulder shot is placed right you don't mess up any meat.

[swamp snorkler]

I've shot 2......
1 in the neck and one in the shoulder.

I should have shot the first one in the neck as well.

My father in law has killed probably a 100 deer and he hits them right where the head meets the neck 75% of the time, when they hit the ground they dead 90% of the time. The only deer he shoots in the shoulder are bucks which will be made into sausage anyway. I say closer that 75 shoot them in the neck after that, shoulder shots.

[Reggoh]

Shooting through the vitals is the only way to go with a Bow so thats what I do. Too much can go wrong with head shots IMHO.

[specktator]

One of the first head shots I made I was about 9 years old still hunting with my dad in a box stand in the middle of a cutover. Small doe walks out and after asking my dad for 30 minutes to let me shoot it, he finally gives in. But says gotta be a head shot cause we are in the middle of this cutover. I shoot and the deer crumbles. My dad tells me to go look and make sure it isn't a button buck. I get about 3-4 steps from it and it jumps up and is looking at me. I had hit it in the nose and blew its whole face off. Jaws and everything. It was a terrible sight. I still feel bad to this day. Then to top it off my dad walks up and tries to cut its throat but it was young and had a lot of flabby skin and he couldn't cut through it. He tried to just stab it in the neck and it kicked him in the hand splitting his hand wide open. He had to get stitches. Last time I have tried to cut the throat on a deer.

[Goosepond Monster]

Originally Posted by Top Dawg

If a shoulder shot is placed right you don't mess up any meat.

Or just use a bow.

[jchief]

Originally Posted by DA COVE

I have taken head shots before with success. But what changed my mind on it was with a 150 yd shot from a 7 mag being about 2" low and removing most of the lower jaw. Had to track it and put it down. (about an hour after the initial shot, and she was running.) It would have probably bleed out finally, if not it would have starved. It's also not real pretty to look @. Some prospective hunters may be turned off by the sight..IMO.

I agree with this. I have not done it, I shoot the shoulder, but have talked to several hunters who have done something similar.

[Dink]

#4 buckshot aimed at the neck. Something is gonna connect in the right spot

[SGib]

I'd say shooting young basket rack bucks is more unethical. If you can make the shot don't waste any meat. IMO no excuse for bad shot out of box blind when you can put a shelf and beanbag to rest on.

[jchief]

Originally Posted by SGib

I'd say shooting young basket rack bucks is more unethical. If you can make the shot don't waste any meat. IMO no excuse for bad shot out of box blind when you can put a shelf and beanbag to rest on.

Totally disagree with the basket rack statement. If I am hunting and I want to venison, I am shooting whatever walks out and it is not unethical.

This is why deer leases are getting so dang expensive. Most people want to grow and shoot monster bucks, but not everyone. It is a personal choice and you should be able to shoot what you want without everyone else judging you.

I have let deer walk in the past and will in the future, but I already had meat in the freezer for the year, but if it is legal, shoot it if you want it.

[Crawdaddct]

I envy all you snipers out there. I have been shooting rifles for 30 years and still suck. I have been through training and have to qualify with Ar-15 every year for my job. Now give me a handgun or shotgun and im all good. My wife and kids kill me at the shooting range. I once completely missed a Audad sheep at 25 yards. That thing was three times as big as a whitetail. So needless to say im shooting behind the shoulder. The more vital organs the better.

[SGib]

Tx is 13in spread minimum. The quality has really increased since that change. If you just want meat shoot a doe.

[jchief]

Sgib, TX and LA are different places and most of the places I hunt, if I just wait on a doe, I may not kill.

[SGib]

Gotta put food on the table!