Had a guy ask me

[Bear44]

I wonder if you ever made a head shot.

Those center mass shots that seem to be a miss, when the deer jumps in the air, those are sever days dying with their guts hanging out and the yotes gnawing at them.

I'll bet a dime to a donut that you hunt squirrels with a 12 ga shotgun. lol

You really don't get it, do you? A bigger lethal target area makes for a higher percentage of humane kills. It's that simple.

BTW, the fact you think that a deer jumping in the air when hit is a sign of a bad shot really shows your lack of experience. When they jump and kick, it's almost always a heart shot and they will be found a short distance away. Have you made that shot and then never looked for the deer because you didn't know any better?

I typically hunt squirrels with segmenting .22 subsonics... and take heart lung shots then, too. For the same reason.

Your entire argument seems to be based in your pride of marksmanship, rather than a concern for the game you hunt. I have pride in my shooting skills, too and have hunted at long range. However, I never take a shot that is anywhere near my max ability on game. No one should. It is simply unethical. I push my shooting ability at the range where a bad hit doesn't cause unnecessary suffering.

Look, you're going to do what you're going to do and I normally wouldn't go after it this hard, but this is a thread about a new hunter and I don't want them to think for even a second that head shots on deer are okay. They are not.

Oh, and to answer your question, I have never taken a head shot. If that's all that's available I'll either wait for a better shot or let the deer walk.

 

[BanjoJohn]

You really don't get it, do you? A bigger lethal target area makes for a higher percentage of humane kills. It's that simple.
When you shoot a deer that runs, that's not humane, it's that simple.
Why do you think that your opinion is always correct?
Shooting center mass destroys meat, makes the animal suffer, and results in more un-retrieved game.

BTW, the fact you think that a deer jumping in the air when hit is a sign of a bad shot really shows your lack of experience. When they jump and kick, it's almost always a heart shot and they will be found a short distance away. Have you made that shot and then never looked for the deer because you didn't know any better?

A well placed gut shot will also make a deer jump in the air. BTW not knowing this really shows your lack of experience.

Shooting center mass is why you need a bullet that will leave a good blood trail?

If you shoot a deer in the heart, you just took out both shoulders. You obviously don't have a clue as to where a deer's heart is located.

I typically hunt squirrels with segmenting .22 subsonics... and take heart lung shots then, too. For the same reason.

Maybe you make "lung/heart" shot on squirrels because you are a poor marksman.

Your entire argument seems to be based in your pride of marksmanship, rather than a concern for the game you hunt. I have pride in my shooting skills, too and have hunted at long range. However, I never take a shot that is anywhere near my max ability on game. No one should. It is simply unethical. I push my shooting ability at the range where a bad hit doesn't cause unnecessary suffering.

It's simply unethical in "your" opinion.

Look, you're going to do what you're going to do and I normally wouldn't go after it this hard, but this is a thread about a new hunter and I don't want them to think for even a second that head shots on deer are okay. They are not.

If you don't feel confident enough with your marksmanship to head shoot a deer within 100 yards, well then you should probably stick to gardening.

Oh, and to answer your question, I have never taken a head shot. If that's all that's available I'll either wait for a better shot or let the deer walk.

I always take head shots. If the head is not available, then I wait until it is, or let the deer walk.


As I stated before, you need to spend a couple of weeks skinning deer at a processor.

 

[Bear44]

I always take head shots. If the head is not available, then I wait until it is, or let the deer walk.


As I stated before, you need to spend a couple of weeks skinning deer at a processor.

Whatever, man. I've made my arguments and think that any new hunter that reads this thread will get it. I didn't think I would change your mind.

Just remember that the next time you try for a head shot and you "miss" you may very well have not. Congrats.

 

[BanjoJohn]

Whatever, man. I've made my arguments and think that any new hunter that reads this thread will get it. I didn't think I would change your mind.

You haven't made an argument, you blew a bunch os smoke without answering any of the questions that were ask of you.

Just remember that the next time you try for a head shot and you "miss" you may very well have not. Congrats.

Just remember the next time you shoot center mass and the deer runs away and you search late into the night but fail to retrieve, and chalk it up to a "miss" there is a pack of coyotes somewhere are having a feast.

FYI. For some reason, the deer I shoot don't run, nor do the other deer standing near by.
They wait for their turn to be shot in the head rather than the gut.

Recon why that be?

Do you really think that deer just ran away like nothing happened?

 

[Bear44]

Just remember the next time you shoot center mass and the deer runs away and you search late into the night but fail to retrieve, and chalk it up to a "miss" there is a pack of coyotes somewhere are having a feast.

FYI. For some reason, the deer I shoot don't run, nor do the other deer standing near by.
They wait for their turn to be shot in the head rather than the gut.

Recon why that be?

Do you really think that deer just ran away like nothing happened?

Yeah, okay. Keep justifying to yourself. It's also just magical that deer don't run when they hear your gunshot. Head shots are obviously special in many ways.

Do you think that a deer with it's jaw blown off isn't going to haul ass out of there?

Also, what questions have I not answered? Remind me and I'll be happy to.

FYI, I've missed one deer with a rifle and only failed to find one that I hit and that was when I was very young and inexperienced.

 

[BanjoJohn]

Yeah, okay. Keep justifying to yourself. It's also just magical that deer don't run when they hear your gunshot. Head shots are obviously special in many ways.


No justification needed. You just keep shooting center mass and telling yourself that the deer never feel anything.

I guess that's what I'm able to kill 2, 3, or 4 deer, one right after the other is because they scatter like rabbits after the first shot. Maybe it's that roaring thunder from that 300 wm that makes them freeze in their tracks?

Do you really think that deer run at the sound of every gunshot? SMH

Also, what questions have I not answered? Remind me and I'll be happy to.

Reading/Comprehension, is one class that nobody should miss.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

I think the ideal deer rifle cartridge is the 6.5 x 55mm, loaded with 120 to 130 grain bullets. A 130 grain from a 22" barreled rifle should have about 2600 ft/sec muzzle velocity. The recoil won't be bad.

But it's a great longer-range round, in ways that the other lower-recoiling deer rifle rounds can't match. Even at 400 yards it will hit with about 1000 foot-pounds of energy.

 

[Bear44]

Reading/Comprehension, is one class that nobody should miss.

You really think the other deer don't run because you are taking head shots?

BTW, I've killed multiple deer on more than one occasion, but it was because they were confused about where the shot came from, not because of where I shot the first one.

 

[78Bronco]

I've killed more deer than I can count over the last 20+ years with a 22-250 but on the other end of the spectrum I also have a 7mm mag. It's down to the shooter and how comfortable they are behind the gun and if they are willing to wait for the right kill shot required for the caliber they selected. I shoot all my deer in the neck or head, especially when shooting the 22-250. That means I do have to let more deer walk than I would if I were shooting a larger caliber gun and going for vitals but that's part of the challenge for me and I'm willing to accept that.

 

[BanjoJohn]

You really think the other deer don't run because you are taking head shots?

BTW, I've killed multiple deer on more than one occasion, but it was because they were confused about where the shot came from, not because of where I shot the first one.

Wow! That kind of went way over your head.

Do you free lance write for the Huff Post?

Yeah, okay. Keep justifying to yourself. It's also just magical that deer don't run when they hear your gunshot. Head shots are obviously special in many ways.

Do you think that a deer with it's jaw blown off isn't going to haul ass out of there?

Also, what questions have I not answered? Remind me and I'll be happy to.

FYI, I've missed one deer with a rifle and only failed to find one that I hit and that was when I was very young and inexperienced.

I think you might need a fence post. lol