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Thread: Headshots? Take them or no?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    471

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    i take whats offered

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
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    Pemberton BC
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    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    Head shots, lung shots, Texas Heart Shots, frontal shots, they all share one thing in common.

    They work if you can do it.

    That means you KNOW where your bullet is going to hit precisely, at that distance, and you are CAPABLE of the shot.

    Lots of hunters sight in 2" high at 100 or so. That usually gives you the ability to hit a deer in it's lungs from 0 to about 250/300 yards while aiming dead on for a lung shot. Bullet will be a bit high or low depending on range but you don't really need to compensate on a broadside shot.

    Now change that up to 15 yards like the OP said, or 100 yards or more, and you are aiming for a head shot. That's a much smaller target. I guarantee 90% of hunters have no idea precisely where there bullet impacts at 15 yards. Good chance you will miss by a hair or worse, blow off part of the animals face without an immediate kill.

    I'm not against head shots, I've taken them myself, but don't do it unless you know where your bullet is going to hit. There is not much margin for error. Longest head shot I've taken was 356 yards on a moose. But it wasn't my first shot, I had been too cavalier about my first shot and I hit him too far back. I regret not concentrating enough on the initial shot, but 28 seconds later I aimed just behind his ear in the upper neck and that's where the bullet hit. It was the only shot I really had as he moved behind some trees and that's what was available. Fortunately, we had ranged him and I had dialed accordingly.

    Head shots work, but not my first choice.
    Knowledgeable shooters agree- The 375 Ruger is the NEW KING of all 375 caliber cartridges. ALL HAIL THE NEW KING!

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    4-06
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    633

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    Quote Originally Posted by Wild one View Post
    If it’s close range chip shot I feel 100% on yes I will take a head shot if I feel it is my best possible option. But I am also a hunter who won’t pull the trigger if I am not confident in it. It’s not just a matter of hard shot or chest shot it’s being honest with your ability in the moment. Yes I will take a head shot under the right conditions but I will also pass on a 50yard chest shot if I am too gased to steady my crosshairs

    The ethics of shot selection should be based on the hunters true ability and conditions in the moment. Know your true limits and if you have doubts don’t pull the trigger. This goes for shot selection, shot angles, and distance it’s not a simple chest shots only within X distance
    Well said, I Very much agree.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Langley BC
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    942

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    I saw a doe the other day with a wound high on the rib cage on the entrance side and a black pouch like marble bag on the off side .Lets pass judgment on that ?Oh ya I found a dead 3 point buck with a half inch kicker ,how about that to? What about those bow hunters ?Lets all take aim at each other .
    Who needs antis.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    BC
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    2,291

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    If close yes. I frequently use them for frontal shots in the thick stuff under 25yds on elk and moose when calling. I am confident in my shot placement and never been an issue. Sits them right down with my 338 and don’t have to go looking. Just need to know your ability/limits. I don’t do them on deer tho.
    Last edited by northof49; 09-20-2019 at 07:57 PM.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    Haney,BC and anywhere you can hunt in BC out of the rain !
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    8,649

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    I can say I’ve never lost an animal from a head shot but I have from a broadside shot, really depends on the situation and as Gate says know what your bullets doing at that range.
    7mm PRC soon to be the most popular cartridge in North America

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
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    region 9
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    11,528

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    Not practicing with your weapon on a regular basis is unethical as well..I will always take a double lung or heart/chest shot over anything, but if there are branches in the way, and the animal is not aware of my presence I practice enough with my weapon that I know I can pull it off...but only if the conditions and distance is right..

  8. #38
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    3,066

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    If I was an anti-hunter looking for some good material the first thing I would do would be join a hunting forum, post a thread about the ethics of shooting big game in the head, then sit back and watch a bunch of hunters rip each other apart.

    This is a pretty disgusting thread IMHO.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    347

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    Lungs are certainly a bigger target, most times this is the shot I chose. I’m shooting at a basketball verses a softball. A lot less margin for error. In the last 50 years I’ve taken animals with pretty much every lethal shot possible, but have passed on quite a few because it was irresponsible to take any shot.

    Distance, wind, animal movement, animal angle, do I have a solid rest, shooting unsupported, shooter ability. There is no cut and dried answer here.

    Neck shots, head shots, lung shots, everyone of them kills very quickly when done right. Just depends on what you’ve got standing in front of you and your ability to pull it off.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    52

    Re: Headshots? Take them or no?

    Quote Originally Posted by fuzzybiscuit View Post
    If I was an anti-hunter looking for some good material the first thing I would do would be join a hunting forum, post a thread about the ethics of shooting big game in the head, then sit back and watch a bunch of hunters rip each other apart.

    This is a pretty disgusting thread IMHO.
    well I’m not an anti hunter, I’m pro hunting and always will be. I happen to find this thread very informative and I posted it so I could be educated, and I hope it also educates others. some of us done have friend of family members that hunt. Everything I do and have done is self taught. My very first deer was a bad experience, but I learnt more from that harvest than I have anywhere else. I was to excited and caught up in the moment and didn’t think about a multitude of scenarios that could play out and for that I will always remember to take a breath and relax and go through my shooting ritual.

    As as for head shots, I’m not just going to take them because I can. I wanted to know what everyone else’s opinions were, wether it be how they feel, ethics, personal experiences, Etc.. how are we to become better if we can’t better my selves through other people’s experiences, and stories.

    i go to the range a lot I’m 100% confident that I can take a shot in the lungs up to 300 yards. Now if I stalk a deer into 15-20 yards again and I’ll I have is a head shot, I’m going to take it if it “feels right to me” I have passed up on head shots before within 80yards it was up a steep embankment and looking dead at me his head was bigger than the cross hairs in the scope all I could see was the out line of eyes and in between them but I didn’t take it because I was standing on a awkward angle When I adjusted I spooked it. Oh well better luck next time.

    so far from what I have gathered I feel like I have the same ethics and mentality as other where they take head shots only in perfect conditions. Heck I may never need to take a head shot in my hunting career, but I will not rule out the option if it is granted to me

    thank you everyone for your advice and opinions!

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