Headshots? Take them or no?

[Taylor329]

I feel like if you're hunting small game like squirrels, grouse, rabbits, and whatnot, head shots are more the norm to prevent meat loss, no? On big game it's no brainer (no pun intented) for not taking head shots.

[Downtown]

For me, Hunting is a calling whereas practising on the Shooting Range is a Sport.

The hunting Ethics instilled into me since I was a little Boy are, that Fair consideration for the Animal always comes first. This includes shots which have a high probability that they are non killing and in the worst case scenario (by shooting off the lower Jaw) result in the agonizing starving of the Animal. For this reason I consider Head Shots absolutely unethical and strongly advise against them.

Of course if the Animal is already wounded, any shot including a Head shot is OK to put the Animal out of its misery as quickly as possible.

Finally I found in my rather long hunting career 60+years that often the same People advocating Head shots are frequently the same Operators which decide very quickly they misst the Animal completely and spend all of 5 minutes on a "Search" when in reality the Animal was hit and because of the Laziness and incompetence of the Hunter, died a short ways away only to become a free Meal to Scavengers.

Cheers

[trebreklaw]

No head shots for me. Many years ago i head shot a moose at about 50 yards. Got to it within a minute to cut throat and bleed . No blood surge as usual and meat ended up with lots of blood in the meat.
i think sometimes a head shot can hit the brain and somehow the heart stops immediately.
Anyway that was the last time for me.

[Wild one]

For me, Hunting is a calling whereas practising on the Shooting Range is a Sport.

The hunting Ethics instilled into me since I was a little Boy are, that Fair consideration for the Animal always comes first. This includes shots which have a high probability that they are non killing and in the worst case scenario (by shooting off the lower Jaw) result in the agonizing starving of the Animal. For this reason I consider Head Shots absolutely unethical and strongly advise against them.

Of course if the Animal is already wounded, any shot including a Head shot is OK to put the Animal out of its misery as quickly as possible.

Finally I found in my rather long hunting career 60+years that often the same People advocating Head shots are frequently the same Operators which decide very quickly they misst the Animal completely and spend all of 5 minutes on a "Search" when in reality the Animal was hit and because of the Laziness and incompetence of the Hunter, died a short ways away only to become a free Meal to Scavengers.

Cheers

Making so pretty big assumptions there

[Rieber]

Where is that picture of the Elk with the hole through the nasal cavity?

[rocksteady]

Where is that picture of the Elk with the hole through the nasal cavity?

You are assuming that elk was the intended target.. maybe the cow was behind the bull who took it straight through the boiler room first.

[MRP]

Here we go, unethical, blah blah blah. Every hunting situation is different. I've used head shots, why not, if you can do them. Gotta know your own capabilities, your weapons capabilities, and the situation. Always go for the highest potential of creating the most lethal wound channel. Sometimes its the brain, or spine, but most times its the biggest target, the chest. Do your part, practice, use a properly sighted in weapon, and use a bunch of common sense. If it is a marginal chance at creating a lethal kill, then don't shoot. Simple! Moosin

Egg-zakly I've used both and past on both. Every shot, each day, each site line is different. Crunch the numbers in your head and do what's right at the time.

[Rieber]

You are assuming that elk was the intended target.. maybe the cow was behind the bull who took it straight through the boiler room first.

Easy there, I'm not assuming nothing. For all I know that elk was inspecting poops and papers when it walked into a sharp branch and impaled itself.

[Squamch]

I shoot grouse in the head.
I shoot ungulates in the boiler room.

[rocksteady]

Easy there, I'm not assuming nothing. For all I know that elk was inspecting poops and papers when it walked into a sharp branch and impaled itself.

Well played... well played!@@