Highest Risk to wound shot

[Walksalot]

I believe the running shot is the highest risk to wound shot because so much has to be taken into consideration in a split second.

[longstonec]

Texas heart shot?

[proguide66]

with archery a neck shot with a bow is 90% wound ( my opinion).with a gun , inexperience and 'buck fever' is #1...(my opinion)....put a good weapon in experienced hands and heads are gonna fly!

than again I guess that fits with bows to doesnt it!

need more coffee...not sure why I posted..:-?:lol:

[Rock Doctor]

Running Head Shot..............I just can't get those, no matter how much I practice them.


RD

[bowhunterbruce]

Running Head Shot..............I just can't get those, no matter how much I practice them.


RD
omg i was thinking the same thing, too funny

[Weatherby Fan]

Well alot of variable's come into play in either of these situation's,

For head shots distance and what is your rifle zeroed for,my rifle is zeroed for 300yds so at 25yds it's zeroed and at 150 yds it's 4 inches high ,as confident as I am in my ability to shoot my rifle I shy away from head shots.
But if it was the only shot that presented itself at a reasonable distance I would probably make it.

Running shots ? again is the deer at a full run or trotting,is it running broadside or directly away from you,what distance,every instance needs to be assessed and common sense applied,and according to some most hunters are poor shots ?? throw in a little buck fever and common sense goes out the window,maybe your out of breath ?

For the most part both could be deemed unethical but mostly depends on distance and the individuals ability and his confidence in his shooting ability.

I have done a few neck shots at inside of a 100yds,which most will tell you not to do ? and in every instance it dropped the animal on the spot.

One should never try either of these shots with a "magnum" :mrgreen: way to much recoil !
WF

[weatherby_man]

The highest risk shot is the one you don't feel confident taking. That could include head shots, running shots, or a 200 yard broadside shot for someone who isn't comfortable shooting that distance. In the second/s you have to spot, analyze, and shoot if you don't have feel you're in your comfort zone don't take the shot.

[steel_ram]

Texas heart shot?

Kills them fine. Just makes a mess with a huge potential for ruining meat.

[emerson]

There are VERY few hunters with the ability to take an ethical running shot. Sure, I know, you can do it, but those "unethical" hunters are the problem.

[Nimrod]

For head shots distance and what is your rifle zeroed for,my rifle is zeroed for 300yds so at 25yds it's zeroed and at 150 yds it's 4 inches high
I've been using this zero since I can remember, taking a 200yard shot with a 45 degree up or down angle and the hold under is bizarre. if I had only the head to shoot at I wouldn't take it. Have made a few walking shots, all on the mark, but a deer running full tilt at over 100yards no way.

[Mr. Dean]

The question isn't sound and I can't find the best answer.
There isn't enough info and I ain't playing. :tongue:

[hunter1947]

I have shot at a few animals on the run over my years have missed a few as well the head shot I also have made but only at close range bottom line is the running shot has my vote.

[5 spike]

running shot for sure, no rest no time to get your shit together to make a proper shot that counts.

[bandit]

There are VERY few hunters with the ability to take an ethical running shot. Sure, I know, you can do it, but those "unethical" hunters are the problem.

In IDEAL conditions a running shot is perfectly ethical from even an 'intermediate' hunter. The problem is defining perfect conditions. For me that means less than 100m, comfortable shooting position and completely open terrain (and probably some prior experience at wingshooting). Instinctive running shots at game you have bumped without previously spotting is a different ball game from knowing exactly where the animal is and, most importantly, is likely going to.

FWIW I have hunted with guide who told horror stories of head shots going wrong - animals losing a jaw and starving to death etc. So to answer the OP, all shots have a degree of risk - its up to the hunter to judge whether those risks pose a likelihood of wounding an animal.

[ghost]

I dropped my buck at 200 yards moving shot. Not a full blown run or stotting.The most important thing is to be comfortable at shooting at the given distance,and flat terrian makes things easier

[hunter1993ap]

sometimes a moving animal is easier to hit than a animal that is standing there if you are freehand shooting. i find it a very fluent motion to shoot an animal moving rather than one standing still. i'm not talking a full out run but situations when the deer is walking to bouncing. (for mule deer).

[coach]

The most unethical shot is the one you aren't sure of.

I think Mr Dean had it right in post #11.

[huntwriter]

Would have to agree with Mr Dean. There are no black and white answers to these questions. To many variables to say this or that shot are high risk shots. Coach nailed it in my opinion.

[Jelvis]

Standing when shooting off hand and not using a rest is a big one when animal is over fifty yards away or so ..
Just hard to hold still on center of mass when standing and shooting with no rest for the gun other than you ..
Go prone at least or use a tree branch or against something solid.
Do lot's of shooting at a range and try different positions

[Drillbit]

This is hunting BC.

If it were hunting AB or SK (with the exception of baitpile shooting) you would get a different answer. If you wait for a Whitetail to stop so you can assemble your BogPod, you probably won't get any blood on your knife. This is also true for coyotes.

Many shots in the open country are running shots. If a hunter practices a bit, mostly just shooting freehand, it doesn't take long to get good at running shots. If you don't think shooting something while it's moving is ethical, NEVER try any sort of migratory bird hunting, where it is sporting to shoot birds on the wing and not sporting if they are landed and stationary. Don't even shoot try at Clay pigeons, the percentage of hitting them while they're moving is so low.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but if people would shoot more they would realize how much ability they actually have.

[BCBRAD]

When the sight picture is right, the rifle goes off. sometimes I can track a running animal and the gun never goes off , sometimes it does.

[BCBRAD]

Standing when shooting off hand and not using a rest is a big one when animal is over fifty yards away or so ..
Just hard to hold still on center of mass when standing and shooting with no rest for the gun other than you ..
Go prone at least or use a tree branch or against something solid.
Do lot's of shooting at a range and try different positions

I do, and prefer standing off-hand shots, 100's & 100's of off hand shots every summer for decades and decades. I use a 35whelen for this practice.

[ufishifish2]

Generally when an animal is on the move I just follow it with my sights. Nine out of ten times it will stop and look back. Then I take the shot. No need to rush things! In hunting "Patience is the key to success."

[CanuckShooter]

Shooting deer that are running through the trees isn't all that difficult if your rifle fits you properly and your comfortable taking the shot....

[gitnadoix]

One other consideration with the running shot is, your back ground is rapidly changing and in that millisecond when you are concentrating on the crosshairs and the critter lining up to run into the bullets path, are you also able to see that other hunter/hiker/not open season animal in the back ground. Again it comes down to many varaibles open prairie, closed west coast forest etc etc ??? all effect both the hazard level as well as the ethical (from the animals point of view) level.

head shots .... having found a few jawless animals in the woods over the years....I just dont take em.....I aint starving to death so can wait my turn for the easy broad side body shot.....same goes for running, but did it once..... it ended very well bear running up a slope across a revine from me.....338 through the spine and the heart but watched a lot more than that run out sight through my scope waiting for them to stop and turn and look one last time...some do some dont....for me thats part of the fun...

[Jelvis]

A running shot is ok but I prefer to stop running then stand and take the shot, when I'm running I have a hard time holding still.
Jel .. I prefer to stop and aim rather than attempting a shot while I'm running through the bush.

[steelheadSABO]

the backwards over the shoulder head shot were you use a mirror on a running deer at night....
The worst would have to be anyone shooting at living creatures with very little practice with guns

[Jelvis]

One fella near Clinton B.C. said he always gives the deer or moose a fighting chance, by shooting a shot or two behind the animal to get them running scared so they have a better chance of escaping when he takes a serious shot at them as they flee.
Jp .. He always tries to at the least give them a running chance .. Stud or Dud?