Have you ever been forced to...........
...take a head shot on a game animal because of an obstructed view? I'm referring to brush, trees, or even another animal being in the way of a "vitals" shot? Since I'm not a trophy hunter, it's actually my preferred method for meat animals like deer, elk, antelope and moose. Although I don't care for dummied-up mounts hanging on my walls, I am fond of European mounts (beetle cleaned skull with antlers or horns). I believe they show the true strength and beauty of the respective animal. I bagged a beautiful brow tined bull elk yesterday about 22 miles into the back country behind our mountain. Regretfully, it's no longer a candidate for the beetle treatment. If you've never seen what a .30-06 throwing a 150gr. soft point projectile does to an elks' skull, you haven't seen ugly. The up side, zero meat damage/loss. It took almost nine hours for two of us to pack it out. [:0]
0
-
No,
But I have taken a head shot because I could.[:D]
Don0 -
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
No,
But I have taken a head shot because I could.[:D]
Don
Varmints-[:D] I like to be humane.[;)]0 -
Buddy of mine shot a hog to far back while tracking it came out of some brush right at us I shot it with 280 rem 8 yds away in the head nothing left to mount 0 -
When hunting squirrel I always try to take head shots. 0 -
thats my shot of choice, they don't run. i hate it when they run, especially downhill[B)][8D] 0 -
Hobbyguy --
I avoid head shots for the simple reason of the target area being both smaller and more prone to unexpected movement (as opposed to the "vitals" area of a standing or walking animal). This is the case whether my view of the animal's lung/heart region is clear or not.
This is assuming we're talking deer and larger animals. I take head shots on squirrels, but I wait for the animal to be motionless before squeezing the trigger. I might also specify that my hunting situation is somewhat unique -- I hunt deer exclusively with a .50 caliber, iron-sighted flintlock, which makes my shooting more vulnerable to motion on the part of the animal than is the case with squirrels, which I hunt with a .22. The fact that I live five minutes from where I hunt and can kill up to nine deer in my county alone, during firearms season, makes it more easy to pass up a shot that someone with a scoped centerfire rifle, on a hunt that offers a limited time frame in which to score, might quite correctly consider to be a responsible shot to take.
Since I've found in the past that you prefer that your actual question be answered [:D] -- no, I've never been forced to take a head shot.
Congrats on the elk, by the way.0 -
I popped a big ol' doe last week with a 50 cal ML using a 255 gr Powerbelt. Hit her about 3" behind the ear. I don't think she even kicked once. No meat lost AND no tracking through the jungle.
Those steaks melt in your mouth.0 -
quote:Originally posted by tomahawk
thats my shot of choice, they don't run. i hate it when they run, especially downhill[B)][8D]
Same here. A .22lr[:)][8D] tween the eyes or the ears and they drop in their tracks.0 -
I like neck shots when I'm sure enough of my shot, but that's seldom. 0 -
I'm not a big fan of the head shot. I will take one if I have to, but prefer not to deface the animal. Often times waiting a little longer will give you a shot to the vitals. Sometimes not though. 0 -
Well, when you have an absolutely clear shot at the "Chamber of Winds"- from the front, straight shot at the upper lip, from the side, right below and behind the ear, they drop without any other movement. But it can be difficult..... Oh, wait.... You mean on game animals. Um..... never mind. [:p] 0 -
[:D][:D][:D][:D][}:)][;)] 0 -
I chose to take a head shot at a quail to save the meat on the last dog trial I was in.I missed,Lost the bird and the trial.No more head shots.I know that its a little different from your situation but I had to weigh in. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 11b6r
Well, when you have an absolutely clear shot at the "Chamber of Winds"- from the front, straight shot at the upper lip, from the side, right below and behind the ear, they drop without any other movement. But it can be difficult..... Oh, wait.... You mean on game animals. Um..... never mind. [:p]
+1[:)]0 -
I have taken more headshots than I can count. I took them because I knew it was a guarenteed hit and it was the humane thing to do. 0 -
.243 100 grain in a doe's left ear does a pretty mean job itself. That one was mine. My uncle hit a spike under the eye with a 7 mag....yeah that was bad...or good depending on how you look at it but MAXIMUM carnage. Definitely not one for pictures. 0 -
I take head or neck shots on ALL of my long range kills...that way I either have a clean miss or a dead animal...and there is not really any very good meat in the neck either...BTW...congrats on the kill. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ECC
I take head or neck shots on ALL of my long range kills...that way I either have a clean miss or a dead animal...and there is not really any very good meat in the neck either...BTW...congrats on the kill.
Ditto!! I have never been forced to, I just prefer to.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
18 comments