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Tedfs
12-21-2008, 04:13 PM
I haven't hunted in years but have always wondered something.

If you are hunting with a firearm, why not aim for the head ?

I could care less about trophy racks or head mounts but with the way things are going in Michigan I might start hunting again for the meat.

So, why aren't people shooting for the eyes ? Does it ruin the meat or is the target too small ?

With the quality optics and accurate firearms we have today I don't understand why anyone hunting to fill a freezer wouldn't just shoot for the head.

sixhundredrr
12-21-2008, 04:16 PM
Target is too small.

Done Deal
12-21-2008, 06:01 PM
Head shots can be iffy but, they do make a bloody mess if you decide to take them.

Neck shots are better and you don't have to track deer at all. Both these succumbed to neck shots this year. The one on the left was standing and one on right was was running through the woods. You can barely see the holes but, they are visible.

fbuckner
12-21-2008, 06:30 PM
I and my son have been using neck shots in the last 2 years. I am tired of chasing deer or having them run to the neighbors land which we can not track them on. One in the neck and they usually drop right where they stand or at least within 15 yards. There is a rason out west of the Mississippi that they shoot for the neck. To much open rolling land to run on.

Tedfs
12-21-2008, 06:41 PM
So you're aiming for the vertebrae then ? Severe the spinal cord and they can't run at all, I like that.

I can't tell from the picks, where on the neck are you aiming for ?

RifleGuy
12-21-2008, 07:18 PM
With a neck shot, hydrostatic shock will usually just "switch off" brain function, or rupture enough blood vessels to cause hydraulic failure within seconds. Actually hitting a vertebrae is iffy, but is an instant kill if you score the hit.

Head shots are to tough; the head is the most animated part of any animal. If you make the hit there is little chance of a run-away, but the counter is that a miss is a very high probability.

Tedfs
12-21-2008, 07:41 PM
So where on the neck are we aiming ? Towards the shoulder area, middle of the neck, towards the base of the skull... ?

A noob needs to know these things !

RifleGuy
12-21-2008, 08:20 PM
Target animation will be reduced towards the torso end of the neck; a shot slightly ahead of the shoulders, approximately 2" down from the backside of the neck should produce wonderful results with an expanding bullet. Don't use a varmint grade bullet, but you also don't want something designed for deep penetration; do a bit of research.
A shot placed at the base of the skull, 2" inward from the neck's backside, should provide dramatic results, but only if you can make the shot!

Paint a 3" circle on a milk jug. Hang the jug from about 6 inches of rope and give it a gentle nudge. As the jug slowly dances in the wind, trot back about 50 yards, load the rifle, and see if you can hit that 3" circle freehand. If you can hit, you are a better shot than most, go ahead and try for that head/neck shot. If you miss.. well, welcome to the majority, and you might want to consider that shoulder shot!

As I said before; the head/neck is the most animated part of an animal. Meat in the freezer is my ultimate hunting goal, so I prefer a chest shot; destroying thoracic structures and a maybe a shoulder. There is some degradation of meat in the impact zone, but bloodshot meat can be turned into burger, and once it's on the grill it doesn't seem to matter much!

A lot of guys make that shot, only you know your capability. I know an old guy that carries a popsicle stick when hunting. He snaps the stick, then as the deer stands very still, looking for the source of the sound, he head shoots 'em. Sounds nuts, nut I have seen a lot of head shot deer in his barn over the years.

Best shot I ever made was a shoulder shot on a 12 point buck with a '95 Ford F-250. The deer landed 15 yards from point of impact, the truck made it almost 100 yards, my shorts were DOA at the 5 yard line!! About 25 pounds of "usable" meat, mostly burger.

jay
12-21-2008, 11:08 PM
Yea the neck works well. And as for head shots, when you see one with its bottom jaw blown off you'll never think of it again. Sad fate for such a beautiful animal.

Rolex Dr.
12-21-2008, 11:28 PM
with my ML i started shooting them where the neck meets the shoulder if i shoot too far back the shoulder is toasted, to far forward i neck shoot it and the deer drops

head shots are tough to do but they do make the meat taste better (they drop and are dead) and no adrenline pumping and the meat stays level

JD

Done Deal
12-21-2008, 11:37 PM
So where on the neck are we aiming ? Towards the shoulder area, middle of the neck, towards the base of the skull... ?

A noob needs to know these things !


On standing deer facing me, the white spot makes a wonderful target.

If they are out there a few hundred yards, then I drop down to lower neck--chest area.

The one buck in that pic was running through the woods and I couldn't get a good body shot. I kept trying and trying and there were just too many trees to make a good shot. Finally I swung the rifle out to a hole and when his nose hit the center of the cross hairs---good night.

The other one was trotting sort of toward me and in the brush but, had his eyes on a doe that was switching directions so---I went lower neck and it ended up going in, bouncing off a rib and staying inside. That buck stopped, literally dead in his tracks and kinda stiff legged keeled over sideways.


Neck, chest, behind the front shoulder----I cut my own deer and don't like to waste meat. I never pull the shoulder shot to try and put a deer down because it destroys too much venison.

I also try and make my first shot count because like fbuckner said, chasing a wounded deer across property lines seldom turns out to be a fun chase. I don't do much tracking if I have a rifle---and like it much better that way.


I should have done a European mount on a doe that I head shot with a round ball gun on year. There was a nice 50 cal hole right between her eyes---looked kinda cool. That didn't make a mess like a rifle bullet tends to.

Reliably killing deer is all about making each shot count. My neighbors would probably bet money on what happens when they here my 7mag roar. I like it that way...but, the deer probably don't.