Head Shooting Big Game

[5MilesBack]

I've shot a few cow elk in the "neck" to avoid any meat loss in the shoulders, all have dropped in their tracks. But I have a buddy that took a head shot on a cow, blew her lower jaw off. Not cool. I did take a head shot at 50 yards on a cow one time........I shot the cow behind the shoulder........she ran and I tracked her through the snow. I found her laying behind a blowdown, and the only thing visible was her head above it. I shot her right in the side of the head and it flopped down out of sight. When I got up to her, she was still alive amazingly, and I put another through both lungs. I waited about 5 minutes and then started cutting after no movement. She started kicking. I put two more through her lungs.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

A deer/elk/bear/moose is not a grouse/squirrel. Shooting a one-pound grouse or squirrel just about anywhere with a .22 will drop it instantly. It's just not realistic on animals that are orders of magnitude larger and more robust than a squirrel/grouse. As has previously been stated, your margin of error on a headshot on big game is ridiculously small.

Unfortunately, I have seen first hand that a .22 will not instantly drop a squirrel anywhere. When I started hunting squirrels I tried body shooting a fox squirrel, and despite destroying its shoulder on the first shot, it continued to make circles around the trunk of the tree until I was able to head shoot it. In another instance a buddy of mine body shot a squirrel, and it dropped to the ground and we hit it several (4?) more times taking running shots trying to finish it quickly, and that thing was soaking up lead like the guys at the North Hollywood shootout.

I'm not proud of either of these, but I definitely don't buy that you can just lob rounds at a squirrel and have it die no matter what. Hence why, when I head shoot them, I'm very specifically aiming for the brain and not just the head area.

 

[Chris in TN]

Unfortunately, I have seen first hand that a .22 will not instantly drop a squirrel anywhere. When I started hunting squirrels I tried body shooting a fox squirrel, and despite destroying its shoulder on the first shot, it continued to make circles around the trunk of the tree until I was able to head shoot it. In another instance a buddy of mine body shot a squirrel, and it dropped to the ground and we hit it several (4?) more times taking running shots trying to finish it quickly, and that thing was soaking up lead like the guys at the North Hollywood shootout.

I'm not proud of either of these, but I definitely don't buy that you can just lob rounds at a squirrel and have it die no matter what. Hence why, when I head shoot them, I'm very specifically aiming for the brain and not just the head area.

Switch to hollowpoints for squirrels.

Specifically, CCI #056 is my favorite squirrel load. YMMV.

 

[Tod osier]

I'm sure this topic has come up before, but my forum search didn't show anything in the first 5 pages of results.

I'm curious what some of your guys' experiences and thoughts are like on head shooting big game animals? Anyone here a dedicated head shooter? I know they're out there. For those of you that avoid it, is it mostly fear of ruining a trophy?

I bring this up because I took my first big game animal this year (WT buck), and while it did die within seconds, I don't like that it still had the ability to run 20 yards within that time. This is a problem I never have with squirrels or grouse which I exclusively kill with CCI clean-22 subsonics by shooting them in the brain. But for whatever reason, head shots on big game seem to be frowned upon. I've heard arguments about it being a more difficult shot, risk of maiming, etc... But in my mind, hitting a grouse cleanly in the brain at 35 yards seems more difficult than hitting a deer brain at 200. And a typical behind-the-shoulder shot seems to run a similar risk of maiming as a headshot if executed poorly. Sure blowing a jaw off won't necessarily be lethal within, say, 48 hours the way a gut shot would. But you also have a much better chance of cleanly missing the animal with a head shot. Whereas if you pull a body shot anywhere but very low, that thing is taking a bullet.

Not trying to rile any feathers here, just genuinely curious why the practice doesn't seem to be more common.

I've only head shot a small number of big game animals. Can make a mess and can go wrong even at close range. On head shots out of the few, I had one that may have recovered and run off had I not dealt a coup de gras. The animal seemed very aware, just paralyzed from the neck down, when I walked up on it.

 

[5MilesBack]

Unfortunately, I have seen first hand that a .22 will not instantly drop a squirrel anywhere.

Since getting a suppressor and a CZ 457 this past summer, and using subsonic ammo (CCI 45gr 970fps) every fox squirrel and rabbit that I've shot, hasn't taken a step (about 2 dozen). I always aim for the shoulder or just behind it. Although a couple have been standing, so shot them square in the chest.

 

[Bubblehide]

How did I miss the Grouse comment. I grew up hunting with a 22 (with shorts). I hunted, dove, quail, rabbit and squirrel. I learned to head shot them, and simply would not shoot unless I had a good head shot. Much of what I ate was made from what I killed. It took time and patience to consistently make head shots, especially on dove (that target is barely bigger than the width of the bullet). I got proficient because I went hunting everyday, unless there was to much rain. It was that degree of practice that afforded me the ability to be proficient to that level.

As adults, few of us (except Form) can take the time necessary to develope that level of skill, let alone afford to shoot that much. In short, we owe it to the animals we hunt, to take shots within our ability level. Thus the choice of most to go for the largest kill zone, the vitals.

Small targets are not impossible, they just aren't likely to end in the desired result, unless you're an exceptional shot, or execptionally lucky. But hey, if you're willing to put the time, dedication and money to develop such skills, then go for it.

Lastly, we really should be more specific with the language we use when referring to "head shots" we should be saying Central Nervous System (CNS) shots. If you miss the CNS, you're not likely to kill the animal; well they may eventually die, but it could be days, even weeks later.

 

[Scoutfan]

Head/ throat patch shots are my preference when the conditions and range allows. I have been doing this since way before the 223/77tmk was ever a thing. To the best of my knowledge I have missed 1 (rifle was a off) and wounded none, with my 223/50 grain v-max combination.
As long as you are willing to limit your range and not take shots that don't feel perfect then it's extremely effective. I recently switched to a 22-250ai so that I feel more comfortable taking body shots at longer ranges or if ideal shots don't present themselves. Still testing bullets to see which ones I prefer.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Head/neck shots really depend on the situation. I do not like taking that shot from the side, head on or facing away is a different story..

 

[Scoutfan]

Head/neck shots really depend on the situation. I do not like taking that shot from the side, head on or facing away is a different story..

I prefer throat patches and my cousin prefers side of the head. A couple of years ago he took his biggest buck ever with a throat patch shot. They both work extremely well but I think throat patches give a little bit more margin for error. It does trash a few inches of neck meat though.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

If the shot was a shot I had proved I could absolutely drill a 1" (or so) target 10/10 times in the same conditions I'd consider it, most of my hunting isn't that so I don't really consider it. If I was a blind hunter at close range for instance I'd probably give it a lot more consideration.

 

[Scoutfan]

I should mention that almost all of my head shots are when I have a good rest in a blind or a truck. I probably shoot 1/2 head shots and half body shots depending on circumstances. I had shot many pigs this way before I ever started doing so with game animals.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I prefer throat patches and my cousin prefers side of the head.

from the side just seems to have a lot more room for error IMO. I'm not taking that shot at 200yrds either. They've all been 100yrds and in.

Given how this forum tends to lean, I do understand why they are against it though.

 

[WRO]

I’ve done it with varying results, wouldn’t recommend. When it goes well it’s awesome, when it doesn’t though it’s horrible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scoutfan]

from the side just seems to have a lot more room for error IMO. I'm not taking that shot at 200yrds either. They've all been 100yrds and in.

Given how this forum tends to lean, I do understand why they are against it though.

The side of the head seems to offer highest chance of not hitting something instantly lethal. Throat patch gives up and down margin of error. Also using a bullet like a v-max is to me more important than front or side placement. I actually lose a little less meat with a behind the shoulder shot with a moderate velocity cartridge.

 

[North of 60]

I've done it a couple of times with a rifle but only under very specific conditions - a very still un-spooked deer, under 50 yds, a rock solid rest, and an extremely accurate rifle.

When i was younger I did shoot one gnarly buck about 1/2 " off of between the eyes at about 25 yds with an old guy's scoped 44 mag desert eagle after he shot had shot the buck without killing him and we had to go find him and he asked me to shoot it.

 

[pathnz]

Headshots work great, I use them a lot

 

[CMF]

I only tried it once on a doe when I was younger. It was only 10yds away with a 270, and I missed.

If you don't want them to run, just get you a 45-70.

 

[Pwb199]

I’ve personally killed 2 deer that had been shot in the jaw by other hunters and - sadly - were starving to death in a very unfortunate fashion. I would strongly recommend against it. It’s not worth it.

 

[texag10]

I've only done one headshot on big game, cow elk at 80yds in timber, only had the head, and was seated with crossed trekking poles as a support. Wobble zone was less than the eye, and I've shot enough ARs at close range to understand the little bit of POA/POI offset at a distance less than my 100 yds zero. Results were as expected, but not something I will make a habit of.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I've only done it on purpose 3 maybe 4 times and all of them were 25 yards or less. And every time is when I had already filled 2 or 3 tags. In general, I don't. Slip one in behind the shoulders, lungs or heart and really not much meat loss. Only some of the flank which is a PITA to clean up anyway. Edit to add, every head shot I have ever taken was when the critter was standing directly away from me.