# Would you shoot?



## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

Sorry to be long winded, just setting the scenario. Sitting in on the ground, in a wood line last night on the east side of an alfalfa field. 5 does come from the other side of the field and slowing make there way towards my side of the field. There is a little valley about 25 yds in front of me so I can not see them until they are right in front of me (can u say ambush?). Well I wait and then boom, two does pop their heads up and look right at me. I already have my crossbow drawn and waiting for them so no movement for me. Question is...I only have one shot after I am spotted and its basically a head shot. Do you shoot because its a doe? I did not because I believed it would not be a good "kill shot." Should I have shot??? Thanks in advance for the input.


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## BOO (Jan 23, 2009)

No sir, I would not have shot. Ive lost a few deer in my days of bow hunting and its a bad feeling. So now I wait until I am 110% sure its a good shoot. You did the right thing on passing. Good Choice and Good luck!!!


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

never try a head shot on a deer with a bow. always go for the vitals.


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## Double J (Jan 7, 2009)

fishwendel2 said:


> Sorry to be long winded, just setting the scenario. Sitting in on the ground, in a wood line last night on the east side of an alfalfa field. 5 does come from the other side of the field and slowing make there way towards my side of the field. There is a little valley about 25 yds in front of me so I can not see them until they are right in front of me (can u say ambush?). Well I wait and then boom, two does pop their heads up and look right at me. I already have my crossbow drawn and waiting for them so no movement for me. Question is...I only have one shot after I am spotted and its basically a head shot. Do you shoot because its a doe? I did not because I believed it would not be a good "kill shot." Should I have shot??? Thanks in advance for the input.


behind the shoulder,broadside or quartered away.....no head shots.you did the right thing...get em next time,she'll be back!


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## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

Nice thing about this scenario is that last night there were 9 other deer (3 bucks, one giant 8) that were in the field as well. These same 5 seem to follow the same course each night so....more chances for a shot esp when I move "upstairs" to my stand. Thanks for the replies so far.


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## bird-dogman (Apr 7, 2010)

Your made the right choice!

With a bow, crossbow or gun don't take the shot! There is no such thing as a guaranteed ((miss or kill or WOUND) and (follow up shot)).


Jim


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## kprice (May 23, 2009)

I have shot a few does in the head, but I am usually in my stand. It would be a really tough shot from the ground. You made the right choice. I hunt with a lot of morons and there motto is " I had to let it fly " .


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

bird-dogman said:


> Your made the right choice!
> 
> With a bow, crossbow or gun don't take the shot! There is no such thing as a guaranteed ((miss or kill or WOUND) and (follow up shot)).
> 
> ...


I agree taking a head shot on any deer with archery equipment is a no no however. I will not hesitate to take a head shot with my Muzzle loader during the deer gun or black powder season. In fact the majority of the does I have killed have been one shot head shot kills. BUT they have ALL been relatively close shots 50 yards or less any further and I'm aiming for the boiler room. You did the right thing by passing and even better asking fellow sportsman whether you should have or not.


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

You surely made the right choice. There's plenty of time left in the season. We are only a week in. You don't want to make a poor shot on the deer. A true sportsman knows when to pass on a shot they know they should not take. Good luck to you in the future!!!


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## pj4wd (Dec 9, 2009)

I've been at full draw on deer a few times and didn't let the arrow go. They just never gave me a good angle or clear enough shot. Long season ahead of us, You made the right choice.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

You did the right thing. If you had a gun, you could take the shot, but not a bow. Maybe you could try a chest shot if the doe is facing you and at close range, but if they are looking right at you, they could "jump the string" and you'd get a bad hit. 

I had a great look at a 10 pointer a few years back with a crossbow. Had its head and neck in my sights from 8 yards, but it's body was behind a brushpile. I held off, waiting for it to take one more step. It smelled me and busted out of there. An hour later, a youth hunter took it down during the youth gun season.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

kprice said:


> I have shot a few does in the head......... I hunt with a lot of morons .


Wow


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Nothing wrong with letting them walk. Maybe you'll harvest one of them next time.


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

No way ----!


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Head shots with any weapon?...no way.
I have too much respect for the animal.Miss by a couple inches and you have a deer out there wandering around with its lower jaw blown off to die a slow painful death.
One shot...one kill...wait to shoot the heart,lung area!


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

I will blast a doe on the head as long as its a muzzleloader or shotgun and i am not fatrther than 30 yards or [email protected] deer camp we make a bet on if you can hit it in the head....I also hunt with former LOE's I think its perfictly ethical as long as you know you can kill it With a bow or crossbow hek no


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

BigDub007 said:


> and i am not fatrther than 30 yards or [email protected] deer camp we make a bet on if you can hit it in the head....


I guess we all have or own standards when it comes to ethics, there is no written rule. Your standards certainly are not in line with mine.

To me, shooting a deer in the head is much more about personal ego that an ethical kill. I think in your case that is clearly illustrated by the very fact that bets are placed on the head shot. Do you also make bets on making the center mass shot behind the shoulder?, I would guess not.

To me that shows a total disrespect to the animal you hunt and represents hunters very poorly.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Lundy said:


> I guess we all have or own standards when it comes to ethics, there is no written rule. Your standards certainly are not in line with mine.
> 
> To me, shooting a deer in the head is much more about personal ego that an ethical kill. I think in your case that is clearly illustrated by the very fact that bets are placed on the head shot. Do you also make bets on making the center mass shot behind the shoulder?, I would guess not.
> 
> To me that shows a total disrespect to the animal you hunt and represents hunters very poorly.


I agree 100%. These posts about shooting the deer in the head are way off base.No room for error and the animal deserves better.


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

I kind of disagree becuase you have guys on here talking about taking shots over 175-200 yrd. with muzzleloaders I bet more deer get wounded that way then me shooting them @ 30 yrds. in the head lol And no that does not make me a bad hunter


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## Agitation Free (Jul 11, 2010)

BOO said:


> No sir, I would not have shot. Ive lost a few deer in my days of bow hunting and its a bad feeling. So now I wait until I am 110% sure its a good shoot. You did the right thing on passing. Good Choice and Good luck!!!


Couldn't have said it better. :!


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## lil goose (Oct 16, 2009)

Agitation Free said:


> Couldn't have said it better. :!


In a perfect world every shot would be 10yrds. broadside,deer looking other direction but its not things happen deer jumps string, hit a twigg you dont see! Most people i know that hunt have taken some "risky" shots so taking a head shot in my opinion with a rest at 30yrds with a shotgun or muzzleloader, that's properly sighted in, is no more unethical than bow hunting itself! At least if i am pulling the trigger!! lol Sometimes the political correctness of a few just astounds me i wonder if a few have actually ever seen the woods or just watch the outdoor channel!!


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## Onion (Apr 10, 2004)

lil goose said:


> In a perfect world every shot would be 10yrds. broadside,deer looking other direction but its not things happen deer jumps string, hit a twigg you dont see! Most people i know that hunt have taken some "risky" shots so taking a head shot in my opinion with a rest at 30yrds with a shotgun or muzzleloader, that's properly sighted in, is no more unethical than bow hunting itself! At least if i am pulling the trigger!! lol Sometimes the political correctness of a few just astounds me i wonder if a few have actually ever seen the woods or just watch the outdoor channel!!


I guess my question is, if you are 30 yards away, with a rest, why not take the heart/lung shot? Do you take head shots just to see if you can? Target practice is for paper targets or cans, not deer.

Just me though. To each his own.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

lil goose said:


> In a perfect world every shot would be 10yrds. broadside,deer looking other direction but its not things happen deer jumps string, hit a twigg you dont see! Most people i know that hunt have taken some "risky" shots so taking a head shot in my opinion with a rest at 30yrds with a shotgun or muzzleloader, that's properly sighted in, is no more unethical than bow hunting itself! At least if i am pulling the trigger!! lol Sometimes the political correctness of a few just astounds me i wonder if a few have actually ever seen the woods or just watch the outdoor channel!!


Political correctness? I can't speak for anyone but myself but my personal hunting ethics have nothing to do with political correctness. My hunting ethics groundwork was instilled in me by my father 50 years ago. I have mine, you have yours.

Most people you know that hunt have taken risky shots? I can't say the same.

Deer jumping the string, farther than I thought, more angled than I thought, I have a 60 yard pin on my bow, it was a now or never shot, it was only a doe, it was only a small buck, I don't think I hit it so I didn't look, I kept hitting way behind that running deer, I killed 4 on that drive, shot at 7, plug, what plug?, My wife and two daughters(wink, wink) killed nice bucks this year, I didn't see any no trespassing signs, I thought I could make the head shot, we make bets in deer camp on head shots.

All of the above At least that is what I think I heard on the Outdoor Channel


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## lil goose (Oct 16, 2009)

Onion said:


> I guess my question is, if you are 30 yards away, with a rest, why not take the heart/lung shot? Do you take head shots just to see if you can? Target practice is for paper targets or cans, not deer.
> 
> Just me though. To each his own.


There are times when a deer is walking straight at you until it makes you out stops and starts the classic foot stomp,head bob at that point you have to make a decision center chest, white spot on neck, between the eyes or let it walk.All i was trying to say there are times when a head shot is effective! I,ve hunted three states for 20+ years and only ever shot 3 deer in the head but in my opinion it is not unethical! I'm not saying to do it for kicks and giggles but sometimes you have to make that decision.


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## neffy85 (Aug 10, 2006)

Lost a decent buck just yesterday morning after a 25 yd shot with my bow that couldn't have been but a few inches back too far. 
Couldn't sleep last night and still feel aweful. Even though it wasn't a questionabe shot, I will make sure my next shot will 100% be right on or I won't take it. You made the right call.


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