Head up or head down?

2teal

Well-Known Member
head up or head down?
So you are out stalking and you come across a deer feeding completely unaware of your presence. It is feeding from the ground and looks up every now and again having a scan around. So my question is do you shoot it when its head is up or down?

Given the choice I have always shot them when their head was up looking around, my theory being that they are unlikely to move (take a step forward) and the torso is level. I was with a client the other day and he always shoots his deer “head down”. His theory is that the deer is more relaxed with its head down and feeding and therefore more likely to drop to shot. Conversely his theory is that when the deer has its head up it is scanning for predators and ready for flight and therefore more likely to run when shot.
I would be interested in other people’s thoughts.
BTW we are only talking about boiler house shots, safe backstop etc etc.
Anthony
 
I wait for mine to look exactly like the target on the range.:D But seriously, either depending on situation and obstacles! I'm not sure I can say one is more likely to run that the other? If the deer is that relaxed and close enough I might wait for a neck shot.
 
Strangly enough, I was flicking through one of Dominic Griffiths books this morning. He suggests that you shoot when the head is up. His theory being that when the head is down, the internal organs are pushed up into the diaphragm, with an increased risk of hitting the green. Not sure about this myself, but I normally wait for them to be head up.

Novice
 
If it's standing side on and I have a good clear heart and lung shot I really don't mind what it's doing with it's head.
 
Head up or down if it is a safe shot take it. It is like asking would you take the shot if it was standing looking left or would you wait until it was standing facing right.
 
Strangly enough, I was flicking through one of Dominic Griffiths books this morning. He suggests that you shoot when the head is up. His theory being that when the head is down, the internal organs are pushed up into the diaphragm, with an increased risk of hitting the green. Not sure about this myself, but I normally wait for them to be head up.

Novice

This is the reasoning I was taught and as a rule shoot head up if possible.
 
Normally when stalking woodland and hedgerows I give a little whistle or squeak before I shoot to make sure the animal is stationary and head up especially with muntys to be honest without whistling to stop them I'd hardly shoot any muntjac
 
Strangly enough, I was flicking through one of Dominic Griffiths books this morning. He suggests that you shoot when the head is up. His theory being that when the head is down, the internal organs are pushed up into the diaphragm, with an increased risk of hitting the green. Not sure about this myself, but I normally wait for them to be head up. Novice
The diaphram holds everything back that should be back !
I even tested Dom's theory by standing on my head and my guts didn't end up in my chest, in fact with a Deer it is only the neck that slants down with it's head on the end of it !!
 
Sorry, but I don't see how the head position can affect the position of the bodily organs??:confused:
Whether the animal is either inhaling or exhaling will however affect the position of the diaphragm, but you'd be doing well to be able to judge that in any normal stalking situation! Unless of course deer hold their breath out whilst grazing which I doubt very much?!
The positional aspect of the animal is also very important. If you have an exit a little bit too far back on the right hand side of the animal, the liver pushes against the diaphragm and can result in a liver shot which is quite messy with a lot of dark blood, but no real 'contaminant' as such. However, the same shot exiting the left hand side of the animal will result in bursting the rhumen which pushes against the diaphragm - not good!!
Another consideration is the position of the front legs which are generally one behind the other for the animal to reach the ground to feed. (Watch a young leggy foal or even a giraffe feed and you'll see this exaggerated!) It is only when they stand up straight that the legs are ever truly aligned. So you are then faced with the decision as to potentially clipping a shoulder either on entry or exit - which is the better option? I personally prefer to get close to the shoulder on the entry side rather than the exit side. That way, if it does clip a bone, the damage is minimal on the way in, but with maximum trauma in the chest and a large exit which is hopefully a good way behind the other front leg which is extended forward.
I would also suggest that an animal with its head down is less likely to run than one which is stood alert looking around? Ok, it may take a slow step forward as it feeds, but is more likely to to adopt the standing alert position before it actually bolts.
So, based on these facts, I would only ever shoot a deer that is feeding with its head down and its left side facing me where I would wait until the front right leg is placed in front of the left leg nearest to me when I would then aim into the angled gap just below the scapula!:rolleyes:
Or, alternativey, I could just forget all of that and watch and learn how deer move, behave and react, and then just shoot them whenever and wherever it feels just right! Deer don't read books, no matter who they are written by so a 'text book' shot can be quite rare!;)

A very good point for discussion and debate though.
MS:)
 
Augh, Come on Mick, you aught to know better than that !
If Dom wrote it, it must be true ! well at least until his next book comes out maybe :D
 
you cant decide how to shoot a deer from a key board ,so many small factors play apart in taking the shot ,if it a good shot and safe take it head down or up makes no odds, if your shot is good you will kill it .have to agree with the munt jac needing a bark or sqeek to stop them as they dont offten stop for to long
 
Must admit never ever thought of this before and to be honest makes no difference to me.

But thinking about it and watching deer feed they are possibly more likely to take a small step forward while the head is down grazeing.
But every shot is unique just got to weigh up the odds and asses it
 
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