And this is why I personally don’t agree with head shots….

Average it out by paying less for all of them. that’s what they’re doing whether you like it or not and it doesn’t sound fair to me. If I was putting in only head shot carcasses I would not be impressed. I want to be paid for what I put in and not subsidise others who put in ones of less value.
☝️💯
 
game dealers are profiteers its about the only lot that i know of that prices have have went back in the last 10 or 12 yrs iv got receipts to prove it no matter where the shot placement was within reason there always gona exploit it
 
game dealers are profiteers its about the only lot that i know of that prices have have went back in the last 10 or 12 yrs iv got receipts to prove it no matter where the shot placement was within reason there always gona exploit it
If it’s such a money making racket then why aren’t there loads of them popping up all over the place to capitalise on all this easy money? You could always do so yourself? This time next year, Rodney, you’ll be a millionaire…
 
If it’s such a money making racket then why aren’t there loads of them popping up all over the place to capitalise on all this easy money? You could always do so yourself? This time next year, Rodney, you’ll be a millionaire…
I believe Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos all started as Game dealers. Come to think of I think they started the headshot only deer thing so perhaps there is a racket going on!! 🤣
 
I've just been called out in a PM,about my deer tracking dog. They pretty much said prove it. For anyone who's interested,and,I am obviously biased,it's probably one of the best retrieves you will ever see on a deer,or any other game. I don't know how to upload video's on Stalking Directory,but if you're interested,PM me your number on WhatsApp.
 
In my experience headshot deer rarely bleed out due to bullet damage unless you happen to hit the carotid artery. If you aren’t up on them and bleeding them within a couple of minutes at the absolute max then, whilst you may have a clean looking carcass, the quality of the venison may well be compromised. It is very noticeable that head shot but un-bled deer don’t set, store and cut as well as correctly bled ones.
 
Not always that easy though. By the time you've regained the sight picture and processed your thoughts the chances are any realistic opportunity for a second shot has gone in many cases. In this event I was lucky and learned a lesson without a bad outcome on my conscience.
Last season I took a neck shot from a high seat at about 70 yards. Deer dropped on spot and there was a little movement. I waited 10 minutes the deer was apparently dead and not moving. Got down started walking up the track to the deer. About 20 yards short it got to its feet and ran off. I’ll be perfectly honest I wasn’t ready for another shot and it wasn’t safe even if I had been.There was about a teaspoon of blood at the shot site where it had been laid. Never found.
 
game dealers are profiteers its about the only lot that i know of that prices have have went back in the last 10 or 12 yrs iv got receipts to prove it no matter where the shot placement was within reason there always gona exploit it
Nowadays business is business unfortunately, for the life of me, i can’t see from apart from goesomers any wants to put real badly culled deer in the food chain
Some of these pics say it all - you got to look at both sides as far as gamedealers are concerned they aren’t there to lose money and the choice is theirs lets not forget

Its running back again to one person serving up mud and expecting gold for it own worse enemy comes to mind again

One day it will sink in - probably when everyone has to take everything to a clearing vet house to get paid cheap money on properly shot and stored carcases to pay to sort stalkers QC inspection

There’s a lot of room for improvement, its who will do that and the cost
 
Last season I took a neck shot from a high seat at about 70 yards. Deer dropped on spot and there was a little movement. I waited 10 minutes the deer was apparently dead and not moving. Got down started walking up the track to the deer. About 20 yards short it got to its feet and ran off. I’ll be perfectly honest I wasn’t ready for another shot and it wasn’t safe even if I had been.There was about a teaspoon of blood at the shot site where it had been laid. Never found.
I can top that! Six years ago,I had a fox control job. Long story short,I shot 6 foxes. One of those 6 foxes I shot at approximately 60 yards. That particular fox didn't move from where I first took the shot,approximately an hour and half. As I was packing up,I checked one last time with my thermal spotter,and the apparently dead fox at 60 yards wasn't there! I scanned to my right,just I'm time to see a fox go down at around 120 yards. Wild animals are tough!
 
I had not head shot any deer before today.

Today I had 4 for 4, all side on head shots between 40m and 90m off sticks.

I took the same approach as rabbit shooting which nobody bats an eyelid at with side on head shots.

I'm not sure I agree with front on shots being any better than a side on shot, yes, they may be staring at you so they have your attention which may limit them moving, but I was shooting in an area where they were focusing on third party distractions which kept them still, the same way as they would be staring at you if you had caught their attention.

Not to say that mistakes will never be made but I was confident in my ability, confident in the accuracy and consistency of my rifle and ammunition. I made sure to observe the behaviours and 'mood' of the target deer to get as much sense as I could of their state of mind and intentions.

These were enclosed deer and head shots were the brief, I took the steps I could to reduce the risk as much as possible to meet the customers requirements.

Maybe it is all situational.
 
Last edited:
Ocht I’ve heed shot loads of deer

If that’s all I can see then that’s what I shoot.

Horses for courses.
I’ve no idea why folk complain about it , if you don’t like it don’t do it , simples.

It's was a good change to have them all consistently drop on the spot and not having them dash away after the shot.

You knew they were down, the others didn't seem to get too spooked. All good.
 
It's was a good change to have them all consistently drop on the spot and not having them dash away after the shot.

You knew they were down, the others didn't seem to get too spooked. All good.
I've shot hundreds of park deer over the years,maybe not in the thousands,but close. The one thing I can guarantee with park deer is,you know they are going to be there,after that,all bets are off. Why do I say that,it's because even park deer know the crack when they've been shot a couple of times. And what seems like shooting fish in a barrel,becomes quite difficult. I've seen many people turn up to shoot park deer,only to say it's not for them. Why,


because the deer are bunched up,and are consently on the move,therein making even a chest shot really difficult,let alone a head or neck shot.
If you don't have the ability to head or neck shoot,then don't do it.
 
I've shot hundreds of park deer over the years,maybe not in the thousands,but close. The one thing I can guarantee with park deer is,you know they are going to be there,after that,all bets are off. Why do I say that,it's because even park deer know the crack when they've been shot a couple of times. And what seems like shooting fish in a barrel,becomes quite difficult. I've seen many people turn up to shoot park deer,only to say it's not for them. Why,


because the deer are bunched up,and are consently on the move,therein making even a chest shot really difficult,let alone a head or neck shot.
If you don't have the ability to head or neck shoot,then don't do it.
So much there to not understand ?

They know the crack after they have been shot a couple of times ?

Also you’ve just read him say he shot them all without issue , so what’s the issue ?
 
So much there to not understand ?

They know the crack after they have been shot a couple of times ?

Also you’ve just read him say he shot them all without issue , so what’s the issue ?
Because, you can have a good result in a park once,but that doesn't mean it will always be the same. The more you shoot in a park,the greater the chance you'll f##k up! And I've seen X Royal Marine snipers do just that! Don't get me wrong,95 % of all the shots I've taken at park deer have been head or neck shots.
Also,I head shot a deer in the park where I work on Wednesday this week at 270 yards.Why,because I had to because it was wounded,and it was the only shot I had. I'm not knocking people taking head or neck shots,because I've done that most of my life. But,you must know you're rifle and bullet drop at various ranges,not just guess.
 
Because, you can have a good result in a park once,but that doesn't mean it will always be the same. The more you shoot in a park,the greater the chance you'll f##k up!

Did you miss this bit -

"Not to say that mistakes will never be made but I was confident in my ability, confident in the accuracy and consistency of my rifle and ammunition. I made sure to observe the behaviours and 'mood' of the target deer to get as much sense as I could of their state of mind and intentions."

I'm under no illusion things can go wrong.

And I've seen X Royal Marine snipers do just that! Don't get me wrong,95 % of all the shots I've taken at park deer have been head or neck shots.
Also,I head shot a deer in the park where I work on Wednesday this week at 270 yards.Why,because I had to because it was wounded,and it was the only shot I had. I'm not knocking people taking head or neck shots,because I've done that most of my life. But,you must know you're rifle and bullet drop at various ranges,not just guess.

The distances I'm shooting are point and shoot. No drop to account for as any distance that would require it doesn't have a safe backstop.
 
Because, you can have a good result in a park once,but that doesn't mean it will always be the same. The more you shoot in a park,the greater the chance you'll f##k up! And I've seen X Royal Marine snipers do just that! Don't get me wrong,95 % of all the shots I've taken at park deer have been head or neck shots.
Also,I head shot a deer in the park where I work on Wednesday this week at 270 yards.Why,because I had to because it was wounded,and it was the only shot I had. I'm not knocking people taking head or neck shots,because I've done that most of my life. But,you must know you're rifle and bullet drop at various ranges,not just guess.
Mate of mine is ex marine,.did some stuff with long rifles. Terrible shot 😂 he openly says they're shooting BIG targets and frequently guide bullets in, extremely rarely getting first round impacts at range. The 'marine sniper' means absolutely nothing.
 
Back
Top