Stalking Show - Head Shooting discussion

[VSS]

I think having a bullet that explodes effectively soon as It hits bone Is a good idea, but Its awful in other circumstances for lung and shoulder shots.
The .222 Is very damaging on roe I find great rifle for them, but so much jelly-shock and bloodshot.

Another thing about headshots unless we magically buy a new scope I cant personally see them becoming a normal thing for myself for a few years at least, we're using a pretty old fashioned Ziess 6x what for roe makes them in-between a pence, and a two pence in the crosshairs over 150 yards.

Even pretty close the crosshair takes up quite a large amount of the neck, why I've always taken head since I can see and visualise a little more where my POA Is at, but I couldnt really fathom taking 70 yard and onward shots with it often the crosshairs are chunky that I cant quite tell the wobble on such a small area.

This roe Is maybe 50 yards? Push that another 30-40 yards and that crosshair starts too block some information I want too be able too see.

I did start shooting with very thin crosshair scopes that had a quite a decent bit of zoom.
View attachment 473660

Hi Sol, I was using 24× magnification for headshots, but I've now changed scope and dropped down to 9× and it's much better. Instead of the whole view down the scope being filled with the deer's head, I'm now far more aware of what's going on around the animal which makes me better able to anticipate any movement, or see another deer that might be moving into my field of fire and risk being accidentally hit.
I think 12× would probably be the optimum for headshots. Certainly no more than that.

 

[RCS Deer Management]

In the best part of 20 years I can confess to loosing 3 deer, 2 were head and 1 to a neck, if you use a proper rifle instead of one of these poxy pea shooters, and use a heavy bullet 130gn or bigger through the shoulders you’re gonna find your animal pretty much where it dropped!

That also goes for copper!

All this light bullet drive them fast in my opinion equals runner!!

The picture was shot with 150gr lead in .270.

 

[VSS]

The picture was shot with 150gr lead in .270.

Last time I tried 150grain through my .270 my target looked like a shotgun pattern plate
I wouldn't have wanted to risk it on deer, even chest shots.

130grain seems to be the sweetspot for that calibre.

(Now my targets still look like shotgun pattern plates, but not quite so bad as they did with the heavier bullets).

 

[RCS Deer Management]

Last time I tried 150grain through my .270 my target looked like a shotgun pattern plate
I wouldn't have wanted to risk it on deer, even chest shots.

130grain seems to be the sweetspot for that calibre.

(Now my targets still look like shotgun pattern plates, but not quite so bad as they did with the heavier bullets).

I actually prefer the 150gr bullets! They shoot very well in many rifles and if you shoot larger game a lead core 150gr really transforms the performance the .270 causing it to punch above it’s weight. On fallow/sika and smaller they are probably wasted but on heavy red and big boar they work really nicely.

 

[VSS]

I actually prefer the 150gr bullets! They shoot very well in many rifles and if you shoot larger game a lead core 150gr really transforms the performance the .270 causing it to punch above it’s weight. On fallow/sika and smaller they are probably wasted but on heavy red and big boar they work really nicely.

Maybe I should have persevered, and tried some other brands

 

[RCS Deer Management]

Maybe I should have persevered, and tried some other brands

For shooting your fallow I think your 130grainers are about perfect if you ever want to shoot driven pigs or a moose in Europe the 150gr would be awesome

 

[TringSaint]

Should be banned!

I’ve followed and seen too many deer suffer and starve!

I have also seen someone blow the front leg off a fallow buck with a 300 win mag when attempting a H+L shot!

Competence is the key word here and no shot should be taken if the shooter isn’t 100% sure it’s within their capabilities, be it head, neck, hilar or engine room.

Mistakes, however, will always happen.

 

[Grand Slam]

I actually prefer the 150gr bullets! They shoot very well in many rifles and if you shoot larger game a lead core 150gr really transforms the performance the .270 causing it to punch above it’s weight. On fallow/sika and smaller they are probably wasted but on heavy red and big boar they work really nicely.

I only ever used 150gn through my .270, it wasnt fussy and shot every factory round within a 1/2 inch of each other which made it great for finding ammo. Worked perfectly well on everything from muntjac to large Norfolk reds.

Gutted I had to get rid of it.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

mistakes happen when people think they know what they are doing!

Shooting deer is easy providing you aim for the middle of the shoulder with a big bullet and borlicks to the meat damage!

Lead or copper makes no difference to me, middle of the shoulder at anywhere between 50 and 150m and you’ll be dragging meat home.

I don’t shoot long range anymore, done my fair share of doing that and it comes down to the fact that frankly I can’t be arsed, if it’s too far and I can’t get closer it stays where it is and I’ll just get it another day from a different position, the big problem with today’s modern expert is, they think it’s big and clever to shoot long range at small or big targets and it just doesn’t work hence why you end up with **** ups, and I’ll guarantee quite confidently that there are a lot of people on this forum who have ****ed up and don’t own up to it!

Especially with those with the new night licenses!

 

[TringSaint]

mistakes happen when people think they know what they are doing!

Shooting deer is easy providing you aim for the middle of the shoulder with a big bullet and borlicks to the meat damage!

Lead or copper makes no difference to me, middle of the shoulder at anywhere between 50 and 150m and you’ll be dragging meat home.

I don’t shoot long range anymore, done my fair share of doing that and it comes down to the fact that frankly I can’t be arsed, if it’s too far and I can’t get closer it stays where it is and I’ll just get it another day from a different position, the big problem with today’s modern expert is, they think it’s big and clever to shoot long range at small or big targets and it just doesn’t work hence why you end up with **** ups, and I’ll guarantee quite confidently that there are a lot of people on this forum who have ****ed up and don’t own up to it!

Especially with those with the new night licenses!

I get that taking through the shoulder drops the animal on the spot, but the damage caused does seem like a bit of a waste.
A well placed hilar will do the same but without the meat damage.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I get that taking through the shoulder drops the animal on the spot, but the damage caused does seem like a bit of a waste.
A well placed hilar will do the same but without the meat damage.

What’s better ?

Meat damage or possible wounded deer?

I’ll leave that one with you!

 

[TringSaint]

What’s better ?

Meat damage or possible wounded deer?

I’ll leave that one with you!

But a hilar is no harder shot than a shoulder, even on a small deer species

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

But a hilar is no harder shot than a shoulder, even on a small deer species

You can Fanny about if you wish too, but if I go out its front end bullet bang!

I don’t even think about it and it works

 

[Tim.243]

I get that taking through the shoulder drops the animal on the spot, but the damage caused does seem like a bit of a waste.
A well placed hilar will do the same but without the meat damage.

Large

Little

 

[VSS]

Shooting deer is easy providing you aim for the middle of the shoulder with a big bullet and borlicks to the meat damage!

I think that's a very poor attitude that shows zero respect for your quarry, quite honestly.

Respect for your quarry should extend to having respect for the carcass, and ensuring that as little of it is wasted as possible. Regardless of the £££ aspect. I'm just talking about the ethics here.
I accept that there are times when a shoulder shot might be neccessary, and we've all at times taken shots that have resulted in more meat damage than we'd have liked, but to default to taking shots that deliberately ruin a significant portion of the carcass, when other equally effective shot placements are available, is pretty poor form, imo.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I think that's a very poor attitude that shows zero respect for your quarry, quite honestly.

Respect for your quarry should extend to having respect for the carcass, and ensuring that as little of it is wasted as possible. Regardless of the £££ aspect. I'm just talking about the ethics here.
I accept that there are times when a shoulder shot might be neccessary, and we've all at times taken shots that have resulted in more meat damage than we'd have liked, but to default to taking shots that deliberately ruin a significant portion of the carcass, when other equally effective shot placements are available, is pretty poor form, imo.

If you like I, have a bullet loaded for the job bullet damage is negligible, the last fallow I pinned I wasted less than 10oz of meat!

I’ve not used factory for years, all the years I’ve reloaded I have always made bullets to be kind on the carcass!

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I think that's a very poor attitude that shows zero respect for your quarry, quite honestly.

Respect for your quarry should extend to having respect for the carcass, and ensuring that as little of it is wasted as possible. Regardless of the £££ aspect. I'm just talking about the ethics here.
I accept that there are times when a shoulder shot might be neccessary, and we've all at times taken shots that have resulted in more meat damage than we'd have liked, but to default to taking shots that deliberately ruin a significant portion of the carcass, when other equally effective shot placements are available, is pretty poor form, imo.

I will say it’s a bloody good job I don’t care what you think!

What you also have to understand is what happens if I’m stalking or I’m killing, they are very different things.

Also I will add, the respect for deer went out of the window as soon as night licenses become readily available!

 

[cjm1066]

His reply was over the boundary, not my problem anymore!

Head, neck, chest, arse, with a not my problem attitude I don't think he should be allowed near any deer except with a camera.

 

[Mungo]

This is one of many wounded chest shot deer that Iv been called in to dispatch. Shoulder shot gone wrong by a neighbouring stalker one week before. Pictures of jaw shot deer found still alive are hideous, but it pure naivety to suggest that chest shooting is foolproof. All shot placements can go wrong.

How on earth was that still alive? Where was the entry?

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Head, neck, chest, arse, with a not my problem attitude I don't think he should be allowed near any deer except with a camera.

Welcome to the world of arseholes, the stalking world is full of them!