Bow Headsot

[Dr. Death]

Have seen 4 deer shot in the head all were years ago....1) I did one of them, wasnt trying to either. I had hit a 3pt mulie and it was laying down in some brush, I tried a shot at it and hit a limb, the arrow hit it right under its eye and came out the back of his head, done deal.  2) I saw a doe up on Bald Mt running around with a arrow sticking right out of the back of her head one time. 3) A friend took a frontal shot at a Blacktail spike and hit a limb and hit it in the eye through the brain. 4) Watched a guy sneak up on a wounded BT doe that he had hit, he got to about 10 yards and tried to shoot it in the head, his arrow broke into about 30pieces and the deer jumped up and ran about 50 yards. he snuck up and then shot it in the chest. Its not a shot Id recommend....

[khunter#1]

I guess it was a dumb question, new to bow hunting in general, I just bought my bow a few weeks ago and trying to gather as much information as possible. I usually rifle hunt.

[h20hunter]

Not a dumb question....

Nobody would suggest a head shot for a first. However, if you are on a wounded animal and have no other shot then a head/neck is warranted. Do what you have to do to finish the job. Not every hunt goes perfect. Not every animal takes a few steps and falls over.

[luvmystang67]

Or if you're just a bad shot...

[D-Rock425]

I hope you don't try to shoot an elk in the head .

[h20hunter]

Nope....I'd shoot a yote or a hog in the head.......sure wouldn't an elk.......

[swwaoutdoorsman]

Have done on both deer and elk when they're bedded and wounded. DOES MOT WORK WELL... If you can get a shot with then facing to one side the jugular works best they bleed out very fast 

 
If you can reliably hit something the size of the jugular vein on a deer every time under non-perfect scenraios, then go for it. If you can't then don't. That, in my opinion, is a higher risk shot than a head shot with way too much potential for a non-lethal shot. If it's a wounded animal, and you're just looking to put another hail mary shot into them, then I guess, but not really too keen on that idea even.

Well I'm speaking of 10-15 yd shot its worked on several occasions for me never failing. I've seen complete pass through on head shots and arrows that don't penetrate far enough.     in my experience its always worked

[Band]

I guess it was a dumb question, new to bow hunting in general, I just bought my bow a few weeks ago and trying to gather as much information as possible. I usually rifle hunt.

Actually, I think it is a very good question, one that all archery hunters will consider at some point.

As you can see from the responses, it is a very unethical shot in all but the most extreme of circumstances.  I personally would never take an archery head shot with my first arrow.  I could see the slight possibility of using a head shot on a wounded, bedded animal that needs to be put out of their misery when no other shot is possible but my guess is that most of us will never be in that position.

My brother was in a head shot situation on a spike elk last year from 20 yards and I advised him not to take the  shot.  It wasn't long before the wind direction changed and we were winded causing the herd to bolt but I don't regret my advice to him.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Once an animal is wounded it is a whole other set of ethics.  Especially when the first hit is not conducive to recovery without follow-up shots.  That applies with any weapon.  I learned the hard way, as an entirely self-taught hunter - the only bone I'll ever try to shoot through with an arrow on a healthy animal is ribs. 

[DOUBLELUNG]

I guess it was a dumb question, new to bow hunting in general, I just bought my bow a few weeks ago and trying to gather as much information as possible. I usually rifle hunt.

Not at all - asking these questions and contemplating scenarios before they arise is smart and a really good idea.

[deerslyr]

A good question to ask.
Another one I dont see come up a lot is the neck shot with a bow. I urge you not to do it. The area you have to hit to be effective is very small, I found out the hard way as an inexperienced bow hunter.
The first stalk I ever put on a mule deer buck. He was a 4 point bedded underneath a rimrock cliff, absolute text book stalk from 700 yards away. I came in right on top of him and was only about a 15 foot shot. As I was drawing he saw my shadow and stood up, put my pin in the middle of his neck and drilled him. Watched him run for 700 yards and disappear over the next ridge, searched for 3 days and never found him. The worst feeling Ive ever had. Did a little research and found where I hit him was right in between the spine and the artery. Both small targets to hit.

[Smokey Bear]

My first arrow into an elk was a neck shot, the spike didn't die.  I chased it for several hours and it kept going.  I was very inexperienced and not trying to aim at the neck.  Also I was shooting farther than I was comfortable at the time, 55 yards. 

My father killed a spike deer with an arrow shot to the head accidentally.  His first year bow hunting and I was about 12 years old.  Using an old Darton compound with homemade sights.  He brought the bow up and aimed and all he saw was brown fur for each pin, so he let one go.  Hit that deer temple to temple and it didn't take a step.  Once again, inexperienced and not aiming correctly. 

I won't intentionally shoot at the head. 

[throttlejocky20]

Did this one time and the deer ran off with my arrow sticking out the back of its head. I did find the deer after one long night following blood (if you want to call it that). I will never take this shot or any shot with a bow that is not behind the shoulder in the boiler room again.

[cryder]

I shot a doe in the head...... It was not pretty. I originally shot her with a liver shot. When I walked up to her saw her still alive I thought I would put another arrow in her. She was in thick brush and facing me so I had a good chest shot. Well I let loose my arrow and she dropped her head. The arrow went right between her eyes. She jumped up and ran with her face pinned to her chest. It was horrible! I ran her down tackled her and cut her throat. I hated every second of it but killing is a dirty business and once you loose an arrow or shoot a bullet you have an obligation to kill that animal as fast as you can. I have cut three throats of three animals only one was mine and I HATE every second of it. I cover their eyes and hold them till they die. It is the one part about hunting that I really dislike but like I said getting them killed is the most human thing to do so it must be done.

aabsagalooooly !

[KFhunter]

seen too many deer with jaws blown to crap, tounges hanging out dying of starvation.

I've never attempted a head shot or a butthole shot nor will I ever.   I dunno why somoene would want to spray their meat with urine/feces and mess up some of the best meat there is.

That texas heart shot thread was appaling, that arrow looked to penetrate the lower intestine and poke into the tenderloin and taint it with feces

yuck - that ain't hunting.


Hunting isn't just finding animals, it's getting into position to make an ethical shot with the highest chances of recovery possible then rendering the animal in a responsible way.  This includes not letting the meat rot in the freezer people.

If you ain't a good enough hunter to make a clean ethical shot then your just another jackwad out destroying animals.