Original title: “Oops I Did It Again.”

Tyler and I were driving around his property looking for four legged animals, and as we crested one of the hills this cull buck turned and started at me. It just sat there, looking, as I whipped out the Weatherby Vanguard Carbine, took aim and hit it squarely in the forehead. That has to be one of the least advantageous evolutionary traits, the “deer in the headlights” response.

I didn’t see it (as I was still working through the “follow through” from the shot) but Tyler says he saw the “pink mist” and watched as the antlers of this deer exploded off its head. Seriously, we walked around for a while and could only find one of the antlers. The deer dropped straight down where it stood and that was the end of that.

We field dressed it on the spot and took it in to be made into sausage, and by the time we were done the light had dimmed too far to safely shoot anymore. But for a first day on the hunt three headshots and three clean kills seems like a pretty good day’s work.

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14 COMMENTS

  5. I used to take head shots, but because the heart lungs area is much larger I now have moved back to that area. After 5 or 6 I realized that death of the animal happens about the same in both locations and one is much larger.

    The bullets perform better there, the deer dies just as dead, and I don’t have to worry about blowing the jaw or neck off an animal only to have him run off and starve to death.

    Don’t get me wrong….Kudos on a great hunt, but just an FYI to those reading who don’t have perfect shooting conditions at the time of the shot.

    • My sentiments also…no real benefit to this practice and much more risk of a horribly wounding an animal. But still, congratulations and wishes for continued sucess.

  7. Congrats again! You’re obviously a skilled marksman and have ample ability to hit small target such as a deer’s head at a substantial distance. However, I don’t recommend this as a good general hunting practice. A small error on the shooter’s part, or a small movement of the deer’s head, as they are wont to do, can make an otherwise instantly deadly hit a crippling one leading to a slow and miserable death. I’ve seen more than a few deer with shot away jaws that slowly bleed out or starved to death. While you may lose some meat, a heart/lung shot with an adequate caliber is very effective and provides a much larger target. The very small margin of error for a head shot does not, IMHO, make the risk of wounding a deer and dooming it to a wretched end worth the attempt.

    Obviously the “deer in headlights” comment is figurative, as it clearly quite light outside. I trust no one would misconstrue that remark as the practice of spotlighting is illegal.

    • Congrats on your first dear. I totally agree though. Headshots, using Sierra MatchKings, blowing off antlers, “pink mist”. Comments like these does nothing to help hunter’s rights, and by virtue, gun rights. If you want to show the world the highlights of a good first hunting trip, you’ve got to do it better. Anti’s feed of posts like that, showing how gruesome and unethical they can be. While the kill was quick, when you show the aftermath, some people don’t like it. True this young guy was no trophy, still no reason to blast one in it’s head.

      And for crying out loud what are you doing using a round that isn’t designed or recommended for hunting. Quite honestly, it proves how little you really do know, or care. Very disappointed.

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