I don't hunt.  Would like to but just have never had the opportunity *cough*hinthint*cough*.

I've been wondering about deer.  It seems everyone always targets heart/lungs.  If we assume (just for a moment) that I don't want a trophy and that I can make the shot, is there any other reason not to take a head shot?

Can we use a Barrett .50?

center body mass is a very large target, you hit it your pretty much guarenteed (provided its not some fluke bullet) to kill that animal.

You shoot at its head and hit its jaw, your screwing it for weeks before it dies.  Its just theres only a 5 inch or so target in the head for a clean kill, body mass is I thikn somewhere in the 13 inch area.

Same reason snipers shoot people in the chest and not the face.  You want the best chance for a kill.


**Oh edit**
I of course only know that because I asked it at my hunter safety class because I wanted to shoot them in the head as well.

Yeah, I figured it was primarily a chance to hit thing (which was why I made those assumptions that will never be true )

I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some sort of "headshot will release some hormone that will make the meat taste horrible".  Doubted there was such a thing but wanted folks that knew to say for sure.

My daughter hit her last two deer in the head.  Certainly an excellent place to drop them at but its wisest to aim at a bigger target.  They typically are running away from you so a slight movement at 100+ yards away can make a significant difference, specially if you sight your rifles to adjust for long ranges.

Patty

head shots are fine and there is no chance of waisting meat. shot a 3 point this year
on the run right behind the ear and bullet went out its nose.  no meat waisted on
that one

strangest deer ive ever seen killed though went up to . it was dead but still kicking
i cut its throat  went to go cut out the stink glands and it started kicking again totally
dead in the head but each time i touched its leg it would kick it even almost got back
up once heart still beating but brain scrambled with a 30.06 bullet and throat cut
went on for about 10 minutes.


my dad killed most of  his deer shooting them right between the eyes but he in his day could  
spark a match with a .22