smashed head syndrome (300magitis) Very Graphic

Even if i did miss by a few inches ( GOD FORBID) and hit the jaw, the shock of a big fast bullet out of a 300 mag will knock a deer out cold , and he would bleed to death before he came too.
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Wow. I had missed that the first time.
I've helped look for deer that other hunters have shot in the head that flopped over, then came to and ran off with a wound to the cranium. Bleeding to death from a shot-off jaw is NOT very likely. Also, with the hinged jaw, the shock imparted to the CNS is very likely not going to put the animal down.
 
That was worst case scenareo. A follow up shot would be there in an instant if needed. Never has been. I shoot them from behind anyhow, so hitting a jaw is out of the Question. All i usually see is that little sweet spot between their ears.
 
So......is it ethical to headshoot deer with my 7STW with 120gr Ballistic Tips? At 3750fps almost any contact will blow the head clean off.

Bonded bullets are poor for headshots. I've seen a lot more gut shot deer go unrecovered since the advent of hunting shows preaching the wonders of strictly controlled expansion. With the older bullets the large tissue disruption could often help if you had a paunch shot. With the Barnes X or Bondeds you get a hole a fifth of the size for an exit.

Here's a question. In the grand scheme of things, do you think more deer have been lost to botched headshots (ie jaw shots) than to botched shoulder shots (ie gutshots)? I just found one today while muzzleloading that had been shot too far back.

Know your shot. Your skills determine your placement.
 
Im beting far more have been lost to gut shots, seen many myself. I do bet the ones that where shot in the head where far more a disturbing site to see though. I last week saw one run for 400 hundred yards tripping over his guts, I guided a friend on a hunt. He shot him 8 inches behind the front shoulder. , but alas, I did not have my trusty Armalite. My friend had to kill him with my .45 , after we found him.
Softpoints work well. Just dont use Match ammo, not very nice. Almost zero expansion.
As Lycanthrope said, Know your shot. I would'nt even try a head shot if i couldnt hit a target the size of a tennis ball 10 out of 10 at 100 yards. Tennis balls are cool!!! AND no!, I dont shot my AR-30 offhand. That'd be dumb.
 
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