Thread: 22 magnum on reds

Originally Posted by Bavarian_Hunter

If the only way to cleanly kill an animal with a certain weapon is to head shoot it then I think the question has been answered as to whether it is an ethical choice or not.

who says you cant shoot a deer in the head with a bow?

whitetail Head shot with bow - YouTube

My Bavarian Australian mate rings up an salient point here - if the only shot is a head shot then is it an ethical choice?
I think the answer is that within the range you can reliably do that then the answer is yes, but the question limits the full answer - a high neck shot will kill them just as dead. I know a couple of guys who have killed deer with chest shots with .22LR (not magnum) one was through the side behind the leg and it slipped through the ribs, the other fired from diagonally from the rear and it went behind the ribs and forward through the lungs. The .22 bullet will penetrate quite a long waysince its going so slow, especially solids. People would be suprised I think.
But I think we can agree that a .22 magnum on deer is best left to experienced chaps.