I hear that neck shots on deer are UNETHICAL?

[rattus58]

i've talked to hundreds of hunters probably over my lifetime, and hundreds of hunters have their own opinions as to just about everything in hunting. Ethics and what's ethical always seems to garner a great debate from hunters depending upon what and where you are schooled. Baiting, for example... ethical? Don't forget to duck. Running goats over a cliff? That just happened here in Hawaii yesterday or the day before... but Kamehameha ran 10,000 warriors off a Pali... was that ethical....

Now I hear that neck shots are unethical



The argument for neck shots is that it usually is instant results. A big bullet will short circuit the spinal column with spectacular result on occasion.

While on Lanai one year, after a long arduous day of hunting, I did my usual set up for the afternoon (found a comfortable shady spot for a nap) and after the requisite length of preparation, I spotted this very fat doe come trotting along a windline of Kiawe (mesquite to the heathens.. ) and popped out right in front of me. After duly assimilating my good fortune (of the opportunity)I raised my rifle and squeezed the trigger. And there she stood as the smoke of my 91 cleared away from her as a fog lifting in a gentle breeze... While referencing a note to myself to get more range time, I slowly dropped my buttplate to the ground, popped the cap on the speed loader which had mysteriously appeared in my hand, loaded powder and bullet, and was just lifting the ramrod out of the stock when the doe, stiff legged as a redwood, fell over in front of me. The shot as true as I had imagined... center of the neck. This is unethical?

So how do you feel about neck shots? Should they be avoided at all costs on ethical reasons? Remember, we're talking muzzleloaders here...

Aloha...