Neck shots?

[Spinach]

What do you all think of neck shots? I use to shoot some of my does in the neck, they drop in there tracks for the most part, eliminating any tracking or extra dragging.

My thinking has changed over the years though, I'm a lot more hesitant at taking a neck shot now.

A couple of years ago, i had a very large doe on top of the ridge  (90-100 yards) I'm in a shotgun zone, so that is a pretty far shot uphill and in the thick woods. The doe stayed behind a group of trees and finally after about 10 minutes, she showed her neck only, I took the shot and she dropped right in her tracks. i let her sit for about a half hour and finally walked up the hill to get her, i walked up and gave her a nudge with my shotgun, she didn't move a bit, I turned to lay my gun down and she got up and ran at me, she bounced off the tree and kept going. We tracked her for 2 miles or so later that day and never found her.

My shot went right through the middle of her neck, I saw the shot placement when i walked up to her on the ground, when she got up and ran, she had a ton of energy and never stopped.

I did some research after that and read somewheres that the windpipe does not run in the middle of the neck but closer to the front (I think).

No more neck shots for me after losing that big doe, i was pissed.

[cole]

 Last year I shot a deer at about 75-80 yards in the vitals, but it was quartering away from me and when the bullet passed through into the opposite front shoulder it pretty much exploded the whole front shoulder and ruined most of it.  The deer did not move at all except down but which was nice no tracking but thats when I was thinking about shooting them in other places or buying a smaller rifle, but after thinking about it I think I will still shoot for the vitals knowing that if you take out the pump and/or the lungs the deer is not long for the earth. 

The only draw back is a situation like your story, and I don't know if a rifle would be any better or worse because if you were close and hit only flesh the bullet may not expand and just go through giving the deer a hole in the neck and mabye not killing it right away but probably down the road from infection which really sucks. But there is also the case where you shoot it in the vitals and it tears off and is not found too.

I suppose it is up the the individual figure out where to place the shot but as long as you are comfortable with making a CLEAN QUICK KILL where ever you put the bullet then shoot where you want.

[thunderpout]

Pat, I take it you have a scope on your shotgun.... I myself wouldnt take a neck shot, but I have iron sights on both of my deer guns.  One of the guys I hunt with has taken many of his deer with a well placed neck shot from a scoped rifle.  It was always taken at a non moving deer, and less than 100yds.... never had to track one of his deer, all pretty much dropped in their tracks....

[Cody Gruchow]

well neck shots are risky because theres so many places for error. if you dont hit it in the jugular(sp) or a major vain then it will probably live, but sometimes if your close enough and shoot it in the neck the impact of the bullet can break its spine.

[BiggA]

My only experience with a neck shot was accidental shooting a running deer and led her too far. She dropped instantly due to broken neck but was still alive when I aproached her. I think ethically a hunter should take the safest bet which is the heart/lung. Much less chance of giving the anti's ammo on hunters who just wound animals and then they die of infection. Just my opinion.

[HD]

We like venison neck roasts, so I don't take that shot.
I prefer clean shots, and have taught kids to do the same.


Hunter

[Mayfly]

I never would either. I want the vitals (heart and lungs). 

[Spinach]

Yeah, i use a Bushnell Holosight.

[mnsportsman49]

Yeah, i use a Bushnell Holosight.

good sight i have the same 1

[Cody Gruchow]

well i personally like spine shots. i shoot lightfeilds with my bushnell banner scope and crank it up to 4 power and drop the hammer on them and down they go.

[rem]

heart and lungs for me i like my deer bleed out. Makes a huge difference when butchering them.

[Realtree]

For slug hunting in S MN on our private land, I use my Remington 870 12 gauge with a Bushnell Banner 1.5-4.5 X 32 Dusk & Dawn scope. I have always taken the heart shot and normally the deer I shoot will drop within 10-20 yards of where they are or run less than 75 yards before going down, and I always have a solid blood trail to follow if they do run any distance.

The only exception to that was a 10 ptr that I shot at about 100 yards that glanced the rear quarter of the heart. He ran a couple hundred yards onto the neighbors property and died at the bottom of the ravine at the edge of the river. We had a great blood trail to follow, but by the time we found him the neighbors were claiming that they drew the kill shot and they were keeping the deer as theirs. Funny thing, there was only one hole in the buck and the blood trail led back to my stand. What do ya do?! 

I hunted up at URL on State land with Dennis and his crew last year using my father in laws Remington 760 Gamemaster .308 with open sights. I was encouraged by several others at camp to take the neck shot up there as it can be very difficult tracking up there and being on State land you don't want your deer running too far into another hunting partys area.

I took a neck shot on a huge Doe at about 92-95 yards and dropped her right where she stood. In this instance, I had limited shooting opportunities on her and one of the few shots I had was this one as she stepped forward into the open "V" of a small groups of trees.

I have never personally seen a deer go down so fast in my life as she did with that neck shot. I was impressed, and to be honest, I didn't really lose that much of the neck roasts by taking that shot either.

I would confidently take either shot in future hunts depending on the individual circumstances that present themselves.   

[tom fellegy]

i take the shot that is offered. i have shot 4 or 5 deer in the neck over the years. they do drop like my bank account after paying taxes here in minnesota, yea, they just added another one. it all depends on the angle of the shot. to eah his own, i will take neck shots if it is the kill shot that is offered...............tom fellegy

[deadeye]

Years ago when I hunted alone, I always shot them in the neck.  For some reason when I started hunting with others, I started shooting them in the heart/lung area.  I guess I didn't want to explain why I missed.  Anyway, now I'm back to the neck/head if the deer is standing at less than 70 yards.  I shoot a .270 with a scope so I usually pretty sure of the shot.  I shot one deer this year (early doe season).  She was laying down at 50 feet so I shot her in the head.  She didn't go anywhere.

[dakids]

I don't like neck or head shots anymore.  5 years ago I had a doe stop broadside at 30 yards.  I had a shot at the chest but picked the head because she was close and not moving.  I shoot and she goes right down.  After I lower my rifle to the ground she pops up and runs off with her lower jaw broken.  There was a lot of blood and we did track her for several miles.  Jumped her a few times out of beds but was never able to shoot her again.  We ran out of light.  We tried again the next morning but the blood trail was gone. I will Never do that again.  It was not fair to the animal.  A miss of only 2 inches from center will result in a lot of extra work and a posible lost animal.

[Outdoors Junkie]

I have never taken a neck shot.  My dad likes to shoot them in neck and drop them on the spot.  I always aim for the vitals.