Neck shots


Swamphunter

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Nay or yea??

I have shot them in the neck before, but try and stay away from it. The post about rut activity in the rain amde me think of this. One of my biggest bucks to date, I shot in the pouring rain and I knew that blood trailing him would be almost impossible. I neck shot him at 75 yards. It was the only one I have ever neck shot. How do you guys feel about neck shots?

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Guest hunter101

Re: Neck shots

personally i like them as long as you got a clear shot at them. if i can shoot for the vitals i do but if i cant and they are on alert i will take a shot at there neck. just my opion

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Guest HaDeRonDa

Re: Neck shots

Nope! I don't care how big the deer is. It deserves the best shot I can offer that has the highest probability to kill it.

I hate it when I have seen deer running with a tracheotomy hoping that someone who can shoot, accurately, puts it out of it's mind!

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Re: Neck shots

Ummm.....I usually shoot them right behind the ear if thats the only shot thats offered. Last muzzle loader season I had a big 8 point chase a yearling doe that was in heat right to me. He stopped at 30 yards with his body behind a clump of trees and only his head and neck visible. I put the crosshairs right behind the ear and touched it off. He dropped in his tracks and was deader than a door nail.

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Re: Neck shots

Im not that good of shot grin.gifSeriously, I think the vitals are better, theres more of a margin for error.I shot a doe about 3 or 4 years back that had been shot already during one of the earlier shotgun seasons.She had actually been hit in the spine by a slug, it splintered the bone pretty good but she was still running around.It had started to become infected and she was suffering but still alive, it wasnt pretty.Amazing how they can go on with these wounds crazy.gif

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Re: Neck shots

A neck shot is good if your actually going for the spine or VERY close to it. Believe it or not its not as simple as just hitting it in the neck and seeing him drop.

High shoulder shots do the same thing.

Both damage the spine and thats what drops them.

Head shots are my least favorite but I took one a few years ago. Hit the deer broad side and he bolted for the woods. I thought I missed. I took another and caught him behind the right ear and it came out his mouth. Deer looked like he hit a clothes line.

No damage to his head what-so-ever and we could not find my 2nd shot for a few minute until my brother-in-law grabbed and pulled on his right ear to flip him over. Then we noticed the hangin tounge looking a bit freyed too.

Kinda sick. LOL

I always go for a drop shot good or poor weather. If it crossed the property lines it can be a major pain trying to get your deer back in my area, Bunch of jerk land owners around my 75 acres...

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Re: Neck shots

I have to tell you about the deer that I saw one night when driving home from hunting a few years ago. He was standing along side the road, and one glance showed that there was something really wrong. In my headlights, I could see that his lower jaw was swinging like a piece of hamburg. It was blown apart back by the jawbone. Imagine the slow lingering death that sucker had in front of him. It was gtoing to be starvation because there was nothing lethal in terms of blood-loss. Most likely this was caused by someone who was convinced that they could make a nice head-shot.

Another time, up on our hill I caught a glimpse off and on of a deer on the other side of a huge ravine (200 feet deep and straight up and down rock walls). There was absolutely no way that I could cross this ravine to put this critter out of its misery. However there was a very clear and loud wheezing, breathing sound that he was making. Undoubtedly it was the result of someone thinking that they were going to be bragging about the wonderful neck shot that they made.

Look, there is an absolutely good kill zone on a deer that allows some leeway for some inaccuracy without risking collateral damage and the loss of a deer. Why not use it? I know it doesn't sound quite as spectacular as a head shot or a neck shot and it really doesn't make as impressive a story or make you sound like some kind of flawless marksman. but everytime I hear these stories my mind flashes up a picture of that buck with his lower jaw swinging (my two young boys saw that too along with who knows how many other people) or that deer across the ravine with its windpipe severed and it makes me wonder how long it took these two animals to die. That's a pretty ugly thing to do to an animal just for the sake of having some special feature about marksmanship to add to your stories.

Doc

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Guest HaDeRonDa

Re: Neck shots

[ QUOTE ]

Most likely this was caused by someone who was convinced that they could make a nice head-shot.

That's a pretty ugly thing to do to an animal just for the sake of having some special feature about marksmanship to add to your stories.

Doc

[/ QUOTE ]

You are so right. I hate it when I hear a guy brag about a head shot and I know he can't shoot. He's one of those guys that shoot until his gun is empty as well.

You either can hit him, the deer, or you can't.

For those of you that can't kill with just one shot. Please stay away from head shots. The margin of error is not so big. The head shot; you either kill, wound or miss. Very similar to shooting vital area shots. Wounding a deer with a body shot is no different than a head shot. They are both wounded but one always looks real nasty.

What I mean by that is some guys if they can shoot a 6" circle they are happy. Then whiff at 100 yds on a body shot.

If you can't, under stress, shoot an 1 1/2" group at 150 yds, you shouldn't be taking any head shot!!! Even if that head shot is at 25 FEET away!

I like to equate head shots with asking the avg Joe to snipe a guy at 500M with a service rifle. Know your limitations.

Do neck shots work? Yep!

Do "most" know where to shoot them in the neck? Probably not!

Everyone knows where the heart/lung area is. Most should stick to that particular area. IMHO

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Re: Neck shots

I never intentionally aim for the broadside neck shot or any angle head shot on a deer when shooting. I always aim for the vitals no matter what position the deer is in. The closest I get to neck shots are front or slightly quartering chest shots and I aim for lung and heart shots when doing those. I don't care if the deer is the biggest buck in the world standing behind a tree with only his head or neck visible sticking out the whole time, I'd sit tight and if he didn't present a vital shot he'd live on or be someone else's trophy instead. The only exceptions would be the two circumstances below and I'd still feel darn horrible doing them, but knew it had to be done.

1) I wounded the deer and the only shot I got to end its suffering is in its neck or head area.

2) I see someone else's wounded deer, no hunters in sight, and the only shot I got to end its suffering is in its neck or head area.

The only other circumstance I'd take one of those shots is if I was ground hunting and had a rutting buck or any deer for that matter charging at me to attack me. Then it'd be a matter of life and death and I'd more than likely empty the entire clip into the deer's head, neck and chest area trying to stop the attack. The chances of that happening are very low, but not impossible.

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Re: Neck shots

[ QUOTE ]

only if I'm comfortable with the the shot, and have not a shot at its rib-cage. I have a handfull of neck shots to my credit and I've never seen a deer drop so quick. Sometimes I don't even see them go down it's so quick. (using a slug-gun in Illinois)

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Same here. My biggest Buck to date was taken with a neck shot at 25 yards. He was completely unaware of my presence, and his chin literally hit the ground, he went down so hard. Overall, i avoid neck shots though. Slaw, do you work at the Steel Mill? (Ironmaking)

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Re: Neck shots

[ QUOTE ]

sure do....are you randy m , drive a forklift most the time?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, my name is Randy Smith. I am a Lidman up on the Coke Ovens. I work the Pusher side main, A battery on A crew. I figured with you being from Granite City, and having the screen name Slaw, you must be the Maintenance guy i see on occasion with Slaw on his hard hat. Cool to see someone from the mill on here! wink.gif

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