Neck shots

[arrow32]

Re: Neck shots

Vitals is more me. Dont feel good enough with my shooting to shoot them in the neck.

[Shawn]

Re: Neck shots

if a deer gives me a shot i will shoot them inthe neck an ddrop them right there with a shotgun or rifle....never would i try the shot with a bow

[LETMGROW]

Re: Neck shots

To me it all depends on the circumstance of the shot. I have neck shot deer and they dropped right there. I have shot for the vitals and they have dropped right there. It has also worked the other way around. I am not afraid of a neck shot if it is presented to me. I take pride in the ability to sight in my equipment properly and my ability to discharge it. I sight in on a bull 1 1/2 in. in diameter at 100 yards, therefore a deer's neck should give me ample room to place a kill shot. I don't mean running or moving, but at a reasonable yardage within my capability. We shoot all summer long on my range so I know pretty well what my ability is.

[Tom2008]

Re: Neck shots

I've only taken one neck shot and that was on my frist deer. I shot him through the shoulder with the first shot though. Which broke his leg went through the lung and nicked the hurt. I shot him in the neck when he was laying down so it was only to put him out.

[elkoholic]

Re: Neck shots

After watching some of the shots taken on hunting videos by the so called "pros" I would almost think the neck shot would preferred to the shots they try to pull off. As for me, I would rather take a higher percentage shot. But, assuming a perfect world all the time is just plain wrong, and we all make decisions at crunch time that may be good or bad decisions depending on the outcome. Hopefully, we have practiced enough and are calm enough to close the deal. Good hunting and may your shot fly true.

[Born2Hunt]

Re: Neck shots

Most of the deer I have killed have been vital shots but when I hunt at my fathers property I prefer the neck shot so they don't run to the swamp. They fall dead in their tracks.

[Guest Mathews4]

Re: Neck shots

i try to stay away from that option, but when push comes to shove i'll take it. the first deer i ever killed was a doe and i dropped her in her tracks with a neck shot.

[Guest MizzouHunter6]

Re: Neck shots

Im not a fan of neck shots...My first year ever hunting I saw a guy shoot a deer in the neck very poorly. This little buck was suffering and it almost made me sick...I'll never forget that. Vitals are the only way to go in my opinion

[Guest Mrgoodshot131]

Re: Neck shots

I'm with GWSmith on this one. If its a doe and its close you might as well shoot it in the head and not ruin any meat. UNLESS its the last day of the season. Then I would shoot it in the vitals. But with bucks its a different story, I always aim for the vitals on them.

[Airman312]

Re: Neck shots

I've shot them there before...they are deader than a doornail!!! Would do it again in a min.

[coles]

Re: Neck shots

i shot the elk i shot last year in the neck after he tried to get up and run. only hit him through one lung and the was just layin there. he got up and tried to run on 3 legs and one shot to then neck was all she wrote. also the buck i shot last year was shot in the neck. these shots were only 50 to 60 yards away. this year there will only be head shots on does and i want to see how my new barnes triple shocks work so i will only shoot a buck behind the shoulder.

[Mirage]

Re: Neck shots

i would give it a try! But I only bow hunt so might be touchy. Still think it will work!

[Guest shotist]

Re: Neck shots

Absolutely not.

In 40 years I have witnessed the performance of enough "shooting experts" at sight-in clinics to know that the 1-1/2" wide, unpredictable, sometimes moving target the neck/spine offers is a very risky option.

Most hunters cannot place all of their shots into 3 MOA when forced to do so from field positions. That is the size of the group one needs to hit the neck/spine at 50 yards....IF one can visualize the exact location of the spine (and most cannot).

Then, we can begin talking about height of sight above bore, angle of departure and knowing the precise trajectory...which 99.9% of those out there do not have the foggiest clue on.

Be ethical and aim for the center of the vitals unless your name is David Tubb.

[QDMAworks4me]

Re: Neck shots

I have shot a lot of deer in the neck and watched them drop in a heap, I have never had to chase a deer shot in the neck.

I guess I was taught by my father because that is the only shot he will take, he does not like chasing them or tracking them

If you are a good shot and are comfortable with your gun a neck shot is very deadly, true there is not a lot of room for error but you must practice with your gun and know what it will do at every distance

[Doc]

Re: Neck shots

I like to shoot 'em right where the spine meets the skull, and running shots really showcase my expertise and shooting skills so I generally get them running before I shoot. I kind of like those shots that are at the far end of my weapon's range too, just to boost the challenge and impress people a lot. The couple of times that I actually connected resulted in the deer dropping right in its tracks. It's a good thing because I never took the time to actually learn any tracking skills. I would never take a broadside shot at the vitals because that really screws up a great hunting story. Of course there were a few deer left running around with their windpipes blown out and a few others that were missing chunks of meat out of their necks. But I don't usually tell anybody about those.

Come on guys. Give me a break. There is never any good reason to be voluntarily handicapping yourself when the target is a living animal. They deserve better than that. Don't be making the deer pay for your ego-centric choices.

Doc

[Guest gabuckbuster03]

Re: Neck shots

yea

[Guest Hunter36]

Re: Neck shots

This is my first post on this forum so bear with me. I may only be 21 but I've shot a few deer in my day. Yes, some people brag about there shots, but some are just excited and tell the story how it happened. When someone says I made a good shot, neck or not, it doesn't always mean they are braggin. During gun season I shoot a slug gun, both 20 gage and 12 gage. Out to about 75yrds I feel perfectly comfortable neck shooting a deer. Done it atleast 8 or so times and never seen one move afterwards. In the same breath I've watched guys gut shoot deer within 50yrds. So my point is shoot to your ability and be realistic about that ability. I'm not a great shot but I feel comfortable in certain situations and capitalize on those oportunities.

[hunting_boy]

Re: Neck shots

well i an a neck shooter and i havent had any problems intell this year but i hit him behind the sholder first but who knows i still like the neck shots

[Born2Hunt]

Re: Neck shots

[ QUOTE ]

I like to shoot 'em right where the spine meets the skull, and running shots really showcase my expertise and shooting skills so I generally get them running before I shoot. I kind of like those shots that are at the far end of my weapon's range too, just to boost the challenge and impress people a lot. The couple of times that I actually connected resulted in the deer dropping right in its tracks. It's a good thing because I never took the time to actually learn any tracking skills. I would never take a broadside shot at the vitals because that really screws up a great hunting story. Of course there were a few deer left running around with their windpipes blown out and a few others that were missing chunks of meat out of their necks. But I don't usually tell anybody about those.

Come on guys. Give me a break. There is never any good reason to be voluntarily handicapping yourself when the target is a living animal. They deserve better than that. Don't be making the deer pay for your ego-centric choices.

Doc

[/ QUOTE ]Doc, I see you are open minded as usual. I always thought you supportsd what was legal and always had the view that every hunting situation was different and had to be treated different. If you don't have any more faith in yourself with a gun than that maybe you should give up hunting and become an anti. The next neck shot I take will be in your honor I promise to make a clean kill that I don't have to track into a chest deep swamp and if I don't please give me your number and I will give you a ring then you can come help me track in the swamp with your superior skills.

PS don't wait for a call I have never lost a deer due to tracking or a bad shot. My god I am ego-centric.

[LETMGROW]

Re: Neck shots

You are a darn good shot. I know that for fact!

[QDMAworks4me]

Re: Neck shots

[ QUOTE ]

I like to shoot 'em right where the spine meets the skull, and running shots really showcase my expertise and shooting skills so I generally get them running before I shoot. I kind of like those shots that are at the far end of my weapon's range too, just to boost the challenge and impress people a lot. The couple of times that I actually connected resulted in the deer dropping right in its tracks. It's a good thing because I never took the time to actually learn any tracking skills. I would never take a broadside shot at the vitals because that really screws up a great hunting story. Of course there were a few deer left running around with their windpipes blown out and a few others that were missing chunks of meat out of their necks. But I don't usually tell anybody about those.

Come on guys. Give me a break. There is never any good reason to be voluntarily handicapping yourself when the target is a living animal. They deserve better than that. Don't be making the deer pay for your ego-centric choices.

Doc

[/ QUOTE ]

You have got to be kidding me, who is the ego-centric one, your do what I do and that is the best way attitude makes me laugh?????? Just because you do not believe that you can shoot a deer in the neck does NOT mean that others on this website and in our deer hunting community can not and do not do this on a regular basis with a 100% success rate. I was going to ask you if you thought my 63 year old father was a bad hunter because he shoots every deer in the neck, but hey I really don't care what you think about that.....My father does not care what people think about him shooting deer in the neck or does he try to boost his ego by doing this. He can track deer but he does not choose to do that and I am sure because someone like you does not think it is right neither he or I will stop doing this. We have 100 acres of swamp on our property as born2hunt and letemgrow do we do not like chasing them out into the swamp when we can just have them drop where we shoot them. I have NEVER EVER shot at a deer or hit a deer that I have lost when shooting them in the neck, am I saying that to boost my ego, hahaha no I could care less about that, I am just stating facts.

[Doc]

Re: Neck shots

[ QUOTE ]

Doc, I see you are open minded as usual. I always thought you supportsd what was legal and always had the view that every hunting situation was different and had to be treated different. If you don't have any more faith in yourself with a gun than that maybe you should give up hunting and become an anti. The next neck shot I take will be in your honor I promise to make a clean kill that I don't have to track into a chest deep swamp and if I don't please give me your number and I will give you a ring then you can come help me track in the swamp with your superior skills.

PS don't wait for a call I have never lost a deer due to tracking or a bad shot. My god I am ego-centric.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well actually, just to clarify my position, I will grant that it is legal to shoot deer in the legs but that doesn't mean that I would support someone who purposely did that. I will also say that I believe that hunters should take high percentage shots and not play handicapping games. It's kind of something that I was taught at a pretty early stage of my hunting. Actually, I believe it is still taught today.

Also, if everyone who was unwilling to take neck or head shots gave up hunting, it would be a pretty quiet season wouldn't it? It's not a matter of having faith in your gun or your shooting. It is more a matter of extending your odds of making a proper shot and reducing risks of wounding. If I can hit that narrow piece of bone in the neck, then I know for sure I can hit the heart/lung area. I also know that if I slip up a little bit or the deer does some last second movement, I have a much better chance of still being in the kill zone and not wounding the animal. It kind of stands to reason doesn't it? A larger kill zone equals a smaller chance of screwing up.

Look I have seen the results of some of these great marksmen who as it turned out had just a little too much faith in themselves with their gun. I've seen the swinging hamburger like lower jaws. I've heard the wheezing of a deer that had a new hole where its windpipe used to be. Personally, I don't want to be a part of that. If you feel comfortable with that risk, it's up to you. If you have not experienced such a mishap yet, it could be just a matter of time. My primary concern is that there are most likely a lot of newbies reading these messages, and here we have a bunch of people advocating neck shots over any other shots. In one case we even have a "head-shot" artist. I'd hate to think that some of these members might start giving up the higher percentage shots to the vitals in favor of neck shots because of something they read on these forums. I think that to be advocating neck shots without also stating the qualifiers of a high level of marksmanship and also pointing out the fact that such shots do in fact carry a certain added level of risk, is a very irresponsible thing to do in a public forum that is frequented by people of a large variation in ability and experience.

By the way, I understand what you are trying to say about the swamp. Does that mean that when you are hunting elsewhere, you go back to aiming at the heart/lung area? .......probably not.

Doc

[Doc]

Re: Neck shots

QDMAworks4me-

You people do what you think you must. I realize the impossibility of changing minds that are already made up. But I definitely want to put forth the opposing view so that others are not duped into thinking that neck shots are not without higher risks. Like I said before, smaller target selections result in larger risks, and that is something that I believe is indisputable.

Doc

[TOMSD5]

Re: Neck shots

i use to take neck shots all the time(where the neck and body join}.but last season i had a good buck come in to my stand right at dark and the only shot i had was to the neck...i took it ...yes he fell like a ton of bricks fell on him...he lay there for 5-10 minutes and as i started tward him he jumped up and ran off...(he lived tho as i have seen him this season)...i thought my rifle was on the money but it was shoting 4 in. high and 4in to the right ...i just hit the buck catching flesh and seperating the vertibre which caused temparay parilisis.... i useally try the body shot ...would i try a neck shot again...don't really know it depends on the circumstance....i prefur the shoulder shot....jmo...

[FSU_Seminole]

Re: Neck shots

High in the shoulder works every time for me. I use to shoot deer behind the shoulder & I lost a big 8 I shot behind the shoulder at 160 yards. He ran off & I never found him. I've never taken neck shots because its too risky.

I always aim for high in the shoulder. Its safer than a neck shot because its a bigger target & hitting them in the shoulder drops them in their tracks every time.