Neck Shots on Deer?

[dlbleak]

I have a buddy that only takes neck shots. His deer never go far and finding them is always easy. His says this is how he was taught and has always done it. I've wanted to try it but in the heat of the moment, the thought never enters my mind because of how I've "always done it"
To neck shoot or not to neck shoot?
Discuss please.

 

[CHenry]

I have a buddy that only takes neck shots. His deer never go far and finding them is always easy. His says this is how he was taught and has always done it. I've wanted to try it but in the heat of the moment, the thought never enters my mind because of how I've "always done it"
To neck shoot or not to neck shoot?
Discuss please.

They dont go far at all, usually straight down like a sack of rocks. I like the neck shot too. If you miss, its a clean mis but if you hit any part of the neck, they drop. Never again another gut shot deer or one that runs off right at dark and you cant track it.

 

[dennishoddy]

Neck shots can be very effective, but they can also result in a wounded deer unless your very familiar with a deers anatomy.
Be off a couple of inches, and you nick the windpipe, resulting in a wounded Deere that not die for days.
I still have the bullet in my desk that I recovered from the neck of a deer. Looks like it was a lead miniball, perfectly mushroomed. It had been shot the year before in a non vital area of the deers neck with the skin trapping it on the opposite side.
A shot behind the leg has a 9" diameter kill zone. Much more room for error.

 

[Okie4570]

I'm a thru front both shoulders kinda of guy, zero tracking there as well and a greater target size. I always get the "waste too much meat" comment, my reply is that we grind all of the deer up into burger, excecept for the tenderloins, I'm willing to waste maybe a pound or less of front shoulder meat, to clean up around a GSW. Like Dennis, I've taken a doe with a large chunk taken out of the back her neck, looked like it probably happened the first week of rifle, as this was the last weekend of season. I've also seen a 120"ish buck with it's bottom jaw only hanging by the left side and three coyotes on it's tail, trying to fend them off. My friend used his tag to finish it off(after we shot two of the coyotes), it was a sad sight, not for sure that the neck was the target, but one would assume.

 

[AllOut]

High shoulder is the only way I'll shoot at a deer. Break both shoulders and there is no option for running. Plus plenty of room for error and still be in the kill zone.
I hate neck shots and don't understand why people like them. As for they can't run, BS I shot a deer twice in the neck with my .264WM (not on purpose) and it kept on going. Had to put one in his side to stop him. They are to risky IMO.

 

[HiredHand]

They dont go far at all, usually straight down like a sack of rocks. I like the neck shot too. If you miss, its a clean mis but if you hit any part of the neck, they drop. Never again another gut shot deer or one that runs off right at dark and you cant track it.

How do you know if its a clean miss if you can't place the bullet in a 9" in kill zone without the possiblilty of a gut shot. I have to agree with Dennis and Okie4570 on this subject.

 

[CHenry]

How do you know if its a clean miss if you can't place the bullet in a 9" in kill zone without the possiblilty of a gut shot. I have to agree with Dennis and Okie4570 on this subject.

I aim high on the neck closest to the spine. If I miss high the leave uninjured. Im a very good shot thought and I could put it in the ear every time ifI wanted. I don't shoot for the neck unless I am down on the ground using my bipod. I shot 3 deer one evening, one after the other at 275, 200 and 150 yards respectively and they all fell where they stood. I aint bragging and I don't recommend this unless you are proficient with your rifle. (We had 3to open tags that night and it was last day of rifle)

 

[kdlong]

shooting in the neck is like trying to shot them between the eyes. very hard unless its a perfect setup. i have taken deer in the neck between the eyes and every where else i could get a clean shot. but i prefer the front shoulders.

 

[ElkStalkR]

Shoot'em where you like. Some shots are riskier than others.

My thoughts are this: Neck shots are great so long as you hit the spine. If you don't hit the spine they run and you may not kill them. I don't care how good you are we all make mistakes. Carlos Hathcock even missed every now and then! Shoulder shots will certainly stop them providing you break both shoulders. Obviously make sure you have a big enough gun/bullet combo to do this. Typically not a problem with southern deer, but its not advisable with larger game such as elk, who will most likely laugh at you and walk off if you attempt a shoulder shot with a "sub-par" elk round.

I was taught behind the shoulder and unless forced to take a different shot, which sometimes you must, I tuck it in right behind the shoulder. Not only do I like nice clean shoulder meat when I go to cutting off my ground chuck but if my aim is true I'm guaranteed a pass thru and one hell of a blood trail to follow. (at least with the calibers I use while deer hunting). I don't mind a short tracking job and dead deer at the end of the blood trail rainbow. Another advantage is behind the shoulder is a very large kill zone and reduces your margin of error.

There's really no wrong answer here. Just one person's prefence.

 

[shootermcgavin]

I go for behind the shoulder, as I was taught. I am pretty stinkin' new to deer though as I have only shot 4, 3 with rifle and 1 with muzzleloader. All 4 went lesss than 50 yards though. The only buck I shot took about 30 seconds to drop as I missed behind just barely, but he still didn't go far. I figure if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I would imagine a miss as far as I did with him in the neck area would have ended with a failure to find him because I suck at tracking.

The 2 does with rifle were both shot through the heart, and even they ran for 30 yards before dropping. I sometimes think I need a bigger gun.