Lost Deer

[RidgeHunter]

What's up with the "old goobers" thing? Just because you may disagree with a comment from someone that doesn't do it your way and is older, is it necessary to denigrate them for your personal gratification to make you feel better in some way?
Do you know why and where I shoot my deer, and do you approve or disapprove so I can be in or out of your identity politics?

I think you shoot most of them up around north central Oklahoma if I remember right.

C'mon lighten up. I'm just foolin' about.

 

[retrieverman]

With a machete??

A machete works on a pig skull in a pinch (as does fencing pliers). Don’t ask me how I know...

 

[ElkStalkR]

Here's my take. Neck shots are fantastic so long as you hit that spinal cord. If not you got problems. The smaller an animal is the more likely its a spinal hit or clean miss. The bigger the neck is the more likely you hit meat/flesh and don't actually damage the spinal cord. Many elk hunters have found this out the hard way. (the mane on an elk makes their necks deceiving as well)

Cutting the jugular will do them in quick fast and in a hurry also, but that's a way small target and you certainly cant depend on hitting it every time. All in all a neck shot is not the shot for me unless its close, max 100 yds, AND its my only shot. I'm certainly not taking that shot over one thru the boiler room broadside. That being said I don't belittle anyone who neck shoots so long as they do it responsibly. Of course I expect responsible shooting out of anyone slinging lead at animal, no matter their aiming point.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Also my main problem with neck shots is they are billed as a fail safe that always works, or a "DRT or clean miss" option that leaves no option to wound. Hit low and you can take out the esophagus and not DRT at all, etc.

If you are an experienced hunter confident in your shot do whatever you know works and want to do. But I hate seeing them played up as super great failsafes because newb hunters and non competitive shooters like me need to be aiming for the largest kill zone in most cases. The basketball sized one. And one that doesn't constantly move. If something else works for you that's great. But most of us in the woods need better odds. Hence why this thread was posted in the first place. Most hunters aren't expert shots under pressure. We should shoot the basketball.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Jinx

I do several things in the woods I have confidence in that I wouldn't want taught to kids in hunter ed.

How much brush can I shoot through mr. Instructor? Well, none Billy. Real answer for myself is "oh about that much...BANG"

 

[RidgeHunter]

I hunted with a guy who took a neck shot as dusk, offhand, with a muzzleloader at 80-90yds. He said because he'd either drop it or miss it because that's what he was told fir years. Well he didn't drop it is all we know.

 

[CHenry]

Also my main problem with neck shots is they are billed as a fail safe that always works, or a "DRT or clean miss" option that leaves no option to wound. Hit low and you can take out the esophagus and not DRT at all, etc.

If you are an experienced hunter confident in your shot do whatever you know works and want to do. But I hate seeing them played up as super great failsafes because new hunters and non competitive shooters like me need to be aiming for the largest kill zone in most cases. The basketball sized one. And one that doesn't constantly move. If something else works for you that's great. But most of us in the woods need better odds. Hence why this thread was posted in the first place. Most hunters aren't expert shots under pressure. We should shoot the basketball.

I always aim high on the neck, below the skull. Too high and the animal is untouched or maybe grazed but catch even an inch of that top of the neck and the cord is gone. Killed 3 deer one evening like this. 275 yards, one down like a sack of rocks, scattered deer then 225 yards, another one and the third about 170 yards. Had 3 open tags in the fielded with me and it was 4:45 pm on last day. I was laying down top of a hill with my .260 and a bipod.
That rifle is a tack driver. I practice on Crows at 200- 300 yards. Aint missed one yet.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Clay you ol goober. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[CHenry]

Clay you ol goober. Happy Thanksgiving.

LMAO, ditto

 

[magna19]

In 40+ years of big game hunting 100% of every big game animal that Ive seen whether it was me shooting or someone else that required tracking beyond ethical taking was not hit where the shooter first thought or was aiming at. The biggest problem with most issues of not recovering a big game animal quickly is shot placement. The majority of hunters do not or refuse to realize they can NOT shoot with the same precision of the bench sight-in zeroing their weapon including archery than hunting situations. Shot placement 100% determines quick recovery or the dreaded (I think it was a good shot and extensive tracking or losing an animal). If you do not learn how critical shot placement is early, you will later. Hopefully