Last year I had a nice buck about 220 yards give or take and I decided for a neck shot. To me it presents a fairly good area with more forgiveness than the heart/lungs, plus it damages very little to no usable meat. The result was an instant drop and kill. I'm thinking about using this target for future shots if it's presented to me broadside or between broadside and head. Any thoughts on reasons not to? It might be easier to miss, but honestly, I would rather miss than not get a clean kill.
the shot drops a deer if you hit the spine, miss and all you get is thraot, which could kill it but would need to bleed out......
That's true, it seems like aiming at the base of the neck opens up a host of potentially quick killing spots.
There was another thread that talked about this a little. Started out as pig discussion, but just turned to neck shots in general.
I think it is all a matter of personal confidence in your weapon and your abilities. I can see both good and bad in it. On a neck shot, if you miss by a couple of inches, you take a chance at wounding the animal, not getting a good blood trail, and it either running off to die, maybe a little suffering, or it recovers. The same can be said for vital shots too, although you have a little bigger target in the lung area. I shot my muzzleload buck in the neck this year, but he was facing me, so it actually went in his lower neck and straight to his heart... I was elevated at close range.
http://www.okshooters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93357
I think it is all a matter of personal confidence in your weapon and your abilities. I can see both good and bad in it. On a neck shot, if you miss by a couple of inches, you take a chance at wounding the animal, not getting a good blood trail, and it either running off to die, maybe a little suffering, or it recovers. The same can be said for vital shots too, although you have a little bigger target in the lung area. I shot my muzzleload buck in the neck this year, but he was facing me, so it actually went in his lower neck and straight to his heart... I was elevated at close range.
http://www.okshooters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93357
The problem with neck shots is that if you hit too high you can stun the deer, knock it down, and it run off after it gains it's wits again. Not really a bad thing unless you are standing over it. If you shoot too low and only hit the wind pipe or esophagus the deer may run off to die a slow death from not being able to breath correctly or drink or eat. I prefer to wait for a broadside and put the bullet just behind the shoulder. It kills quickly and only damages rib meat.
I had a chance to shoot a deer last weekend that was looking at me from about 30 yds, the brisket was covered by limbs so the neck was the only target. I was standing with no way to steady the rifle so passed on the shot.
A brisket shot in my experience has always put a deer down in its tracks.
In my book neck shots are just too risky.
I had a chance to shoot a deer last weekend that was looking at me from about 30 yds, the brisket was covered by limbs so the neck was the only target. I was standing with no way to steady the rifle so passed on the shot.
A brisket shot in my experience has always put a deer down in its tracks.
In my book neck shots are just too risky.
I think they pretty much suck, and if you can get a neck shot you should be able to get a broadside vitals shot which offers the largest available target and is always 100% lethal.
I can't see why you would want to handicap yourself by taking a shot at a tiny target when there is a basketball you can aim at that will kill a deer every single time.
FYI, a neck shot is not always lethal, and they don't always drop on the spot. The one deer I shot in the neck (I was not aiming there, sh*t happens in the woods if you hunt enough)...I hit it in the throat with a 130 grain ballistic tip from a .270. It took a huge chunk out of the deers throat, opening up it's windpipe. That's shot would not have killed that deer anywhere close to quickly. I quickly put one through the lungs and solved that. I'm glad I was able to do it quickly. It went down like a sack of potatoes, then stood up about 2 minutes later and started walking away after the initial neck shot. If not for the second shot, that deer would have died...but not been recoverable as it would not have left a good blood trail and would have traveled a long ways.
The take that big pink and red area on the diagram every time. Never seen a deer live more than a few seconds with a hole through both lungs. You have a much larger margin for error.
If you want higher odds at dropping them in their tracks, try a high shoulder shot. If you miss by a little you'll still have a very deadly traditional lung shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boxndplzQmU&feature=player_embedded
I can't see why you would want to handicap yourself by taking a shot at a tiny target when there is a basketball you can aim at that will kill a deer every single time.
FYI, a neck shot is not always lethal, and they don't always drop on the spot. The one deer I shot in the neck (I was not aiming there, sh*t happens in the woods if you hunt enough)...I hit it in the throat with a 130 grain ballistic tip from a .270. It took a huge chunk out of the deers throat, opening up it's windpipe. That's shot would not have killed that deer anywhere close to quickly. I quickly put one through the lungs and solved that. I'm glad I was able to do it quickly. It went down like a sack of potatoes, then stood up about 2 minutes later and started walking away after the initial neck shot. If not for the second shot, that deer would have died...but not been recoverable as it would not have left a good blood trail and would have traveled a long ways.
The take that big pink and red area on the diagram every time. Never seen a deer live more than a few seconds with a hole through both lungs. You have a much larger margin for error.
If you want higher odds at dropping them in their tracks, try a high shoulder shot. If you miss by a little you'll still have a very deadly traditional lung shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boxndplzQmU&feature=player_embedded
Sometimes all you have available is a neck shot, and as illustrated here, it is acceptable to take the shot.
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I lawled.
That is awesome.
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