Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Neck shot question

my post from another thread when I got a two-for:



So, a neck shot deer can take off - without a doubt.

the esophagus lays pretty close to the lower edge of the neck, I could see where one might hit or clip it and not hit any main arterys and the deer not die immediately..hydro shock would be relatively low too....

I'll take the first lethal shot offered where ever its at....

Animals are pretty resilient. I've seen some amazing things over the years; bears that survived multiple gun shots and survived to only be killed in subsequent years, moose that have survived bullet wounds or what appeared to be fatal arrow wounds and then survived, et cetra, et cetra, et cetra.

I think the most amazing thing I ever saw, was a spectacular mule deer buck on the Arizona Strip that had an arrow angling forward near the right hip - buried almost to the fletching - and even with what was obviously an old wound, that buck was tending (rutting) thirteen does two months after the archery season had closed.

Easy enough to blow it on a neck shot. If the major blood vessels aren't hit, or the spine isn't broken... Might be just a meat shot.

First time I shot a deer in the neck was 15 or 16 years ago. Mule deer doe, about 30 yards, with a 385 grain hollow point lead slug from my .50 cal T-C traditional rifle. Dang. She was down and done pretty much instantly. I was impressed.

Did a side shot on a whitetail with a .358 WIn heavy grain bullet at about 50 yards. In a hurry but it went right down. Ruined the wind pipe. I don't think it would have gotten up again, but I gave it a finish shot because I think it would have lived a long time.

I shot a 145 pound buck last year with a .308 165 SP at a MV 2550. the deer was downward about 15 degrees standing broadside and calm. Because of the angle i inserted the round when his head was down. The enterance was at the shoulder neck junction and the exit the meaty part of the lower throat. The deer dropped like a rock.
It took about 15-20 min to get the truck and get to him.
At that point the deer was still alive and breathing. Able to blink to touch, open its mouth and move its ears.
I loaded it alive into the truck in this condition.
It expired with 10-15 min but never moved a muscle below the neck.
I have been hunting for 32 years in a state with a 3 month season and 9 deer limit and also in another state with a 3-5 deer limit.
So i have probably killed 250- 300 deer and I would estimate that 75% of my shots are neck shots. That was the first time I have ever seen a deer stay alive that long. I have made the same shot dozens of times, same ammo, same exact conditions angle and shot placement.
I have no idea as to the remaing factor that kept that animal from expiring, but it was present.

In terms of severe neck wounds, a client once shot a bull moose through the throat with an arrow. The arrow was protruding out both sides of his neck and blood flowed like a faucet and there was lots of it, for a long ways. But, we spent three days trying to find that bull and never could. I then kept watching for birds during the remaining 5 weeks of the season, but nothing. The very next year, a rifle client killed that bull. An insert from the razor-head was laying under the skin on the off side. Just another amazing thing I've witnessed in relation to how tough animals are.

+1

but I do consider neck shots worth taking inside 75 yards with calm animal and enough gun. I mostly hunt with a .308Win

strictly boiler room shots with my bow- no neck


I never opt for hind quarter shots.

had it happen to me once. shot a doe that was facing me right in the white patch of the throat with a 30-06 loaded with 150gr winchester power points at 70 yards. she took of running past my dad's stand and and he told me when she went past him she looked like a gobbler the way the skin and meat were hanging off her neck. she stopped, he was going to finish her off but he could see her windpipe was severed in two and figured she was gong to fall over any second. as she breathed all the steam was coming out from the hole in her neck. she took of running and we never found or saw her again.

morale of this story? switch to nosler ballistic tips and you no longer have this problem

terrible,Take Care of Animals

I do take care of animals. it takes a lot of care to make them look good next to the potatoes and gravy!

This photo shows where I aim for an instant topple every time.

Sherwood

i'll agree with sherwood. I've taken quite a few with that shot. drops them right in their tracks.

but, neck roast are good. ribs not so much so. and brains ...YUCK!!!
so IF YOU CAN take a clean head shot your gonna save a good bit of meat.

I have used Nosler ballistic tips on Tn whitetails and have been doing so (with much success) for about 20 years.

I never encountered a failing with these bullets as I've read on other forums.

A 12 year old kid was hunting snowshoe rabbits about 60 years ago this month when a yearling doe ran to within 30 yards of him. He had shot many a brick of long rifles through his Mossberg and knew that he could put one into that white spot under the chin. He gutted his first deer that day. Messy, really messy.

When he got home there was a thorough red faced explanation by his dad that we don't shoot them out of season nor till a license had been issued.

I knocked down a buck a few years ago with my 243 and it's head was still up so I put one through the neck for a quick kill. Same thing happened in Newfoundland with a moose. (300WSM) If all I have is a neck shot, I don't shoot except for a finishing shot. But, I once knew a kid who did. He still grins when he recalls it.

Jim

Nothing works if you don't put the bullet in the right place. Neck shots are good if you hit the spine.





I'm not afraid to take a neck shot if that's what is offered.

Filled my buck tag back in November with a neck shot using a two & three-quarter inch Winchester 12 ga. sabot at about 65 yards. Had to rush the shot,(buck fever?) and instead of going through both lungs like planned it went through the neck just in front of the shoulders. He went right down but was kicking and thrashing trying to get up and by the time I got out there he wasn't kicking as much but was still very alive. Used my late uncles WWII bringback Luger to finish things up at point blank range with a 9mm to the back of the head.

The only neck shot I'll take is facing me, or facing away. But, they have always been instantaneous death.

odd. I dont really consider a neck shot a tough shot. 30+ years of hunting and hundreds of deer down, i guess its a matter of ability to put the bullet in the right spot.
The neck seems to be a good spot to drop them.
many times I choose to punch the ribs if the deer is going in the pot. Mama likes neck roasts. Many times i punch the brains out if its getting towards evening or I have a stream nearby.
DRT is a good thing. neck shots do it.
I do think, conversly, that young inexperienced hunters should shoot for the lungs as they probably need the tracking experience.