Neck shot for me whenever possible, every single time. But, I hunt close range, with plenty of gun, 6.5 Swede to 8mm Mauser. A hit at close range with a garden variety rapid mushrooming cup and core anywhere in the neck is a kill...it's not necessary to fracture the spine. 60 years of Blacktail hunting, most of the time took the neck shot, two tags a year, I have lost 1 and only 1 buck. That was stupid me, he was down but kicking and I was sure he was done, me farting around looking for the fired brass.
