Simple question- if you have a clear shot would you take a neck shot? Several years ago I made a shot on a nice buck. The bullet must have hit a twig b/c a shoulder shot ended up being a neck shot and the deer dropped like a stone. Best buck I’ve ever killed. My rifles shoot very well but I haven’t had the cajones to try one deliberately but I keep thinking about how clean that kill was. Do any of y’all take a neck shot if it’s a clear shot?
Only if it is within about 50 yards, in the open, standing still and not alarmed or as a finisher. It does make for a very tidy carcass with little loss of worthwhile meat.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
Shot somewhere around 10-15 bucks with neck shots, most 100 yds or less. All dropped in their tracks, except 1. Did shoot one buck at 405 yds in the neck, dropped at the shot. (Wasnt aiming at the neck though!) lol
I have shot 2 in the neck. One as a finisher one as the first shot.
We hunt in pretty brushy areas. So the safe play in the vitals on the chest. No question they work great if you can get a good shot. My dad used to shoot the neck specifically. I don't remember having to trail one he shot.
Without hesitation....never had one take a step afterward. I shot one a couple of weeks ago at about 100yds in the neck, he folded like a cheap wallet.
I accidentally hit one in the neck that dropped like a sack of chit. The entrance would was really weird and a branch in front of him was broken off so I assume I hit it first, the bullet tumbled and hit the neck.
Other than that, I have purposefully aimed for the neck twice that I can think of because it was the only shot I had. It worked fine once on a whitetail buck and once on a caribou it turned into a total rodeo. I won't take another neck shot on an unwounded animal.
Open shot, deer standing or laying still…yep I’m in for a “necker”. Especially if the deer is calm, I am calm, and I have a rest. Probably have used it about 20 times, none took a step. My biggest buck I ever got was a neck shot with my S&W 500 revolver. The neck was all I could see between 2 trees. He flattened like a Kenworth dropped on him. 😎
I take it if close, and I'm solid. I'm not usually solid.
Don't like head or neck shots, small targets, smaller vitals within them, horrible results when they don't quite work.
Have taken, and will take them if I need to and feel decent about it.
Last head shot, thought I hit a limb. Saw "dust" fly. Checked, and found her. Whole brain cavity blown out, just a U through the top of the head, side to side. Lotta talk, folks will say they did it, I actually blew her brains out of her head.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
I shot a muley in the ear hole @ 30 yds. with a .338 Magnum 275gr. bullet, with an instant lobotomy he went nowhere. On the farside was a hole big enough to put your fist in, the skull was completely devoid of any brain matter.
Many years ago I shot one with a black powder as he was standing directly under my tree….was about 15 feet up. Shot him like 6” down his neck and he hit the ground.It was dark and when I sent gun down on a rope and when gun touched him he immediately got up and blood was on bushes all under my tree. Ran across a creek and looked him 2 days and never found him. Have killed a couple with neck shots and DRT….but will never shoot one in the neck with him standing under tree I am in.
You fellers need to modernize your shot placement...this old skool schidt 'in the neck' just don't fly anymore. Due to the magic of the internet, I have recently learned that the best way to down a big buck is first, shoot it in the guts at very long range. Then as the buck heads down the hill, a second hunter shoots it in the lower leg at a mere 730 yds. Then after racing after it, the second hunter beats the first hunter on scene and fires the finisher. Then the second hunter allows the first gut shooterette to have a photo op, big smile. Then the first hunter posts the entire schidtshow on social media. Lots of good 'how to' stuff on the internet. Long range hunting is the wave of the future...millions to be made in the optical industry...millions more to be made with newer, faster, flatter shooting cartridges and heat seeking wonder ammo. Making Instant David Tubb's with a swipe of the ol' Visa card.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
I’ve never tried a neck shot. Seems 95% of hunters that do say they’re always DRT, but the 5% that say a neck shot turned into a cluster have scared me off. I’m a lung puncher. Very few DRT and some tracking jobs longer than I wanted, but it’s just a bigger and easier target for me to feel comfortable with when a big buck is on the line.
I don’t shoot many does, but last time I went out for a doe I decided ahead of time I was going to try a neck shot. When the first big doe came out, my crosshairs naturally went to the lungs and I squeezed it off. Maybe next time.
If the deer is close and the shot is open. I shot one last year in the base of the neck but you must be certain that you will strike the spinal column.
In the past, I’ve killed 20 or so with the neck shot and never lost one but, as I’ve gotten older I’ve tended to stay away from it in favor of the heart/lung shot. There’s more certainty of a lethal hit due to the larger target and less meat loss. I’ll still take a neck shot if that’s what’s offered but I’d rather not. As for head shots, I won’t take them. Early in my hunting career, I killed a doe that someone had shot the lower jaw off. It was an awful sight and the doe would have eventually starved to death in great pain. After seeing that, I won’t try a head shot. It’s a small target and deer move their heads to much for me to risk it.
One of the relatives was a head shooter for several years back a long time ago. Had an old AR as his one and only, and would sit on a tree limb and pop em in the back of the head as they strolled underneath his perch. One shot one kill. Never lost or wounded any that I know of. Probably could have been as effective with a 22LR the way his shot was set up
Many years ago I shot one with a black powder as he was standing directly under my tree….was about 15 feet up. Shot him like 6” down his neck and he hit the ground.It was dark and when I sent gun down on a rope and when gun touched him he immediately got up and blood was on bushes all under my tree. Ran across a creek and looked him 2 days and never found him. Have killed a couple with neck shots and DRT….but will never shoot one in the neck with him standing under tree I am in.
I have shot a few in the neck. Reason is it was the shot I had in the woods. Body was obstructed or they were facing me with their head down. Neck shots work pretty fast.
Once, poked his wind pipe. I didn’t know thats where I hit him. Next shot rolled him on the run. Shot one in the jaw, face on with a 338wm. Only shot I had as he was looking at me over the sage. Only about a 70 yard shot though. No wasted meat. First deer, in one eye out the other. Not trying to hit the head though, Lol he dropped.
I shoot probably a third of my deer in the head or neck. They are always shot from permanent stands with rests. On a calm or feeding animal it can easily be done. I do not do it on walking or late evening deer. And at less than 100yards.
Only if it is within about 50 yards, in the open, standing still and not alarmed or as a finisher. It does make for a very tidy carcass with little loss of worthwhile meat.
Me too. However, I either them shoot at the base of the neck, where it hooks onto to shoulder or right behind the ear,
I certainly prefer a neck (or any cns) shot on moose in heavy cover if I can get it. Relatively big target, relatively short range (under 100 generally) , generally slow or not moving, and I don't have to search for the damned thing. A "high-shoulder" shot is also good, as it takes out the spine, usually.
Longer ranges and open country I prefer double-lunging critters for the larger target area and bleed out.
Myself, no. I had a bud, whom I left hunt on my property, who shot at the neck. After he missed the spine on several and I found them ruined a few days later, I told him if he ever shoots a deer in the neck on my place again, he was done. He then did shoulder/lung shots. He has not not lost a deer since. I have found a couple deer in which the shooter tried a head shot. The deer obviously died a horrible death from the nose or jaw being shot off. So they are a non starter on my place too.
There has never been a deer lost at my place with a solid heart/lung/shoulder shot. Some that were liver/gut shot required some effort but we always managed to find them. The neck/head shot deer we lost left no blood trail at all after a short distance.
Heaven has a wall, a gate and strict immigration policy.
I steer clear of neck shots. I prefer the more stationary heart/lung area. When a deer is bobbing it’s head up and down or whipping it around to look in multiple directions there is no way to time a perfect shot w/o risk of misplacing it.
Table deer, ear hole or neck if possible. Neck has some meat, but I would rather not ruin 2 shoulders. Trophy deer, high shoulder if possible. Going down even if I am off a little.
Simple question- if you have a clear shot would you take a neck shot? Several years ago I made a shot on a nice buck. The bullet must have hit a twig b/c a shoulder shot ended up being a neck shot and the deer dropped like a stone. Best buck I’ve ever killed. My rifles shoot very well but I haven’t had the cajones to try one deliberately but I keep thinking about how clean that kill was. Do any of y’all take a neck shot if it’s a clear shot?
Old Rooster……a very hard no! The same answer with head shots……when successful, they are very successful! When they fail, which is more often than one would think……the animal can linger for several days with a very painful injury sometimes lasting long enough to die if thirst! I’ve seen such animals….it ain’t pretty! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
I tend to go for chest vitals nearly 100% of the time. I've shot neck shots on deer that were still kicking on shoulder shots and I've even made a few close range neck shots when I was absolutely steady with my rifle and the deer was giving me the stare down, but I've also seen deer that were wounded by attempted neck/head shots. Not pretty. Horrible way to die, starving to death from a missing jaw or dying from infection from a nasty flesh wound. Deer deserve better.
I will take a neck shot on a feeding hog if possible, as they neck area is a pretty big target and they are not turning their heads as much as a deer.
I tend to go for chest vitals nearly 100% of the time. I've shot neck shots on deer that were still kicking on shoulder shots and I've even made a few close range neck shots when I was absolutely steady with my rifle and the deer was giving me the stare down, but I've also seen deer that were wounded by attempted neck/head shots. Not pretty. Horrible way to die, starving to death from a missing jaw or dying from infection from a nasty flesh wound. Deer deserve better.
I will take a neck shot on a feeding hog if possible, as they neck area is a pretty big target and they are not turning their heads as much as a deer.
Amen Brother! memtb
Last edited by memtb; 11/15/23.
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
Years ago I was processing a whitetail buck that I had shot, and when I was cutting out the neck meat I found a .35 caliber bullet tight against a vertebrae. I had not seen any scar on the hide or when I cut the hide off. The neck muscle had grown back tight against the lead core of the bullet, and some type of membrane had grown around the copper bullet jacket.
Another year, two of the guys that I was hunting with each shot at whitetail bucks trying for a head or neck shot, and both of them hit their deer in the lower jaws and both lost those deer.
When I hear about neck shots at my lease I tend to ask questions. Exactly how far away was the deer? At that distance, what is the relationship between POA and POI? I don't recall ever getting a precise answer.
Of the five bucks I’ve killed this year, two were with neck shots, both DRT. Although I have shot a lot of deer with neck shots, 2 for five (so far) is a higher than usual proportion. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s, overall, about one out of eight or ten.
I have no particular fixed spot where I shoot a deer. It’s always a matter of circumstance. If there’s no problem with a deer running a ways, I usually tuck it in the shoulder crease, staying away from big bones and muscles. If I need it DRT it’s usually high shoulder. Occasionally the position of the deer and other factors makes a neck shot the best choice. I’ve cut up enough deer that I know where the spine is and I shoot my rifles enough that I know where my bullets are going to go.
I have intentionally taken two deer with CNS shots. First deer was a long poke for me. developed a a steady rest & settled on the high shoulder at 254 yards yards as he quartered away feeding. As the trigger was pulled the 6mm Arc let out a light bark. A thaw crack was heard an instant later. Brute was out cold in an instant. I was shooting a 108 grain Elite hunter & had concerns if the bullet would expand adequately, Thus I chose to hit the spine shoulder junction. worked like a charm on a sample of one.
Last season I had a doe at 100 yards or slightly less. Only her head & neck could be seen in the tall CRP. Again I developed a very steady rest settled the cross hairs on the base of the neck as she faced me. Dropped her in the bed she has been spending the day in. These deer were taken with my CZ 527 in 6mm ARC. If it wasn't for the set trigger, I may not have been confident enough to make the CNS shot placement.
Two years ago I shot a buck in the upper neck with a 140 grain BT from my 7mm-08 and the deer looked like it had a goiter the skin was stretched so much. A softer bullet like that puts more violent expansion into a smaller area like that than a harder bullet. Even if I'd had missed the spine, I can't imagine that deer wouldn't have gone down.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
Two years ago I shot a buck in the upper neck with a 140 grain BT from my 7mm-08 and the deer looked like it had a goiter the skin was stretched so much. A softer bullet like that puts more violent expansion into a smaller area like that than a harder bullet. Even if I'd had missed the spine, I can't imagine that deer wouldn't have gone down.
He would have. I have shot them with a 22-250 and used bothe the Sierra 50 grain SP Varminter and the 50 grain Blitzkings.
Instant lights out.
Last edited by 10gaugemag; 11/16/23.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
Two years ago I shot a buck in the upper neck with a 140 grain BT from my 7mm-08 and the deer looked like it had a goiter the skin was stretched so much. A softer bullet like that puts more violent expansion into a smaller area like that than a harder bullet. Even if I'd had missed the spine, I can't imagine that deer wouldn't have gone down.
He would have. I have shot them with a 22-250 and used bothe the Sierra 50 grain SP Varminter and the 50 grain Blitzkings.
Neck shots work like a charm, never need to deal with tracking, at least I never had to get, dropped a doe last night with a 308, like she hit a brick wall.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Myself, no. I had a bud, whom I left hunt on my property, who shot at the neck. After he missed the spine on several and I found them ruined a few days later, I told him if he ever shoots a deer in the neck on my place again, he was done. He then did shoulder/lung shots. He has not not lost a deer since. I have found a couple deer in which the shooter tried a head shot. The deer obviously died a horrible death from the nose or jaw being shot off. So they are a non starter on my place too.
There has never been a deer lost at my place with a solid heart/lung/shoulder shot. Some that were liver/gut shot required some effort but we always managed to find them. The neck/head shot deer we lost left no blood trail at all after a short distance.
This+10. Mb
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
Simple question- if you have a clear shot would you take a neck shot? Several years ago I made a shot on a nice buck. The bullet must have hit a twig b/c a shoulder shot ended up being a neck shot and the deer dropped like a stone. Best buck I’ve ever killed. My rifles shoot very well but I haven’t had the cajones to try one deliberately but I keep thinking about how clean that kill was. Do any of y’all take a neck shot if it’s a clear shot?
I've killed a lot of mule deer with neck shots. I've always been too lazy to bone out the neck on a deer, so a neck shot gives me an excuse.
Simple question- if you have a clear shot would you take a neck shot? Several years ago I made a shot on a nice buck. The bullet must have hit a twig b/c a shoulder shot ended up being a neck shot and the deer dropped like a stone. Best buck I’ve ever killed. My rifles shoot very well but I haven’t had the cajones to try one deliberately but I keep thinking about how clean that kill was. Do any of y’all take a neck shot if it’s a clear shot?
Absolutely. Head or neck. Weigh distance, accuracy of the gun, steadiness of the rest .. decide. I especially use it when using smaller cartridges that I don't have confidence in with heart/lung shots. It is lights-out if executed correctly. It can be a real [bleep] show if you flub it.
It has nothing to do with cajones though. Viewing it in that context .. there's no right answer when you ask a wrong question.
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
T O M, yep. I had a sample of one to work with and that one was a fluke, hence my question. I have complete faith in my rifles’ accuracy especially under the conditions members say they observe when making a neck shot. This has been a great conversation and I’ve learned quite a bit from the experience you all have shared.
Did not read the thread. But I will stand by the fact that anatomically the brain socket is a much larger and rounder target than the neck is. And I've trailed more neck shot deer than head shot deer. But yes in many years of head shots I've had to finish 2 head shot deer that went wrong.
We now shoot body so the dog has practice trailing. But a stationary deer with a good rest out to about 200 yards for sure I'd take a head over a neck and if I miss I'm going to miss high now every time due to my method. Which is miss. This over any attempt at a neck shot.
Personal preference.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
One cold, frosty morning I was still hunting along a low ridge of the Allegheny Highlands in Pennsylvania. Two does crossed my path at about 50 yards and a 6 point buck followed a short distance behind them. I whistled and he stopped to look right at me but his body was obscured by a wide oak. So I raised my carbine and sighted into the white throat patch and squeezed the trigger. He dropped in his tracks as the heavy 170 grain bullet tore through flesh and vertebrae. This buck never knew what hit him. 30-30 is a keeper! - Sherwood
Reading through this thread, it seems the most common reason given by those who object to neck shots is that they’ve seen someone screw up neck shots.
By that standard, I guess I should never use a .30-06 for deer because the two worst gut-shot goat rodeos I’ve ever had to follow up on were deer shot with.30-06’s.
The fact of the matter, inept people are going to fuque stuff up. It doesn’t matter if it’s a particular shot placement, the cartridge used, the bullet used, the type of rifle….if its not done right, it’s the fault of the person doing it.
The whole process of killing a deer well is a matter of using an appropriate selection of rifle, cartridge, bullet and shot placement for the circumstances presented. All those are components of a system. For someone with the requisite skill, neck shot is a very useful and effective shot placement when necessary and when the other components of the system fit and function with it.
Reading through this thread, it seems the most common reason given by those who object to neck shots is that they’ve seen someone screw up neck shots.
By that standard, I guess I should never use a .30-06 for deer because the two worst gut-shot goat rodeos I’ve ever had to follow up on were deer shot with.30-06’s.
The fact of the matter, inept people are going to fuque stuff up. It doesn’t matter if it’s a particular shot placement, the cartridge used, the bullet used, the type of rifle….if its not done right, it’s the fault of the person doing it.
The whole process of killing a deer well is a matter of using an appropriate selection of rifle, cartridge, bullet and shot placement for the circumstances presented. All those are components of a system. For someone with the requisite skill, neck shot is a very useful and effective shot placement when necessary and when the other components of the system fit and function with it.
It has been my observation with over 50 years of experience afield that most people are not good shots on birds and big game.
I break shoulder blades, yes I lose a little more meat but I don’t track them either. Shot a few in the neck but if you make this shot enough your chances of wounding them is greater, no doubt.
Poor bastard, the buck and hunter. I learned long ago to shoulder shoot on bucks. I neck or head shoot all the doe's I kill to eat. There's a big doe contest Saturday, 1st prize is $1k cash. I'll be shoulder shooting a few to weigh up and donate.
Within about 100or so yds, sure. I don't understand to attitude of guy's saying it's a bad shot. I read all about how accurate their rifles are and a rifle doing even 1" at 100yds I'd think is good to go with a neck shot. My favorite spot is the area just behind the head where the neck comes out, instant death! Not only that but very little lost meat!
Within about 100or so yds, sure. I don't understand to attitude of guy's saying it's a bad shot. I read all about how accurate their rifles are and a rifle doing even 1" at 100yds I'd think is good to go with a neck shot. My favorite spot is the area just behind the head where the neck comes out, instant death! Not only that but very little lost meat!
Same guys say it's risky but want to shoot 500+ yards on critters.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
I made a quarter to steep neck shot on a nice 9pt a few yrs ago at 15yds with a 25/06 it won’t a nice evening for either of us one reason I stepped up to a heavier cartridge
I got to kill a cow elk with my Colt Woodsman when I was guiding elk hunters. A very experienced old timer shot the cow in the neck and she dropped at the shot. Being younger I proceeded to the kill site while he struggled up the mountain. As I got to the elk, she regained her footing and came, locomotive style, right past me in high gear. Being the guide all I ever carried was my little 22. Dropped her with a quick double tap to the back of the head as she passed. The shot the hunter took was dead center in the neck, it just missed the spine by an inch. Old un-mounted mountain men, in need of a horse, would often shoot a wild horse in the neck, hoping to spine shock it, and tie it up before it woke up. Might have to shoot several before one lived through the shot. Head shots are no better, I have seen several that were un-sucsessful that lead to a miserable wound and few recovered.
I notice quite a few replies stating (Head Shots) are marginally better well when the conditions are right there is no comparison to a head shot they are 100% effective if placed properly .
I notice quite a few replies stating (Head Shots) are marginally better well when the conditions are right there is no comparison to a head shot they are 100% effective if placed properly .
After guiding for 9 years and have been hunting with many people for 60 years I can tell horror stories about head shot gone wrong. I have a list of head shots where the animal and or person survived.
I notice quite a few replies stating (Head Shots) are marginally better well when the conditions are right there is no comparison to a head shot they are 100% effective if placed properly .
After guiding for 9 years and have been hunting with many people for 60 years I can tell horror stories about head shot gone wrong. I have a list of head shots where the animal and or person survived.
Exactly! They are not a kill or clean miss proposition! Unethical IMHO.
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100 yards or less and it's the shot I usually take if the deer is positioned correctly. I killed three last year with a neck shot, and they all were DRT.
I shot a doe mule deer in the neck with a 25/06 using Remington 100 grain factory ammo. At the shot she dropped and got right back up. A 2-mile tracking job got me 25 yards away at dark thirty. I could see blood running down her neck. A well-aimed shot and all that happened was her hearing and running away to never being seen again. I had a factory dud. Later I hit the same primer 3 more times and nothing. It went into my collection of factory failures.
Undoubtedly you have guided different levels of hunters and marksmanship abilities,in your experience I have no doubt you wouldn’t recommend them. However no one can argue they don’t produce results. This doe was taken by me las year
Being a lifelong stillhunter, my shot opportunities are quite often fleeting at best. I have to take the shot that is presented to me in the moment. Quite often, that has been a neck shot. It has been very affective over the years, although it ruins the neck roast for my aunt's saurbraten recipe. I much prefer a high shoulder shot which short circuits the brachial plexus, like being struck by lightning.
My heart's in the mountains, my heart is not here. My heart's in the mountains, chasing the deer.
Killed 3 with neck shots. One hunt a buck was following a doe. Shot the buck, doe hung around. Took the doe, only doe I’ve shot. It was with a 12 gauge Remington 1187 premier with Sabot Slugs. Took a neck shot last week at a spike horn with the xbow. Caught a twig and into the leaves. Clean miss.
Hope to not overstay my welcome but have some experiences to share. A fellow guide found a dead 5-point bull elk last year during muzzle loading season. Thin as a rail he noticed it had an odd bulge in the neck. Cutting it open he found a arrow all the length of the neck. The hunter shot it in the mouth facing him. The guide said he could tell it had tried to eat but the grass in its throat could not pass the arrow. Knowing it had snowed 3 days before he found the bull and the bull was laying on top of the 3-day old snow, it had died in the previous 3 days. Last day of archery season was 3 weeks before, so we know it took at least 3 weeks to starve to death. An odd case for sure.
I shoot the vast majority of does in the neck. Generally prefer to shoot bucks in the boiler room, but the last two I killed fell to neck shots as that is what they were giving me.
Biggest buck I’ve ever taken, popped out into a narrow lane coming towards me, head down and trotting, hair standing up looking for a fight. I’d been watching a smaller buck and several does all morning. They would pop out coming towards me, then jump sideways out view. This was all going on 200-250 yards up the lane from me. When big boy came out, I thought “showtime! 250 yards” and let fly. I’m about 4” low with that rifle at 250, primitive season. So I held on his nose. Ended up being a little closer, hit right beside nostril, traveled all the way down his neck and was found under the hide on his ass cheek… 250 grain .366 accubond out of 9.3x74r. He dropped, drt so I thought. Immediately reloaded and put the crosshairs back on him. About 5 minutes go by, I feel smug and set rifle down and start answering all the txt blowing up my phone from other club members. A full 15 minutes went by, suddenly he’s half up and crawling out the lane! I grabbed rifle and shot again, missed him. Reloaded and started walking down, cussing myself for not immediately putting another one in him. Got down there and he was dead as a hammer, 5 feet off the lane. Phew!! Some months later, bit down on that white plastic accubond tip in a piece of backstrap
One of the guys in our club views himself as a super sniper and he has shot a lot of deer aiming for the neck or the head. His reasoning and I’ve heard it before is, “It’s either DRT or a clean miss.”
🐎💩!! And Toro crappo!! ! I can’t tell you how many hours we’ve spent looking for deer that he shot that weren’t DRT OR cleanly missed. Pushing through sapling pines and blackberry briars on the dark looking for specks of blood is not the way to spend a few hours with your buds.
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.
Not as a rule. Back about 2008 or so I was in a tree stand when a big doe came in and stopped at 30 yards looking right at me with her chest covered by a tree. I was using my H&R 12 gauge Trophy Slugster with Federal Barnes copper expanders. I aimed where her neck met her head and dropped her in her tracks. Only intentional neck shot I can remember.
Ron
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. Orwell
nope i do the middle of front shoulder shot if i can with my 257 Weatherby mag. 103 gr. Hammer bullet or a 100 gr. Nosler Partition going 3700 FPS, its DRT or as my dear old friend said its a no track`em cartridge .
Never done a deer, but an elk, several caribou, and half a dozen moose. If it is there, I take it, or a head shot, or any cns as a preference. Never had a problem with it.
Better bleed-out/meat quality with boiler room shots tho.
One of the guys in our club views himself as a super sniper and he has shot a lot of deer aiming for the neck or the head. His reasoning and I’ve heard it before is, “It’s either DRT or a clean miss.”
🐎💩!! And Toro crappo!! ! I can’t tell you how many hours we’ve spent looking for deer that he shot that weren’t DRT OR cleanly missed. Pushing through sapling pines and blackberry briars on the dark looking for specks of blood is not the way to spend a few hours with your buds.
We have had multiple people just like this provide us with similar experiences. Usually they are very good shots at the range. I always politely ask that they avoid those shots in the future. Those same guys nearly always continue to do it anyway and they don't get invited back. Water is scarce on our place and I nearly always find those deer by the water troughs with their bottom jaws blown off or the end of their noses blown off. It normally takes them 3 to 4 days to die a lingering horrible death from dehydration.
When the shot works it works great. When you miss by a couple inches your not going to find that deer but there is a good chance it is going to die a slow death. Just my opinion.
A friend a long time ago shot a pronghorn in the head (jaw) with a 7mm RM. it took us quite some time before we put that pronghorn down. I’m not convinced shooting for the head is a great idea.
I prefer classic. Semper Fi I used to run with the hare. Now I'm envious of the tortoise and I do my own stunts but rarely intentionally
I started out as primarily a bow hunter. As a result, all my sensibilities are geared toward boiler room shots.
At 65, I'm done with goat rodeos. I'm sure a head or neck shot is perfectly viable, but I'm now judging my shots based on how easy it's going to be to roll the truck up to get it loaded.
Not as a rule. Back about 2008 or so I was in a tree stand when a big doe came in and stopped at 30 yards looking right at me with her chest covered by a tree. I was using my H&R 12 gauge Trophy Slugster with Federal Barnes copper expanders. I aimed where her neck met her head and dropped her in her tracks. Only intentional neck shot I can remember.
Ron
A22lr would have done the same! Lot of guys tell us how accurate their rifle is but how accurate are they. They can hit 3/4" spot on a target from a bench but not on a deer at 100 yds! Anymore I think the best shot is the smallest most vital target you can actually hit! From a good field position it is much more likely you'll hit a one inch target at 100 yds than ever 300 yds! lpt of one inch rifles out their in the hands of shooters that can't hit that one inch. minute pf angle at 400 yds is not one inch!
Not as a rule. Back about 2008 or so I was in a tree stand when a big doe came in and stopped at 30 yards looking right at me with her chest covered by a tree. I was using my H&R 12 gauge Trophy Slugster with Federal Barnes copper expanders. I aimed where her neck met her head and dropped her in her tracks. Only intentional neck shot I can remember.
Ron
A22lr would have done the same! Lot of guys tell us how accurate their rifle is but how accurate are they. They can hit 3/4" spot on a target from a bench but not on a deer at 100 yds! Anymore I think the best shot is the smallest most vital target you can actually hit! From a good field position it is much more likely you'll hit a one inch target at 100 yds than ever 300 yds! lpt of one inch rifles out their in the hands of shooters that can't hit that one inch. minute pf angle at 400 yds is not one inch!
For damn sure. That 5/8" group is .149 moa in fact.. And no on neck shots. It has been proven that it is too risky. No matter how bad azzed you think you are..
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
I like to shoot deer where the neck - head meat. It's a no brainier most of the time. I can recall 3 lost deer that I've head shot, I'm sure there's more. It's up to the shooter to determine if the conditions are favorable and if they can hold the + where it belongs. I sure don't need anyone telling me where the he'll to shoot a swamp goat. I've killed deer and thrown them on a fire in the orange groves, gut shot them so hopefully they'll run out of the field so you don't have to drag them out. Times change 50 years ago we'd get nuisance tags issued, now it's night vision, suppressors and all the deer you feel like killing. There's times and places where deer are nothing but varmints and are treated as such.
She stood there and sniffed, snorted and stomped for about two full minutes. Finally she stuck her nose straight up in the air for another sniff and I let a 130gr Grand Slam eat. I was in a box stand with a perfect rest. Shot was 95 yards.
Plain vanilla Rem 700 Black Synthetic ADL .270 Win. That thing will shoot just about any load 1/2” to 3/4”. I bought the McMillan used from the ‘fire and sold it like a fool.
My wife had a female co-worker who was a deer hunter. She hunted from a tree stand on her father's farm in Albion, ME. She used a Savage 340 222 Rem wearing a fixed 4x Weaver scope, and shot factory 55 grain ammo. She took something like 22 deer in 25 years with that rig. All were one-shot kills, and no misses.. Distances were ~<50+ yards. Her aiming spot was at the base of the head. She never had to track a deer. She claimed she wasn't what you would call a "great shot". She WOULD say she was "patient, and passed up many shots.".
My wife had a female co-worker who was a deer hunter. She hunted from a tree stand on her father's farm in Albion, ME. She used a Savage 340 222 Rem wearing a fixed 4x Weaver scope, and shot factory 55 grain ammo. She took something like 22 deer in 25 years with that rig. All were one-shot kills, and no misses.. Distances were ~<50+ yards. Her aiming spot was at the base of the head. She never had to track a deer. She claimed she wasn't what you would call a "great shot". She WOULD say she was "patient, and passed up many shots.".
Just reporting the results of one hunter.
So, "shooting deer at the brain stem kills them"
I'd agree with her assessment.
Originally Posted by Archerhunter
Quit giving in inch by inch then looking back to lament the mile behind ya and wonder how to preserve those few feet left in front of ya. They'll never stop until they're stopped. That's a fact.
I'm sure her factory ammo was purchased 35+ years ago, and likely Remington, Winchester or Federal brand (nothing exotic like Lapua or Norma). It was whatever she could buy locally. She did not reload.
95%+ of my deer are neck shot. I killed one this year on a stalk with a behind the shoulder shot but I can't remember the last deer that wasn't shot in the neck before that. Just makes sense to me.
I used to own a Model 7 223. I sold it to a coworker that was involved in a children's ministry on his days off. He took a bunch of kids hunting from his church that would never have had a chance to hunt otherwise. I saw him recently and he said the Model 7 was still getting work. He is also a shooting instructor. He said countless kids had killed their deer with the rifle and he always had them shoot them in the white spot on the neck.
This thread has been a minute. Much debate over the topic, however I would rather see a neck shot at under a hundred yards than see someone sling a bullet at a deer beyond 400 yards. The target is much smaller.
We have a long season and a liberal bag limit. If I can't pull off the shot, I won't take it. But given the choice, ill opt for a DRT deer vs a run that makes it to the river. As well we hunt small parcels of land, unlike you guys out west and we don't have a right to retrieve.
Simple question- if you have a clear shot would you take a neck shot? Several years ago I made a shot on a nice buck. The bullet must have hit a twig b/c a shoulder shot ended up being a neck shot and the deer dropped like a stone. Best buck I’ve ever killed. My rifles shoot very well but I haven’t had the cajones to try one deliberately but I keep thinking about how clean that kill was. Do any of y’all take a neck shot if it’s a clear shot?
You mean. Like that? Shoot um in the neck. That's was my dad's thing. Guess it rubbed off.
OldRooster: No! I am patient enough and savy enough to wait for the meat saving and blood letting heart/lung shots on Deer. I avoid "shoulder shots" at all costs as well! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy
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