Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Neck Shots

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.

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.

Never. Too much meat there, and too much can go wrong.

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.

^ ^ ^ ^ this ^ ^ ^ ^
That's my reason, and that alone is enough for
me not to neck shoot

Exactly how i do it, Lot's of posted land nearby.

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

Yeah, I like when they drop and stay put.

That’s an adventure in and of itself!

Flintlocke, how the hell did we get so far behind the times?

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.

GreggH

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've no problem with neck shots, when appropriate.

ya!

GWB

And with that funky European rifle too. (Geez, I wish I had that one.)

Yeah, we like neck roasts too !

On undisturbed deer within 100 yards or so it is my preference.