What's been your experience with neck shots?

[Bushman]

I've taken some on occasion and results have been DRT, but I take it that isn't always the case. Remembering GF's tracking job last season... What went wrong? I like having a clean carcass to butcher and that high neck shot on a meat deer sure has saved some blood shot meat from a shot around the shoulder area. What has been your experience with neck shots?

[Renegade]

I have taken a few neck shots and your right, it saves a lot of the mess and the meat. But my experience is the shot has to be high on the neck to avoid any collateral damage. Last year I shot a doe at 20-25 yards and shot it lower in the neck. Shrapnel from the bullet travel downward and ruined one front shoulder and the front tip of the backstrap. Now granted these were ballistic tip bullets which tend to be like small grenades, but I've done it before with them and didn't have a problem. But it was a higher shot too.

[Herne]

Fine - its not a problem. For that sort of thing I always shoot for head, and I've always shot front on or back on and never ever side on.

Yes, it works fine. But it is best, from a stand especially, to check the exit line. Easy to smack a rump or somesuch on the way out. You cannot assume that a bullet will break up entirely - nor can you assume that it will not bounce off bone.

[southtexas]

My concern is that if you don't hit or damage the CNS (spine) you may wound the deer but not be able to recover it. Just a smaller margin of error.

[purple heart]

I've taken a few neck shots but only because that was the only shot I had.
They were usually close, sure shots and the results were DRT.
Here we're lucky to get one shot a year, allowed one buck a year, for
rifle season so you don't want to be too picky.
That said I do try to get the heart/lung shot whenever possible and would
let a deer walk before taking a gut shot or a very risky,likely to just wound,
shot.

[Herne]

ST - that is the whole point of going front or back on. Its either down or gone. Worst you can do is put a hole in its ear.

Side on in the "classic" high neck, is a mugs game IMO, but front or back is deadly because you cannot miss hitting bone.

Deranges the skull a bit, and bleeds everywhere, but it does put them down.

Yes - you do need to be neat with your shooting. Standing freehand at 150yards is not the way to go about it........but off the sticks its a runner.

[GF.]

Yeah, that one was not much fun, but it was a lot worse than it had to be, just because the buck ran off – not very far at all - and bedded where there was plain and simple no reasonably safe finisher to be had. Well. ‘reasonably’ for my tastes, anyway. It was damn painful to not be able to do what I would have done immediately if not in the suburbs.

To Herne’s point, I made a Mistake by taking that shot on what was basically a broad-side. I picked a 4” target over a 10”-12” target, he raised his head as I was tightening up and I missed bone by, what, an inch or so? No matter. Wouldn’t ever have mattered if I’d chosen the bigger target, and I won’t be doin’ that one again.

If anything, it just proves (IMO) that no weapon is perfectly ‘humane’ when operated by a human. A ‘gimme’ can turn into a ‘gimme a break!’ at any time, so you gotta play the percentages. For me, that’s going to mean H/L shots, and they’re going to be at plenty close range, because they have to be real close around here in order to ensure that the bullet pounds deep into the dirt after exit.

So that’s why I’m bowhunting this year, at least to the greatest extent possible (and assuming I can get access OK’d before Christmas :rolleyes: ). With sights and a trigger, I shoot the Contraption as well as I do a rifle – and probably better, because I practice with it so much more. At 25 yards and in, it shoots nearly as flat as my 7-08 does out to about 200, and probably much flatter than the rifle does at 300.

And best thing is that an arrow doesn’t mess up anything it doesn’t touch :ccol:

[Bushman]

Wise to realize that bullets can do strange things when the encounter bone. Some of you HA guys tell about a BT running amok. They don't go in a straight line all the time. Back in my youth my uncle had to finish off a big ten point buck that field dressed around 210# so he had some mass to his bone structure. The buck had been gut shot and was bedded looking at my uncle with it's head up. The only shot that he had was right between the eyes. I went over to see the buck thinking that I'd see a mess of a head, but I didn't. One neat hole (M740 carbine in .30-06) between the eyes and an exit hole below the white throat patch in the front of the neck! The bullet had been deflected around the inside of the skull and then down through the neck! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.

On the neck shots, a softer bullet will expand more and probably put the deer down faster than with a harder bullet if the spine is not broken by the bullet itself.

[45seventy]

I've done the neck shot a few times, all had the same results, DRT.
However, I've never shot a deer with a rifle, only sabot slugs. All
shots 50yds or closer. .5 inch hole going in, .5inch hole going out.
Always figured that extra big hole gave some room for error. If the
'hole' didn't get em, the shock to the spinal column would stun em long
enough for the follow up. I once shot a doe between the eyes, neat hole
going in, neat hole going out. No mess what so ever. Kinda surprised me.

[Sabre]

I once shot a doe between the eyes, neat hole
going in, neat hole going out. No mess what so ever. Kinda surprised me.

I'd have to say that's unusual because I've blown their heads to bits numerous times with shotgun slugs, .243's & 30-30's.

[45seventy]

I know....I was dreading it walking up to it, but she was just laying there...and hardly any blood too. I thought it would be gruesome as hell.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

For a long time I shot a 222 and took neck shots only. They are extremely effective with the right bullets. With the wrong bullets they suck. I don't do head shots because of the likelihood that "I" would miss and hit a jaw or some other non-lethal area. A friend shot a doe once head on and hit it in the bottom jaw. It took the entire lower jaw off and did not go on through. We found it much later (weeks). It had died, presumably from starvation, because it was fresh dead. I stopped taking head shots and so did he.

I like neck shots and still take them when I have a good rest.

Two years ago I shot a spike buck at about 25 yards (25-06 100 gr Sierras). He fell over backwards. I waited a second and started walking down there. He jumped up and took off, never to be seen again. No blood, no deer, no nothing. Go figure.

Alan

[ncboman]

I usually take the boiler room over a neck shot.

[willhunt]

I usually take the boiler room over a neck shot.

Agreed. I will primarily choose the boiler room, or a slightly high shoulder for a DRT.

But I have used a neck shot occasionally. The deer must be totally at ease, and close. I must have a good rest, and be absolutely confident that the shot will be immediately fatal.

I must add, that one time in my hunting experience, this did not happen.

As we all know, deer are not stationary targets. They might move at the most inopportune time. I had a big doe in my sights with all the criteria in place that I had mentioned earlier, and was very confident of a quick and humane kill. She turned as I pulled the trigger, and unfortunately the bullet struck her in the lower jaw. Luckily, she went right down, and I was able to quickly get over there and finish the job.

Not my shot of choice, but I will take it if the conditions are just right, and I want the deer down right now.

[Altjaeger]

I once foolishly took a running shot at about 75 to 85 yards through the brush. Luck was with me and I led way to far and broke its neck. It flipped head over hoof so was obvioulsy it was effective.

That said I took to heart the advice of the old man who advised that its better to shoot at a bucket than a hoe handle.

[ncboman]

I once foolishly took a running shot at about 75 to 85 yards through the brush. Luck was with me and I led way to far and broke its neck. It flipped head over hoof so was obvioulsy it was effective.

That said I took to heart the advice of the old man who advised that its better to shoot at a bucket than a hoe handle.

If you were brought up in eastern nc, those foolish running shots would be old hat. :D

[dave-t.]

I've taken a few neck/head shots, and they all dropped. The thing I notice about guys who take neck shots, they shoot fast soft bullets. One of my buddies used his 22-250 carbine for years, almost always shooting deer in the neck. They never went anywhere but straight down. He was and still is an amazing shot with open sights. Standing still or runninng didn't seem to matter one whit to John.

A strange neck shot that seems to work very well, is the front of shoulder/base of neck shot. I gave too much lead on a buck moving at 180yrds with the 257R, hit him base of neck and he flipped over right there. There are some old timers who swear by that shot, and I don't know why it works so well, but it does. The spinal colum is pretty thick through there.

[Herne]

A lot of people talk of mobile targets, but thats not acutally so mostly.

if you pre aim and then whistle - 9/10 it 'll look straight at you and the head will be quite still (no chewing even) and you squeeze the trigger with the deer head on to the shot.

Some have the video - that one there was no whistle - not necessary because the deer had seen something in the gate and so looked for a second. Same result.

I agree its not first choice, (chest is) but if you need the deer DRT because of a boundary, or low light, or something then its very useful to be able to tackle it with confidence, and be sure its going to work. Which it may well NOT do side on. Apart from anything else, one hasn't got the deer's attention, so the chance of it moving its head is quite high and thats a very quick route to disaster.

[GF.]

.... so the chance of it moving its head is quite high and thats a very quick route to disaster.

For me, it was definitely a short trip to disaster...and a long road to recovery....

And I still think I got off pretty lucky, all told.

[dave-t.]

GF- Have you ever thought about how different that situation would have been if you were using 100grn hollowpoints at very high speed?

I'm not trying to bring up a sore subject, but it makes me think of how individuals tailor their equipment to the type of shooting they are doing. A bullet that work terrific for one type of shot, may be outmatched with anothey type of shot. Especially so when you are looking at the difference between succes with hard angling body shots vrs. neck shots.

I do have to say though, that the last ballistic tip I shot went into a deer's neck, and then I swore off of them. Effective, but gruesome.

[GF.]

I hit that one with a 150 gr. Sierra from 10 or 15 yards, so I don't know that I could have gained anything from any other 7mm deer bullet. Those Sierras seem to be definitely towards the soft end of the scale.

Now, possibly, the same box of BTs that got me to swear off of them for good.... A few extra feeps, being 140s, I suppose. And frangibility that puts them in a class by themselves, IMO.... Somewhere outside the 'Useful' band on that hard-soft scale...:rolleyes:

But as a specialized load?

On a neck shot, you're aiming for bone, right? And if you're gonna shoot him in the neck, you oughtta make damn good & sure that you break it. Can you imagine making a 'good' neck shot with a bullet that just splashed out a crater in the muscle of a rut-thickened neck? Not enough to do in the spinal cord, and leaving the big pipes somewhat intact?

You take the neck shot. The deer goes down. DRT, guaranteed. Unless somehow he gets up and runs off with that god-awful wounding job....

I don't need any part of one o' those. It was bad enough when I 'only' slit his throat :(

[LE]

As stated, it may work or it might not. I feel I owe it to the deer to make my best shot. All mine have been the H/L and they have never gone far or gotton away. Call it luck or whatever you want.

[GF.]

I'd call it playing the percentages and shooting good :D

[Herne]

Yes I'm very dubious about these so called specialised loads. BTs are good for long range something else is good for this and some other fool thing is good for something else, and all one can ever guarantee is that one has the wrong round loaded with the wrong zero for the right deer.

One round fits all for me - learn to get on with it! :D

Same with rifles too. Learn to shoot one well. ;)

same with zeros - 25 yards to 300 One zero. Learn what it does and know how to use it. :eek:

Just takes all the complication out of life - you know what your kit does at any sane range - you shoot deer, you don't miss. :p

This bullet for the woods that round for the open, lever today, bolt tomorrow. I find that difficult to keep in ones brain. :mad:

2 rifles Tikka M695 in two calibres which are ballisticaly identical as far as aiming goes, both set 2" high at 100 both shooting 8" low at 300, and on at 30. That I find I can cope with.

[Rugerman]

My favorite shot is when the deer is feeding toward me with its head down, there is a dark line down the middle of the neck that is my aiming point, I aim at the axis joint (junction of neck and head). With this if I shoot a little high I break the neck if a little low I hit the head, both shots are instant kills. I started this when my kids were little so it was easier to teach them how to field dress a deer with out the blood in the cavity and it also doesn't mess up any meat like a shoulder shot. If I can't get that shot I'll take a front on shot at the white throat patch under the chin, and if all else fails I'll take a shoulder shot. I'm a meat hunter so I don't care if I mess up a rack, last year I shot a 8 pt in the top of the head on the last day of the season, sort of made the rack a bit flexible but it didn't mess up any meat.

[Smitty5]

I have taken a lot of neck shots but mostly just in front of the shoulder blade. Very effective for sure. I also shoot most of my feral hogs in between the shoulder and ear or thru the top of the shoulders. I hunt them mostly at night so instant drops are needed. I typically use a Ballistic tip on deer and though it can be destructive Ifind the heaviest available for caliber BT's to penetrate very well. I nclude the 165 gr. 30 caliber BT as a good penetrator. I like a standard soft point or a Nosler Partition for feral hogs though. Much thicker animal and sometimes hair, mud, fat and shield can compromise softer bullets.

[Twanger]

I have shot exactly one deer in the neck, with a bow, by accident. My bow string broke during the shot.

The arrow penetrated only about one inch, maybe two, but that was enough to cut a major artery. The deer only went 70 yards with buckets of blood to follow as a blood trail.

The carcass was clean as a whistle! I wish I was good enough to take that shot every time, on purpose. :D Alas, I am not.

[GF.]

I was just perusing the standard whitetail deer anatomy pic... You get forward in the rib cage, and there's a very high concentration of major, major plumbing right in there....

I'm still planning on keeping my shots behind the shoulder, but I'm not so concerned bout the effectiveness of those forward-in-the-brisket shots as I had been.....

[Bill Gunn]

My experiences with neck shots with a gun (about 5 or 6) can be reduced to 2 words...

Bang & Flop

With a bow 1 (due to youth, and stupidy :o ) ...

Lost & deer

[Chuck S]

I prefer a higher percentage shot if the deer should twitch, the wind gust, etc. I have shot one in the neck and he was an old huge monster of a deer. The bullet hit him in one of the big vertebrae back toward the shoulder adn that .308, 180 gn Core Loct factory load came apart with portions going both directions up into the neck and down into the chest. It fractured the bone but didn't shatter it by any means and he got his head up and started off again. A shoulder shot put him down and he stayed down then. Both shots were at about 20 feet max.

[Waidmann]

My only experience with neck-shot deer was two years ago. I encountered a road-hit deer that was still alive. Broken hip. While I tried to decide what to do, a copy came along and thought I'd hit it. Even tho I hadn't, he decided to "put it down", pulled out the shotgun and shot it. I didn't realize it until later, but he had shot it in the neck. He asked me if I wanted it, and I said yes, so he wrote me a kill tag and frove off.

After he was gone, I realized it wasn't completely dead, only mostly dead. Still, my wife came by with the deer coffin (a 55 gal rubber-maid tub), and we loaded the mostly dead into the tub and stuck it in the back of my jeep. Big mistake. Even tho we were only about 5 miles from home, the deer didn't like being dumped into a big, plastic tub (legs up) and driven off. As soon as we started driving, he started kicking and thrashing. I was afraid he was going to kick out the back window. Blood all over the carpet and windows. Sheesh.

When I got him home, I shot him again with a .22 in the head, and that finally finished him. When I skinned him, I found that the cop's slug had gone through the meat between the spine and the top of the deer. Blew a big hole, but didn't hit spine, or at least, not badly enough to kill it.

Moral of the story?

Don't do neck shots. Do head shots.
Don't put mostly dead deer in the back of your jeep. Make sure they are completely dead before they go into the coffin.

Waidmann