Neck Shots on Whitetails

[inkd]

Not my style,not saying I'll never do it though.I knew a guy (deceased now) that only took neck shots (.243 single shot) and everyone I saw dropped on the spot,which claimed is why he did it.

Friend of mines husband does it that way and with a .243 also. He and his brothers have been hunting since they were old enough to.

With 3 brothers and 2 sisters, their family lived on what they killed.

I'm nowhere the near the shot he and his brothers are. I stick with the big broadside shot.

 

[marko]

If you know how a bullet travels, and how to compensate
for drop wind, elevation, and practice, practice, practice it, then
it's ethical.
If you grab your smoothbore shotgun which you last shot 2 years ago and want to
shoot a slug out of it - unethical to even go hunting.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Thank for the responses guys. This is only my son's second year and although he has shot does, he keeps reliving that fat 6 point that walked away last year in Pennsylvania
because all he had was a Neck shot in some brush and I would not let him pull the trigger.

The buck was 75 yards out and had us busted and was getting ready to turn and leave. I told him not to shoot that he may get another shot as the deer walks away.

No shot presented itself. I thought it was a win! I explained that I was proud of him for not forcing a bad shot and that you need to respect the game ect. He was ok with it, but I know he is always thinking (What If).

Thank you for teaching your son about ethics in regards to hunting.

It is a lesson he will carry with him his entire life.

 

[Ab_Normal]

There is no magical shot. But if you hit them anywhere in the spine they are less likely to go anywhere.

 

[fabsroman]

That sounds like a head shot. A successfull neck shot is only a few inches in front of the shoulder.

This^^^^^^^^

If somebody was taking a neck shot and hit the deer's jaw, either they are a terrible shot or they have no idea what a neck shot is.

Me, I don't take neck shots. I am usually hunting with a .300 Win Mag over open fields so I tend to just break their front shoulders. It allows a little more room for error.

 

[marko]

so I tend to just break their front shoulders. It allows a little more room for error.

I agree. At distance, I would do that. My luck has been severe short range - 8, 11, 7 yards. My 78 yarder I was high and spined in error. Above the shoulder.
Dropped like a sack.

 

[oupa]

Thank for the responses guys. This is only my son's second year and although he has shot does, he keeps reliving that fat 6 point that walked away last year in Pennsylvania.

No shot presented itself. I thought it was a win! I explained that I was proud of him for not forcing a bad shot and that you need to respect the game ect. He was ok with it, but I know he is always thinking (What If).

Yeah, well... we're all thinking about those "what if's" about a million possibles in life, and very few of them relate to hunting. He'll be doing that the rest of his life like the rest of us.

He did the right thing and YOU did the right thing - twice! First in teaching him to and second in reinforcing that IT WAS THE RIGHT THING!!!

Now... neck and or head shots are terrific but a VERY specialized shot that should ONLY be taken when it's a sure thing. The best tasting venison I've ever had was from head-shot deer. No adrenalin, no tensing, etc... bang-flop. I would NEVER try it beyond a range I was comfortable with, probably 50 yds. tops. A calm animal is also a huge plus. Above all else is a balls-on accurate rifle YOU KNOW YOU CAN SHOOT to point of aim at that distance and a dead-steady rest.

The scenario you describe doesn't meet any of my criteria and I been hunting for over 40 years.

YOU DID GOOD DAD!!! Now reinforce to him that HE DID TO and how proud of him you are for it. Fate is a funny thing but his time will come, there are no short-cuts in getting there. Best of luck to you both.

 

[shoreshot]

My son shot his first deer last year in the neck (accidentally) and it dropped right there. No tracking, or any suffering on this one for that matter. 20 ga slug left a hole the size of a grapefruit coming out the other side. Was about midway up a few inches below the spine. I do not condone nor would I ever purposely shoot one in the neck, but in this case it did the job.

 

[PoPo3]

It's funny I came across this thread. I have always been an advocate for neck shots. I've shot probably thirty deer in the neck and dropped them where they stood. That being said, I shot one in the neck last night and it took off. I thought I missed, shot it behind the shoulder as it ran away. Walked up to it and my first round went right where I aimed...the middle of the neck. I'm not sure what my feeling is on neck shots anymore. They've always worked great, but I guess there are those freak incidents

 

[fabsroman]

It's funny I came across this thread. I have always been an advocate for neck shots. I've shot probably thirty deer in the neck and dropped them where they stood. That being said, I shot one in the neck last night and it took off. I thought I missed, shot it behind the shoulder as it ran away. Walked up to it and my first round went right where I aimed...the middle of the neck. I'm not sure what my feeling is on neck shots anymore. They've always worked great, but I guess there are those freak incidents

How far did the deer go before laying down?

Were you shooting a bullet that your normally don't shoot?

End of the day, stuff happens.

 

[PoPo3]

Deer didn't go 10yds after the second shot. Who knows how far she would have went if I didn't shoot her again. I shot with the same bullets I've been shooting since I was 11. No clue what changed, just one of those things I guess

 

[Ab_Normal]

It's funny I came across this thread. I have always been an advocate for neck shots. I've shot probably thirty deer in the neck and dropped them where they stood. That being said, I shot one in the neck last night and it took off. I thought I missed, shot it behind the shoulder as it ran away. Walked up to it and my first round went right where I aimed...the middle of the neck. I'm not sure what my feeling is on neck shots anymore. They've always worked great, but I guess there are those freak incidents

No freak incidents.

My last couple have been heart/lung shots because the distance dictated that choice. A couple before that were head/heck because the distance allowed for it and the angle more or less dictated it. None of which went anywhere but straight down.

There is no 'magical' shot unless you can shoot through the eye or base of the ear to the brain. Sometimes animals will run when mortally wounded and sometimes they won't.