If you can hit the neck at fairly close range, there will be no track job. I have taken alot of neck shots when they are presented. And the deer never move from that spot.

 

Well this is the first year I have tried to drop em in their tracks.... So far I'm 2 for 2..But I didn't aim for the neck...I was aiming for the spine just above the shoulders and little back...
I must also add that these were 20 yard shots from 30 feet up...Could have tried a further shot 70-100, but the Bowhunter in me likes em close.

 

The buck I killed this year was a neck shot but it was only 20 yds with a scoped rifle. In 30+ years of hunting that is only the second neck shot I have ever taken. Both were at very close range in thick cover and it was the only thing exposed. On both those deer if I could have waited I would have. I would not take necks shots if the ribs and shoulder are exposed. I consider myself an above average shot but still like the big target of the boiler works.

 

I have found that it is much easier to learn to shoot well than it is to see color. I have a hard time seeing blood on snow if it is in low light conditions. It all looks brown to me. I need help on lung/heart shot deer or I have to do a ground search if the trail is not obvious.

I have shot at least 30 deer either in the head or high neck. Everyone was dropped right where it stood. Practice is the key to putting your bullet exactly where you aim. You also have to be able to read a deer's mood so it doesn't move unexpectedly. My rifles are very accurate and loads are custom for my rifles; if you can't hit a dime every time you squeeze the trigger don't attempt this shot. Know your range and use high quality optics.

 

On rare occasions I have used a neck shot with spectacular results. The deer will drop in it's tracks like a ton of bricks. For th most part I would not advise it but if you know for sure where your rifle will hit at a given range it can be effective. The last deer that I shot with a neck shot was a buck, 5 minutes of legal shooting light left, he was standing with his head and neck clearly sticking out into the shooting lane but the shoulder and vital spot was behind a tree. I was using a .243 that shot MOA. I was confident that I could hit a nickle at the 40 yards the deer was standing at so I took the shot. The result was the buck collapsed like a sack of flour and never twitched. The key to a neck shot is don't aim at the middle of the neck, you want to hit the spinal cord, so aim about a third of the way down from the top of the neck. This can be hard to judge on a rut swollen buck, so study some deer anatomy if you are going to take this shot. If you hit high, you'll probably still knock him down and stun him, be ready for a follow up shot. The danger of a neck shot is that you will hit low and only hit soft tissue. The deer will take off and suffer a long and painful death if you have hit either the esophagus or the trachea. If you nick either the carotid artery or the jugular vein (both large blood vessels in the neck), he is going down pretty quickly.

 

Why not a neck shot?

Like you i am very proficient with weapons.
I am not so sure as it is being proficiency as it is going for the higher percentage target.
I know for a fact that if i double lung or heart shoot a deer that it's not going very far. That target to me is more reliable and gives me more to look over.
Neck shooting to me is like threading a needle. There is a chance that you can wound the animal. There is a chance you could kill the animal.
I like knowing more than guessing is all.
It is only my opinion.

 

I'm one of the biggest neck shot advocate's on the site,, with that said,, I wouldn't try it with a muzzleloader. Too many factors involved,, powder, moisture, cold. I shoot every deer in the neck, ever since I lost one from putting one in the "boiler room" at 35 yrds. The slug went a little high and caught that dreaded "no man's land". Like others have said,, put it in the "neck", not the throat. It's really weird when you see it,, no twitch, no death kick, no NOTHING!! It's like turning out a light switch.

 

Any deer I have shot with my rifle 30-06 in the neck have dropped in there tracks. I have shot one with my shotgun that hit the jugular (don't know how to spell it) and I had to track it for 110 yards, tracking was not a problem though, blood everywhere. I hit a limb with my bow once and the arrow deflected bad to the left. Hit the neck. I was young and had a early afternoon date. I chased him for 3 hours, finally wore him out and made a great 30 yard shot into the boiler room why he was in his bead. I have had as much or more luck with a double shoulder shot breaking both shoulders. You just ruin more meat. I prefer the boiler room shot even with a little tracking.

 

I have shot a few in the neck and each one dropped right there. I have also shot a few in whats called the (forgive the spelling) brachial plexus. this is an area on the deer that is high and back of the front shoulder, but not the spine. It is an area that all the nerves come together in a central location, so I am told. If you shoot a deer in that area they will fall butt first and head last. They will not take another step for sure. Many times when watching hunting shows / videos you will see a buck shot that drops like a ton of bricks. Most people think this is a spine shot, but it is a very little talked about area called the brachial plexus.
If you miss low you will have lungs, if you miss high you will hit spine, if you hit left or right you will hit front shoulder or liver. Try it you will like the results.

I learned all this from hunting very near property that I could not track a deer onto, so the perfect kill shot was one that dropped them like a stone. I don't remember where I gained this information from, because I have had it in my head for many years.
Use this information for what it's worth. I am no expert on the anatomy of deer, but I know it works from experience, but you rarely ever hear anyone speak of it .
DO NOT TRY THIS SHOT WITH A BOW. It may or may not work, but it is very risky to say the least
I'm not to profficient with weapons, but I don't miss either

ps. I like neck shots too!

 

I use a 22-250 for doe and only shoot in the neck or head. they go no where and never will

 

If you can hit the neck at fairly close range, there will be no track job. I have taken alot of neck shots when they are presented. And the deer never move from that spot.

DUMB idea!!! When your going to cancel one out make sure your going to. Don't bury a slug into the neck. If you are going to try the drop'em in their tracks...cancel'em out in the head....If not in the head...go double lung wait a half hour and go pick it up....When I am canceling...its in the head or lungs...:evil:

 

If there is even a slim chance that you would mount the deer...please don't go for the neck shot. It is not so much the entrace wound..but the exit wound that has ruined many a deer cape.

 

Anytime I have a clear neck shot under 50 yards presented to me I take it. I can't count the number of does I've shot and killed instantly and had the other deer around not get spooked and go back to browsing as if nothing had happened. Even with a muzzleloader.
(helps being in a treestand or shak)
I highly recommend that you shoot your gun at close range beforehand to see where it hits at close range. An inch or 2 can make a big difference between a quick, clean kill or a bad deal for all.
And pay attention to the deers body language.
I prefer to shoot relaxed deer.

smokepole

 

I have seen 2 neck shots of my dads and both dropped in there tracks one of the shots was with his bow and it brook its neck and the other with his deer rifle and the bullet slit it’s through

 

I have had a few deer in my cross hairs that I thought about taking a head shot on and the only thing I could think about was possibly hitting the deer in the nose or mouth area and not hitting the brain. Obviously that would be a terrible thing to do. I have had excellent luck with neck shots up close though. (deer facing me)

 

A high neck shot equals instant Forclosure on thats deers mortgage!

HAHA

 

Neck shots are NOT a sure thing. At best, it's a marginal shot with alot of room for a seriously wounding , but non-leathal hit, or worse yet, a long slow death from gangrene.

Head shots are the absoulte worst, irresponsible, arrogent , rookie shot a guy could try to make .
It doesn't matter how good a guy is with his gun, or how good he thinks he is, if that deer moves, for whatever reason, and you blow off his jaw, that is just totally inexcusable and the worst sin a hunter can commit in my opinion, not to mention the horrific death that deer will go thru before he finally dies. Don't do it. You owe it to the animal not to even try it.

 

OK, I know deer anatomy pretty well but someone put a deer picture on here with a red X on the neck (side view) that is the killing neck shot. The neck on a buck is pretty wide top to bottom and there is probably a lot of soft tissue that is not lethal.

Show us the sweet spot!:evil:

 

Either are good areas. While I don't aim for the neck I took a nice buck in the neck this season. Was in an odd shooting position and was aiming for the chest. Got lucky! But he didn't move an inch. Others I know love the neck shot. I guess I don't ever have to ponder it.

I could tell you that if all a deer offers is the neck and I'm in the mood I'll probably try it, but it hasn't happened yet.

 

I started last year taking neck shots with my ML. I'm 5 for 5 and zero tracking. I process my own deer and its nice not ruining any shoulders and having a clotted mess.

Last Saturdays doe...

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Taxidermist hate neck shots. Some charge for the repair.

As long as you hit the spine in the neck, hitting the wind pipe does nothing.

 

If you're not shooting <1" at 100 yards, you have no business trying a neck shot. I tracked a neck shot deer for two days and we never found it. Bled pretty good, but then the blood got lighter and lighter until eventually it just stopped.

Head shots are very risky, as they can turn/move it so quickly. I've seen the results with head shots, and though all but one died instantly, it isn't pretty. My buddy shot a doe with a 300 win mag at 40 yards, the only shot she was presenting was straight on with her head up looking right at him. Let's just say we had to put a bag over her head when we hung her from the pole. My dad tried a head shot and ended up wounding the poor doe. He eventually caught up to her and finished her off, but those couple hours must have really sucked for her.

The base of the neck where it meets the shoulder at least won't move much, but as was mentioned above, the spine isn't really where you think it would be, but is between 1/4 and 1/2 way down from the top.

If you want a bang flop, with a lot of room for error, you're better off with a high shoulder hit, straight up from the front edge of the front leg. This is a double lung shot that will also take out the spine. If you happen to hit a little low, still a double lung. A little back, double lung. A little high, spine. A little to the right, spine.

 

OK, I know deer anatomy pretty well but someone put a deer picture on here with a red X on the neck (side view) that is the killing neck shot. The neck on a buck is pretty wide top to bottom and there is probably a lot of soft tissue that is not lethal.

Show us the sweet spot!:evil:

This is what always works for me but again you need to have a clear shot at a stationary deer, with a rifle that you know how to shoot.

 

I shoot most of my deer in the neck when gun hunting, I shot 2 deer with my bow this season --1 buck, 1 doe, both were neck shots, each ran 30-40 yards and were down, Rage 2 blade gives a 2 inch cut--carotids bleed out Very quickly!---nice to see them fall. I chose to shoot them in the neck due to what was presented, I have shot a lot of deer and each presentation is different, I mostly go for the typical double lung shot with my bow, but I am not afraid to take the neck shot either.

This year, I shot 2 deer with gun, one double-lung shot, 1 neck shot, I use a muzzle loader exclusively and the neck shot was 132 yrds-ranged--and went 2 feet--straight down!

Last year 2 deer with my muzzle-loader both neck shots, collapsed in their tracks, one was standing approx. 40 yards looking at me, shot into the white throat patch, the other was running straight away approx. 75-80 yards, shot at C1-C2-- the union of the head to the neck and down like a sack of flour.
I shoot 4-5 deer a year so before these examples there were plenty more with my muzzleloader with the same results, soooo.... I am a big advocate for neck shots as long as you can shoot and are confident in your shooting ability.

Good Luck!

 

Neck shots are good but heart or vitals would be the best shot---you dont waist any meat. I have shot 3 deer in the spin with a bow--they all dropped where they stood--1 died the other 2 I had to shoot again--Thats not all that fun but I guess its better than not finding them. With a gun--I did shoot 2 in the neck--They never know what hits them. Very Clean kill but like I said---you do lose a little meat. But not much, worth not losing all your meat.