Neck shot ?

[luberhill]

I know there’s much differing opinions re this shot .

 I’ve never taken it but twice now I passed on a decent buck that offered only that shot .

Once with the crossbow at 30 yards and once with a .243 at 50 yards.

 I’ve been told it’s a one shot and they are down ..but I’ve heard others say not to risk it ..

Curious as to anyone’s actual experience and if they’ve used it was the shot placed center neck ? 

[buffalojay83]

Frontal neck can kill, it's just more risk I guess. I would think only would be available from the ground. I've heard a ton of people only shoot side neck shots and they drop and don't waste (!?) meat (neck meat is still good!). I guess it depends on the situation and the hunter etc and the deer

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[fasteddie]

My 1st deer ever with a bow was a 6 point buck . I got him with a neck hit . I was in a permanent tree stand about 16 feet high , 3 bucks were together and I aimed at the last one . They were on a trail about 8 feet from the stand I was in . I aimed for the vitals but stupid me still had my quiver on . There was a 2X4 rail on the stand . When I released , the arrows in the quiver ticked the 2X4 and I hit the buck in the neck and he dropped on the spot . I took the quiver off and put a 2nd arrow in his vitals . I would never have the confidence to actually take a neck shot . 

[luberhill]

So I assume more risky with a crossbow than a rifle due to the impact ?

[airedale]

I have taken several with neck shots, all with rifles and they will drop where they are standing. That being said it must be a good clear shot  and having a solid-steady rest.

As for archery I do not feel I am a good enough shot.

Al

Edited October 18 by airedale

[luberhill]

2 hours ago, airedale said:

I have taken several with neck shots, all with rifles and they will drop where they are standing. That being said it must be a good clear shot  and having a solid-steady rest.

As for archery I do not feel I am a good enough shot.

Al

Do you just aim center both front to back and up and down ?

[First-light]

My first bow kill was on a yearling. From the ground and shot her in the neck. Severed the windpipe. Ran agout 50 yards thats it. Took a mature buck with a neck shot. Slup hit about and inch in from the underside. Crazy I tell you there was no exit wound. I found this to be impossible but even the processor could not find it. Deer fell in its tracks kicked a bit then died. I was using lightfields slugs and Im told they have some knockdown power. From what it seemed the shot sent a shock wave through the neck and killed the deer.  

[airedale]

2 hours ago, luberhill said:

5 hours ago, airedale said:

 

Do you just aim center both front to back and up and down ?

Yes.

Al

[suburbanfarmer]

Quartering towards me, with gun. Dropped and didnt even twitch
Would never ever try with bow or xbow

Edited October 19 by suburbanfarmer

[wolc123]

I’ve killed (3) with neck shots, The second obe  from the side, from a 10 yard range, with a 16 ga rifled slug.  Only the head and neck were visible that time and I didn’t want to totally destroy the head in the trophy buck so u went for the neck, dropping him dead in his tracks.

 

The first one was an inadvertent neck shot with my compound bow.   That was actually the last arrow that I ever fired at a deer with a vetical bow and it happened in 2012, the same year as the one up above that I “necked” later with my slug gun.  It must have caught a glimpse of my draw as it passed thru the hedgerow my stand was in, coming from behind me.   When it turned broadside at 25 yards, I released my arrow.  It reared down and back, taking the arrow just below the head.  I had a mechanical broadhead and it ran off with the arrow sticking thru and about equal lengths protruding each side.  The wide blades must have sliced the aorta or jugular because I heard him crash after about a 25 yard dash.  
 

The last one was the exit on a Perfectly placed Texas heart shot I took on an Adirondack 6-pointer back in 2016, with my scoped 30/06 from a 50 yard range.  Obviously, that one also dropped in its tracks.  That was probably the cleanest guy job I have ever had on a deer and there was no entry wound since the bullet entered the existing hole.  I did loose the neck roast in that one though, which was a shame because that is one of my favorite parts.  The bottom of the heart was also grooved a bit by the passing 150 gr Federal Classic bullet. 
 

I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to take those last two shots again, but I never again used a vertical bow on a deer, after that first one.

[Gobbler Chaser]

With a rifle a neck shot always drops em on the spot. The shocking power right around the spine and brain are devastating. I wouldn't with a bow because unless you sever the spine or main arteries you have a wounded deer. I've seen 3 deer in my time walking around with arrows in their necks

[Daveboone]

Neck shots can be very decieving as far as placement, much more so than the good old boiler maker shot that gives actually quite a large margin of error. I have made them plenty of times with a rifle, but only from a steady rest...and I myself prefer to take only the back of the neck, base of the head from behind, obviously. Not a good shot at all for a bow. 

At the same time, I have seen quite a few deer where neck shots missed the bone, and after initially dropping the deer from the shot, they get back up and run. Generally with a bow, few folks go for a "bone" shot, leaving the narrow window for the jugular/etc. which is very easy to miss if you really dont know your anatomy.

A shot not taken is never to be regreted. Dont pressure yourself into thinking you should have taken it. There is never wrong in not taking a shot.

[landtracdeerhunter]

We have recovered neck shot deer with a bow. We don't practice it, but it does happen. In all instances, a main artery was severed.

Only once in 30 some years I  seen an arrow sticking through the neck with the deer walking around. Early firearm season, it was put in the freezer.

[Hock3y24]

Not for me with a bow, I've taken a couple with rifle, under 100 yards and rock steady rest. They all folded.  I regularly shoot my firearms out to 400 plus yards and know their and my capabilities. Right where the head meets the neck. 

[Doc]

We have an excellent thread regarding deer anatomy that will help you make up your mind about neck-shots. Look closely at the size of the target of the neck area, and then look at the size of the vitals in the chest area. There is a big difference!

Two incidences have made up my mind:

The first was seeing a very nice buck standing alongside the road on my way to Naples. His entire lower jaw was just swinging from his head......Not a pretty sight. Could have been an attempt at a head shot, or a neck shot that had gone very bad. That deer had a very long and anguished end to his life in store for him. Nothing I could do. It was after dark and I was in the car with no gun.

The second was listening to a deer on the far side of a huge ravine wheezing through what I assumed was a severed wind pipe. It was loud enough so that I could hear it the 200 or so yards across the ravine. I'm sure that deer was also going to die a long and suffering end, But there was no way for me to get to the other side. I have to concede that a neck shot that hit the spine will drop the deer right on the spot. But I have to wonder about a shot that is a few inches off the mark.

Click on the picture to visit that thread and make your own decision.: