If you are very confident with your rifle, would any of you take a neck shot on a deer?

[hunter13121]

Many times I have hit a deer in the spine in their neck. Never after that shot have they moved 5 feet from where they were standing after a shot like that. If the range is close and I feel confident about my shot, I will take the shot.
This is only if this is the only shot possible at the moment.

[hunter13121]

Many times I have hit a deer in the spine in their neck. Never after that shot have they moved 5 feet from where they were standing after a shot like that. If the range is close and I feel confident about my shot, I will take the shot.
This is only if this is the only shot possible at the moment.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

I'ts pretty hard to clip the windpipe without clipping the juglars as well. It can be done, but not very likely. They don't go down instantly but the track is not hard to follow even if there's no snow. And the critter is likely not going to make it out of sight anyway. Most times they just stand there a few seconds and then fall over. When the juglars are cut they black out almost instantly.

Persons taking the boiler room shot can wind up shooting too far back. Then your in trouble. Or too far west or south, clipping the brisket. If you're off the mark, you're off the mark. And, WAM, the vital area is much larger than a radiator hose if you're using the right round. The shock from the rounds I use can break the neck of a deer even if it's not hit smack in the spinal cord. Tennessee is right. The right round will blow a hole as big as a fist and the destruction all around the hole is just as substantial. I have had a few get back up after being knocked over. But they weren't going anywhere. As I stated earlier, elk and moose are an entirely different story. Neck shots are a risky placement for them.

[RES1956]

Shoot 'em all high in the shoulder-DRT. A miss high, low, front or back still results in a dead deer, usually right there. If it runs off, you usually have a good blood trail. With smaller calibers, .24-.26, I have found that a good blood trail is not always left, and I want the deer dead right there.

[Cbass]

Every situation is different. I've taken deer with neck shots. Head-on encounters sometimes offer the neck as the best available shot. Given the choice between neck and shoulder shots, just like Clay put it, it's second nature to go for the shoulder shot.

[268bull]

I've shot 1 buck,1985,the first year I put my scope on my rifle. And that was a head shot! The buck was lying in his bed, looking up slope at me. His head sort of covered any other possible shot. He layed there long enough for me to sit down, rest my elbows just on the inside of my knees. Put the cross hairs on the head and squeezed the trigger.The only thing that moved was all 4 legs shot straight out and he stayed lying in that nest he had made. I stepped off 105 yds., the shot went in just at the right eye and exited at the base off the skull where it joins the neck bones. Never knew what hit him. I enjoyed the moment, but take high shoulder shots scince.

[tom donohue]

head shots and neck shots are unethical and are to be frowned upon. bragging about a head shot makes one an
@##hole.

[268bull]

So tell me tom don, your just all for those gut shot's, eh? At the least you know you hit em'.

[pstrdan80291]

Oh definately. I took down a full size cow elk around 40yds away and it just dropped. Also i took a Mule Deer in the neck with my bow and it dropped and was dead almost instantly and it bled out making gutting it easier. Just make sure your ethical try to kill on the first shot.