TXhighrack

Your trying to hit a deer in the neck with a high powered rifle and probably with the aid of a scope. If you cant do that under normal hunting conditions then you should probably go back to the range for a little more practice.

davidhardegree

Interesting... I shot a doe head-on last year with a 30-06 and had a very small exit wound. Did you have a heavy grain bullet? The grain size must have made a difference between the two. Someone mentioned earlier you need to be very profficient with your weapon. I agree. I was propped on a low, solid limb. The shot was in the middle portion of the neck because she was standing behind some sort of shrub bush looking dead at me. When the bullet hit she tipped over like a road-kill deer with her legs so stiff they stuck straight out to the side. I liked the shot because the deer didn't suffer. However, I never would have took the shot if there wasn't a steady prop around.

North Texan

I aim as far up the neck as I can. As the neck gets closer to the head, the vitals get a lot closer together. One thing to point out, it could ruin a good head mount if you shoot a nice buck. I don't harvest bucks, so no big deal for me.

rwilson

The worst half-the-night tracking job I was ever involved in was a neck shot buck. Shot @ about 60 yds, knocked him flat, but he was up and running in 30 seconds. Went into a very bad place. Found him with a dog 3 hours later. Deer was weak but very alive. Got up and ran again. Went back down and was finished off. Note, however that this was a MUZZLELOADER kill. 50 Cal. sabot pistol bullet deal. Clean passthrough.
Just didn't have the capillary-busting shock of center fire, I guess. Would not recommend neck shots w/ML. .243 and up maybe, but not a ML.
2 cents.

Hiawatha

Looking head on I would pick the white patch on the neck and rip one through it. Shot a buck with this method 3 years ago at 80 yards and he never so much as flinched. Walked out to him and he was just pouring out the blood. Broadside i would probably take lungs and forget about the neck unless he was very very close.

PaJack

Not here to start a pi$$ing contest TXhighrack,just my opinion...

hunter_jere

one of the deers i got this year i shot in the neck just below the chin by like 2-3 inches and it jsut droped

skeeter 7MM

TXhighrack, room for error comes in more forms than shooter ability! Such as what part moves the most and quickest with little indication on a whitetail deer - head/neck! What is the actual vital zone size of this target choice - 2-3"'s.

This is not to say DON'T shoot at the neck or it is ineffective but more so it has little to do with shooting ability. A personal choice is what it boils down to, I have the proficiency to aim neck but prefer to shoot lungs due to the few uncontrolled possiblities than can arise outside of my shooting ability. A deer with no air means a a knife is required in my books but to each their own.

Fireblade545

Hit em right at the base of the neck where the spine hits that bone. They wont go anywhere.



Right to the right of the shoulder blade ..