Deer Hunting (vital or neck shot)

[PikeTipper]

Is there a certain part of the neck to aim for or just any spot on the neck? I've shot 3 deer in the neck (all times were an accident) and all 3 dropped right in there tracks. Wasn't sure if there was something to shooting them in the neck or if I was just getting lucky.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Depends. On private land I go vitals. Lungs. They always run a little ways but we always find them and nobody else is around to intercept or claim the deer while it is out of site. I've yet to see a lung rifle shot deer go more than 100 yards. Usually less. Little to no meat is ruined depending on angle. I've been trying different shots lately. Shoulder shots drop them but messes up a lot of meat. I would use that shot on a nice deer on public land. Neck shots are great but a small target. If you just want to get the deer center forward half is a great target with the most room for error. That's where I aim using slugs with bead barrel site when they are out a little ways. This weekend I aimed there and it went a little high hitting the spine above shoulder. That is a drop shot for sure but I certainly wouldn't aim for it.

[Jigging Bob]

One year We had a nice buck running and My cousin shot a little low and ended up hitting him in the pecker (the Vitally, vitals)and the [commercial-or-naughty-word] thing just stopped in his tracks. He just stood there, looked at us like you might as well just finish me off now you've taken everything I live for. We ended up saving him from that suffering and put him out of his misery. After wards I told him he was one of the sickest hunters I know. LOL Whoever would do that to any other male species is a bit wrong in the head. LOL

[Kingfisher]

For me it depends on the situation whether to take the neck or vitals shot, most of the time the deer are running over 100 yards away, then a vitals shot is taken. One time I was hunting alone and using a stand in our woods with a ditch for a shooting lane, a nice buck and doe crossed the lane slowly and stopped, I chose the neck shot so I could drag him out with the ATV at the ditch rather than taking a vitals shot and may have to drag him 100 in the woods by myself. The buck dropped in his tracks, making an easy recovery.

[fivebucks]

I have always aimed for the vitals and have only lost one deer in 20+ years of hunting. I hunt public land but it is the great north woods so there isn't the problem of someone else pounding it after I hit it.

[Lunker]

Always vitals for me. As far as deer go, all the deer I have shot were lung/heart shots and if you're accurate it's hard to miss these spots. Also haven't had one go more than about 30 yards. Necks are just smaller and also not as easy to track if it doesn't hit something like the jugular.

[paceman]

The latest Minnesota Sportsman has an article about a guy who shot last years top typical with a bow. He took an 80 yard shot while aiming at the neck. The deer was head on. Luckily he hit it and dropped it in his tracks. IMO that a terrible risky shot. I would never have tried that shot. How many of you guys are comfortable with an 80 yard neck shot with a bow?

[Buckhead]

Jigging bob I'd say your cousins sites are right on the nuts

[Jigging Bob]

Buckhead

LoL yep I guess you could say his sights were "right on the nuts". That was a good one.

[bigbucks]

I know there's people that can shoot 80 yards with the bow, but I sure can't imagine taking a neck shot at that range.

[MG - Fishin']

If the deer allows you the opportunity to shoot them in the neck and you are confident in your gun, I'd take that anyday. The last two deer I've taken were by neck shots and no tracking involved. Plus it's not a mess when it's time to gut them out with everything blown apart. Heck, you hardly even get your hands dirty after they bleed out through their neck too! However if the deer is on the run or you only have a vital shot, of course take that vs. trying a running neck shot and wounding them. But as long as them deer keep on walking by my stand broadside, they're going to catch one in the neck everytime.

[tripper]

Take a good look at the area in a deers neck. You have 10 to 12 inch.(average) standing broadside target area with one vital area of about 1 1/2 inch's(spine) and another of about 3/4 inch, jugular. A deer standing broadside gives you about a 12 inch vitals area to shoot at in the lung heart area. Being fair to the game which target should you shoot at? I have seen to meny neck shot attempts made by good compedent hunters and shooters go bad. I would much rather lose a lung shot deer to a unethical hunter that claimed it then to lose one that the neck shot was not exact and the blood trail ran out.

[woodview]

Jigging Bob - I just stopped crying - I'm gonna start praying every night for your cousin cause there's gotta be a layer of he** reserved just for that - Geez, I get a little squirrely every time it comes to that particular cut during the gut.

I'd personally go for the vitals given the choice - I have made a number of neck shots and even a head shot and they do drop quick plus the butchering is cleaner but unless the situation is really good I feel considerably more confident in taking a vitals shot. The main thing is being good with your gun and by that I mean really devoting some time to it not just being a 'decent' shot.

braves57 - One of the guys I go to Wyoming with took a monster muley right between the eyes (head on shot downhill - only deer I've ever seen him not make a pretty much perfect shot on) - we couldn't figure out what the inside spread on him was but we're positive it was between a 2 and 40 incher.

Gissert - that bleating will get to you - I shot a doe a few years ago - she had a fawn with her - I got part way through the gut, look up and here it is STARING at me (felt sick to my stomache knowing what it'd been watching me do to 'mom') the thing started bleating at me when I was dragging the doe out of the woods - I'm telling you folks that was a world record drag time - I just about flew out of those woods. I watched three muley fawns playing tag out west this year and it was comical as about anything I've seen in the woods but they were talking to eachother the whole time so I was smiling and cringing the whole time.

I took three deer this year all with vitals shot and 2 died "instantly" the third dropped, lifted her head about 6 inches and dropped back down. (I do shoot a 7mag - bigger than needed where I hunt in MN but I'm very confident with it)

I have had a deer that ran about 200 yards on me with a vital shot... there was almost no blood and I felt really lucky when I saw him laying in the woods - when I got over him and saw the placement I couldn't believe he didn't bleed more and then when I gut him I just found scraps of his heart and then felt lucky he didn't come up the tree after me cause "anything" that can run 200 yards after having his heart blown apart is definately gonna kick my a** in a fair fist fight! Most drop w/in 30-40 yards