[TailChaser]

I just posted this in another thread a couple weeks ago, and someone had a troll comment on a neck shot.

I’ve shot 3 deer coming at me straight in the neck, and all down within 150 yards. 2 within 80. If I hit dead center it was 150 yards, if a little off so completely severed aorta is quicker,

Straight on only, in the neck and not in the chest that’s lower down, at 10 yards or less so you’re accurate within an inch, take it or no?

This one was 7 yards away, I had been drawn about 30 seconds and never would turn, just straight at me, then looked up right at me so it was this or nothing. After working 3 times I would do it again when required.

 

[madkasel]

With a bow, it's a nope for me. Not comfortable with it.

Many threads and discussion of this lately. They settled nothing and seemed to convince nobody of anything, either way.

 

[raisins]

Unless you need it to eat, you don't need a deer (even a big buck) enough to take dicey shots.

 

[pcnyruttn]

The most blood I've ever seen after shooting one was in the neck....like your shot, came in straight looked up, broadhead ran along length of neck, cutting all the good stuff, scene from the bloodiest movie ever.....i would take a neck shot again if it is close and that is all I got..

 

[MihajloSimsic]

If it's REALLY close, like no further than 13 yards, then I can see it being ok. Most archery equipment is too fast for them to even move their neck that fast at such a close range. But otherwise it's such a small target that moves so fast I don't see it being an ok shot at normal bow ranges.

 

[solohunter]

Never, and why is it over the past several years shots that were rarely mentioned, are now more frequent? Some guys will think it is smart and some guys will think it is stupid, ad infinitum.

 

[BigXX78]

It's a low percentage shot I won't take. I've had too many deer significantly move their necks quicker than any other body part. The only "neck shot" I ever made was when a doe jerked her head around on a quartering away pass-through. My arrow stuck in her neck and anchored her right there, but it was already a double lunger. So it was by accident...and because she moved her neck upon release.

 

[Whaack]

Send it. Under 10 yards. In the end, know your capabilities and know your anatomy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[solohunter]

If it's REALLY close, like no further than 13 yards, then I can see it being ok. Most archery equipment is too fast for them to even move their neck that fast at such a close range. But otherwise it's such a small target that moves so fast I don't see it being an ok shot at normal bow ranges.

Slow or fast how big is the window for the arrow compared to a broadside shot? Normal bow ranges vary from archer to archer, some guy recently said he wouldn't take a 30 yd shot, but I had taken a 30 yd shot, that hit low and I had to track it a quite a distance, but I did recover the animal. So it is hard to define what is normal.

 

[HVAC]

Like stated a low percentage shot. I don’t need an animal that bad so I always pass.

 

[MihajloSimsic]

Slow or fast how big is the window for the arrow compared to a broadside shot? Normal bow ranges vary from archer to archer, some guy recently said he wouldn't take a 30 yd shot, but I had taken a 30 yd shot, that hit low and I had to track it a quite a distance, but I did recover the animal. So it is hard to define what is normal.

I'm not saying you should ever choose it over a broadside lung shot obviously. But if you have a buck sticking his neck out at spitting distance from you then we can't pretend that is a "super low percentage shot". Yes it's a small target but it's so close you'd have to be pretty bad with a bow to miss, yes deer can move their neck faster than their torso but I'd like to see a deer register a threat and dodge an arrow before a 320+fps arrow can travel 10 yards.

 

[raisins]

I'm not saying you should ever choose it over a broadside lung shot obviously. But if you have a buck sticking his neck out at spitting distance from you then we can't pretend that is a "super low percentage shot". Yes it's a small target but it's so close you'd have to be pretty bad with a bow to miss, yes deer can move their neck faster than their torso but I'd like to see a deer register a threat and dodge an arrow before a 320+fps arrow can travel 10 yards.

It is a low percentage shot.

The only thing in the neck that is quickly fatal on a deer is the spine, jugular veins, and carotid arteries. Those major blood vessels are deeper in a deer's neck than most people realize and further back to the side and along the spine.

Unlike a bullet from a high powered rifle, an arrow creates no shock and so the broadhead must directly impact one of those structures I mentioned before. With a rifle, a neck shot (if done right) is an ethical shot.

I'm very much doubting that most people that would take that shot can accurately determine where a deer's spine/blood vessels run within the much larger neck and then consistently hit that spot with an arrow.

Lastly, I can't count the number of times a guy has justified a bad shot to me by stating "it was the only shot I had". I understand why that makes sense to them, but it only can make sense if you put a very low weight on taking game humanely.

And really lastly, something working a few times doesn't make it a good idea. When people try to use that one my usual retort is "Motley Crue shot heroin and slept with tons of groupies during the height of the AIDS crisis and none of them got it. Does that make what they did a good idea?"

 

[raisins]

Never, and why is it over the past several years shots that were rarely mentioned, are now more frequent? Some guys will think it is smart and some guys will think it is stupid, ad infinitum.

A lot of people nowadays learned to hunt by listening to youtube instead of their grandpa.

 

[Bigmike23]

It's an asinine shot. There's tons a beautiful meat in the neck and as already stated its a low-percentage shot. This video is eye-opening and tho he speaks about bullet placement it just as easily translates over to archery.

 

[bowtechky]

one of my 1st good bucks was a neck shot back in the mid 80’s. The buck came off a ridge looking for does, I grunted at him and turned to come to me but unfortunately he walked straight to my tree looking for the buck. I knew I was going to get busted when he turned his head and exposed his neck and I decided to take the shot. I was shooting a 70# bow with a 400 grain arrow using a 125 grain thunderhead and hit perfectly where I was aiming. He ran about 40 yards into a thicket and I heard him crashing around. I figured he went down so I climbed down and went to retrieve him, I found my arrow broke off at the insert some blood but no deer. When I started tracking him he had gone back up the ridge (mountain), half way up i found my broadhead with a big goob of meat. When I got to the top he stood from behind a log and took off, at this point I didn’t expect to find him. I walked back to my truck, You had to drive about 3-4 miles to get to the top of the ridge. I had never been out that road before and It took me awhile to figure out which ridge it was, I followed a log road all the way to the end of the ridge where I jumped him and started tracking again. I went about 20 yards and it looked like you were spraying blood with a hose, I guess his running finally caused an artery to open up, I found him about 40 yards further, I had walked right past him coming from the top. The broadhead had hit him perfectly in the neck spinal bone and left a hole that looked like he had been shot with a 357 mag hollow point and still ran 150 yards up a very steep hill. No more neck shots for me.

 

[roosiebull]

Are we talking neck shots, or frontal down the throat? Like a broadside neck shot is a horrible shot with archery equipment (good with a rifle at reasonable ranges with a good rest)

Frontal shots are not low percentage shots in the right situation, but they certainly can be if taken when shouldn’t

 

[Blackeagle1]

All or nothing? Well nothing then for me. Everything works until doesn’t! I don’t need a deer that bad to take a risky shot.

 

[skully1200]

A couple things stand out to me in the original post. You say “it was this or nothing” and “you would do it again when required”.
It’s almost as if you your conscience knows it’s not ideal, but you’re trying to justify it to yourself. You always have the option to pass a questionable shot. It is never “required”. This is not a self defense situation, where you have to kill this animal.
The biggest buck I’ve ever been close to, was in 2005. Full draw at about 7 yards for what seemed like forever. He would never turn and give me a good shot angle. I never shot. Could I have killed him? Maybe. Is it disappointing that I didn’t kill him? Yep. But I have no regrets.
My most regrettable deer was a doe that I shot at last light when I couldn’t really see well enough. Wounded her and never recovered her, even though the shot was less than 5 yards. I regret that choice to this day, and learned from my stupid mistake.
Sometimes no shot is better than “the only shot I had”. My opinion

 

[50fps]

Up next femoral artery shots.

 

[Onza]

If you’re looking for an echo chamber to confirm your thoughts, this is not the best place when it comes to risky, low percentage shots. With a bow it should be broadside or quarter with clean access to the vitals. Anything else should be avoided. Let the deer walk, it won that round.