All depend on what kind of a shooter you are. If your experienced calm and collected on your shots and the situation calls for it I say sure why not. I hear all the horrors of neck shots. I just have a defense for it on how other SAFE shots can go bad.

One of the most over looked and misconceptions of shot on Elk is the shoulder shot. Everyone is into this big and heavy bullet smashing through the shoulder and into the lungs. Thats all well in good but....... Elk are not armor plated but they have alot bigger bones than deer. And those bigger bones turn bullets easier if the bullet strikes at bad angle or hits too low into that massive knuckle. Also the shoulder plate acts just like a ramp at a severe upwards shot sending the bullet right out the top of the withers causing only minor wounds. A bullet at a bad angle can sent it right into the front portion of the elk towards the brisket causing no immediate life threatning danger to the animal. Anyone who's ever tracked a elk that only has one functional front leg knows they can still out distance you to the point you'll never in fact run it down. You can sneak up on it and put it down if your lucky enough and skilled at tracking wounded animals.

Of all the wounded elk I've tracked for other hunters that broken front leg is the worst of em all. I'd rather have a gut shot elk to track he's gonna lay up more often. I'm not trying to say neck shots are best to shoot but I've seen plenty other mishaps trying to make a good shot and it go wrong too. The best shot is to make sure you stay back into the lungs and only hit nothing but rib bones. DEAD ELK EVERYTIME. Rifle hunters should pay more attention to how Archery hunters have to aim at animals for kill shots it works the same for rifles.

Any shot can go bad, one bobble at the time of the bullet leaving the barrel and you got a wounded animal. Neck shots are best left to accomplished hunters or should I say shooters.