RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

While the neck shot may kill, it would not be in my mind a option. I was raised that if you didn't have the shot you wanted you didn't shoot!

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I have to agree with you Bow;)

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Bow,

Both. A very small deer and a 33" arrow.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Quote:

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Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?

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It's a shot I'll pass every time with a bow.No matter the size of the rack.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I own a video of Stan Potts shooting a buck that goes 215" or something like that...........it is freakin' HUGE. I thought it was gonna be neat to see him take that buck until I saw the footage. When the buck came in he came in fast and just "appeared" on camera.......Potts got audibally rattled and you could hear the buck fever coursing thorugh his veins. The buck didn't like the looks of the area and I would say he was gonna be gone in another few seconds. Potts must have thought the same thing because he couldn't hold off any longer. He shot the deer right through the neck..........it was so bad that I remember saying "OH MY GOD!!" aloud when I first saw it. The buck bolted and then they cut to some stupid footage of him much later in the day saying he was on a "Good" blood trail. They found the buck (who knows what happened in between that horrid shot and the recovery) but worst of all is Potts really made no beef about the shot and kept saying that you just can't let a huge buck like that walk and he said many times........"I took the best shot he gave me"

What a disgusting sight and like has been said already..........no wonder so many pinheads out there take dumb shots and let the size of a rack wash away all their common sense.

Atlasman: What had happend on that particular buck, Stan had grunted and the buck turned towards him, ONLY providing that kind of shot. I personally have shot deer in the neck and killed them just fine.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

IMO, the almighty $ directly determines the ethics/standards on most of the shows today. It's a big and competetive business now. Personally I wouldn't purposely take a neck shot...bow or gun.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I don't doubt that has something to do with it but you guys have to admit that it easier to set here and say "I would do this" or "I wouldn't do that" than it is to actually do that or not do that when adrenaline is pumping through your veins, your heart is beating a hundred miles a minute and is lodged in your throat, and tunnel vision has enveloped you. I know that I have made some shots in the past that I would like to take back if I couldand I can't unequivically assure youthat if a 215" buck was standing there that I wouldn't do it again. I would like to think that I wouldn't but when frustration and anticipation and adrenaline all bring themselves to bear in opposition to my nerves; I can't be 100% certain.I think the majority of folks here have made at least one mistake while hunting. Don't get me wrong I don't condone neck shots (even with a rifle)and I think these guys ought to be the first ones to point out when they take a marginal or a bad shot that they did take a bad shot. BUT I have to admit thatI take most of the "high horse" responses with a grain of salt because it's easy to say what you would do but there really is no way to know unless you were in that tree on that day under the same circumstances. JMO

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Exactly, silent. Each person decides on his own shots. I'll keep practicing on that neck shot in case it is ever needed.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Silent
I agree with what you are saying...we would never know until we are there. I have definitely made some bad shots that I would like to take back, in my bowhunting career. But to be honest, most of those were quite a while ago, back when I was green. Andyes,I have shot one deer in the neck...on accident. I got lucky and killed it, because it caught the artery. And yes, I have taken and made some shots that I probably wouldn't take today, just because they are low percentage shots. Even though I was very confident when I took those shots, and was successful with them at that time.
But I also have passed many deer...including the biggest deer I ever had under my stand, because of not having the shot I wanted. I would agree though, that there are other shots that can and are effective if the archer is good. I don't neccesarily agree with some of the shots taken, but again....it's an individual decision. And I definitely ain't on my high horse. I just think taking high percentage shots are best. I honestly don't really care what anyone else does, I can't control that. But I think the video making crews should take a little more consideration towards what they air. Some is flat out bad. My personal opinion, neck shots suck. Both bow and gun. Very low percentage.

I guess mypoint is that yes there is alot of pressure on the folks filming these shows. Killing big deer on video can make or break them...and this can and probably does have an influence on some folks' shot selection.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

WV,

I agree with you. We should all strive to take high percentage shots. I think we owe it to the animals. As we mature as hunters we should learn some self control and not take shots that we would have when we were less experienced. But we still have to realize that they like us are human and long seasons, a desire to succeed, a deer appearing out of no where and you having to make a quick decision or watching a deer come in for a while and your nerves being frayed by the time he gets there or being at full draw for a couple of minutes with all of the above going make each encounter different and very difficult to say what we would infact do.

I agree with you whole heartedly that they should do a better job of codemning it when they do take a bad shot or just not show it. IMO

I am with you. I never have liked a neck shot. There is just too many things to go wrong and the heart/lungs is just a much higher percentage shot IMO.

I think you are probably right but I think it's probably more on a sub-conscious level than it is a conscious level (at least I hope so). I don't think they are standing there saying to themselves "I got to shoot this buck for video" but more likely they have thought about it so much and worried about it so much that they are sunconsciously thinking. I could be wrong though. I just normally don't have many thoughts running through my head at the moment of truth, other than the critter I am shooting at.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I have heard that the artery is the size of a bow string. Just thought you'd like to know. I find it hard to believe that all the neck shots hit that. Must be something else in there.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Yea it's called a spine.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

If that is the ONLY shot he had...............then he had no shot......and before everyone says that "he killed it right?"......that doesn't matter. I shot a doe in the arse one time with a shotgun and I let her go for awhile and then tracked her in the snow and finished the job. She's dead too........doesn't make my shot any better or advisable to take in the future.......and I didn't even take a bad shot........she was quartering away and I either flinched or had a flyer slug. Hitting somewhere you weren't aiming for and getting a lucky kill is one thing. Aiming for a very low % shot and hoping is another. IMO.

I have shot deer in the neck with a gun and seen my brother drop a deer with a spine shot right in it's tracks with a bow. I wouldn't advise either shot ever be taken on purpose.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

That's a little scarey. When is a neck shot "needed"?? Wait a few more seconds and he will give you a chest shot........if not then the game is over and you lost. So what?? That is the great part about hunting.......sometimes everything goes your way and sometimes everything goes against you. Risking horrible injury and slow painful death to a deer just because you hung your stand one tree too far over or made a little too much noise drawing your bow is wrong on so many levels.

I hear so many people on these boards advocating letting deer walk if they are not "big enough".........shouldn't the same logic apply if you don't get a good shot opportunity??

I shoot my 3D target in the eye when I get bored of shooting at the vitals. I have full confidence I could make a neck shot.........I just never would.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Yo Eienstien, I've never shot a deer in the neck or the ass for that matter I'll leave that to yuppies like you. I stated if a buck of a life time came in and the only shot was his neck he's getting a ics 400 thru the jugler. I'll keep practicing the shot just in case.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Let's start playing nice before Uncle Justin has to do things he doesn't want to have to do.

Furthermore - I don't care who you are, how good of a shot you are, how big of a broadhead you're using, how fast your bow is, how long your arrow is, how many pushups you can do, how much you can bench press, how many hot dogs you can eat in a minute, or how many touchdowns you scored in your high school football career - shooting an animal in the neck/throat with an arrow is unacceptable.

There's my 2 cents - where's my gumball?

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I don't know what is funnier..........you calling me a yuppy...........or the fact that you don't know how to spell Einstein

Nice to know your ethics change based on the size of a deer's rack.

How are you going to shoot a deer in the jugler?? Are you gonna aim for the little guy in his neck tossing balls in the air?? If you don't even know what a jugular is how do you plan on hitting it??

Wow

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

bad shot ive learned from experience

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Hey I wouldn't even consider the arse shot you put on that big ole doe. That's your fettish.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Listen, mo honkey or whatever your handle is, you say you'll keep on shooting the neck shot, sure nobody can tell you where to shot or what to kill, but it people like you who do this unethical crap that makes the rest of us real hunters look bad. I'm sure I'll get some rude reply from this but I got big shoulders. If you did your homework and didn't get rattled so much you wouldn't need to shot the deer in the neck. Your not a bowhunter, because a real bowhunter would have ethics and would never shot a deer in the neck. OH! Yeah, the buck Stan Potts shot was luck, he should have never taken that shot, We all make mistakes and so did he but I can bet you he dosen't say he practices that shot on a forum with so many hardcore ethical hunters. I hope the administrators take that uwful picture off it's a discrace to bowhunting.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I don't like shot's like that myself ,and I agree that it's not ethical,but then again who am I to say it's not ethical ,these guy's are obviously making movie's for some reason and I'm not .

nubo

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

#1 The key difference you are missing is that I was not trying to hit her in the hams. Maybe she took a step, maybe I made a bad shot (it was open sights) who knows?? Point being that it was accidental........things like that are gonna happen if you hunt long enough.......any hunter knows that. I made the best of a bad situation.........you on the other hand are advising taking a bad shot on purpose and just hoping for luck to take over. Very dumb. Exercise some patience and wait for a good shot......if you don't get one chalk it up to experience and shoot the next one.

#2 It's fetish..............I hope you shoot better then you spell or you just might hit one in the arse when your trying for that neck shot ;)


Why not take a Texas Heart Shot if he doesn't offer you something as tempting as a neck????

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Never have thought about a neck shot with Archery equipment. I can't imagine it's a high success shot.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

They are making movies because of there disipline and patience and have oppertunity to hunt where monsters live. Think about it anyone of us can do what they do. If somebody put me on a big buck and I shot it, I would give that person some praise and say especially if the person charges to hunt there land that I had a great hunt and that monster live there , which in turn makes them money, sorry about going off like that I had an oppertunity with one of those companies to do what those guys do on TV, but it's not what it's cracked up to be, still bitter about it. Not all roses if you know what I mean. As for this thread, It bothers me that people think like that. What a discrace. Somebody needs to instill some respect in that yahoo for the game he chases.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

And the throat. Just throwing out some info to help in shot placement if you do feel the need to let one fly in that direction. If your going to take it, best to make it the best shot you can. You could set up a model and see if you are able to make the shot. It will drop like a rock if your shot is true and that"s a good thing, might be a poor trade off for a low percentage shot though. Many people take low percentage shots some here have admitted it, a deflected shot is a low percentage shot. Not knowing what's infront of the shot is a low percentage shot and ignorance is an admission of guilt. The percentages of seeing a monster are just as low. If your going to take it, make it the best you can, but it is tough to live with if you don't. Might not be worth it, but that's up to each individual and they must be willing to accept the consequences, what ever they maybe. I see a little small voice has already, from experience, come out a gin it, :D worth keeping in the back of your mind. Hope you have a good season.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Forums like this are great for folks like me who are just getting into bow hunting. I would have thought that a neck shot would have been good with a bow. The majority ofmy deer killed with a rifle, I have taken with shots to the neck. So I would have thought that it translates.

I would like to get a concensus on quarter to, and a heart shot. Which of these would you take? If it is a maybe situation then how would you take them?

Thanks
Tom

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

First off I'm from Texas . Lived here all my life and hunted almost as long, 39years old.
Next we do not condone shooting deer up the bunghole, dont know where the Texas Heart Shot thing came from but nobody down here does that. Seems like all the ones doing it are from up north. I think we should call a Yanky doo doo dandy shot.
LOL.
Second we do shoot deer in the neck, with rifles ,not with archery. A rifle neck shot should be held to under 100 yds though, with a good rest like a blind or hunting house as some of you call it, we use feeders here so the deer are usually feeding which make neck shots easier. Bucks rattled in offer great neck shots as they are usually staring straight at you at around 75 yds.
I know some of you despise us using deer feeders but the truth is I have never killed a buck at a feeder, I have had way more luck rattling them in which is cheating if you ask.
me. I wouldnt advise anyone to take anything different than a broadside vitals shot with as bow, I wont even shoot quartering. Broadside always, if he doesnt present that shot to me, no matter what, oh well , see him another day.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Nodog, I appreaciate your civil response. It appears being honest on this forum doesn,t pay. Lou lou or what ever your handel is, I have never taken a neck shot in my life, never needed to. I just posted that I would consider it for a trophy of a life time if all he presented was his neck. I practice the shot all of the time just in case. I take alot of time to prepair my shooting lanes and hang my stands where I won,t even have to conisider your alls so called unethical shot. Now I will take my toys and go on to another post, I,m done with this one. I promise I will never take that arse shot that Atlas boy enjoys.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Why not?? It is just as likely to end up in a kill if you get lucky enough to hit the femoral artery.............same luck you're banking on taking a neck shot.

Your repeated implication that I took the ham shot on that doe on purpose even though it has been explained to you multiple times that I did not..........only shows that you know you are wrong and just trying to deflect the heat your poor ethics has brought on you.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I can honestly say I don't like the idea of a neck shot simply because of it's not only a lower percentage shot than a double lung, AND the high risk of loosing a deer to it. I unfortunately though can't say that I'd never do it. Last season, it came down to a shot in the neck when the buck stopped just as entering my shooting lane. I held on for as long as I could, but eventually he stood there longer than I could hold the back. I took careful aim at the center of neck and pulled the trigger on the release. The arrow hit with a resounding crack and dropped him in his tracks. The arrow not only broke his neck but also severed the main artery as you can see in the pic.
Let me repeat myself, I don't like the idea of it, and would probably never do it again, but like others have said in this thread; it's easy to be an armchair quarterback until faced with the situation that puts you there.
With all that being said; I'd like to know how many here have noticed the number of ppl in those videos shooting deer in the shoulder blade? I even know a couple guys that do it ON PURPOSE because they believe the new technology of carbon arrows, broadheads, and bow power won't let them down. Any feelings on this one?

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Nice!!!! Atlasman, couldn't put it any better.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Wow.......that is one of the weirdest posts I have ever read. You list all the reasons NOT to take a neck shot.......then describe how you took one anyways because you didn't want to let your bow down.........not "That was the only shot he offered"........just "I held as long as I could". You lost the game and couldn't accept it so you took a shot that you KNEW you shouldn't take. Then you finish up by saying you "probably" won't do it again. Something about the rest of your post being a polar opposite contradiction makes me wonder about that.

Pretty much the same as when someone says "I would NEVER take a shot at a deer over 20 yards in the field.............UNLESS he is a monster then I am sending an arrow his way no matter how far he is"

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I have tried to stay out of this anymore than i already have posted, but i have to say a few things.

First off anyone who considers taking a neck shot ethical is crazy. Yes its very deadly if you hit the spine or one of the veins running through his neck. Each of these veins is around the size of your middle finger to possibly your thumb and that makes for a very small target to hit on a deer that is likely to flinch or jump the string to some extent. The spine is about the size of the end of a beer bottle or just a tad larger yet another hard target to hit. Another thing you have to consider is the fact that both of these targets are in diffrent spots along the length of the neck not just the center. This becomes even harder on a rut crazed buck with a swollen neck. If you hit the windpipe yes the deer will most likely die due to trouble getting air down to his lungs and blood running into it and into his lungs but thats gonna take quite a while unless the windpipe is cut completely in half.

The reason I say anyone who considers a neck shot ethical is crazy is they are taking to much of a chance of wounding the deer. To make it ethical wiht a bow you would have to know exactly where the spine and or veins are at any given time as the deer moves which is almost impossible to tell or even get right guessing. The you have to aim right at that spot and even if your bow shoots exactly where you hold it, if you flinch or pull the slightest little bit you have most likely messed up. Next at the shot the deer can't move a bit which is not to likely as most move to some extent at the shot, not all but most do move. Last is your yardage judgement. Even with the fastest bows you would have to be very close to the yardage you guess to have the arrow hit right where your pin is being held on the deers neck.

Im guessing most on here have good common sense, and that common sense will tell you that those circumstances i posted above hardly if ever happen at the same time. Therefore I just don't see how anyone could consider a neck shot ethical. It just not a high percentage shot. its a very low percentage shot at that and one that can be practiced on a decoy and make you feel that you can make it, but in reality there are just to many variables to deal with. You owe it to the animals you hunt to take them cleanly and quickly so take the best shot and aim for the heart lung area where you have a margian of error unlike on the neck. If you can't take that shot then don't shoot at all and let the deer walk for another day and maybe the next time you get him/her in range they will give you the best shot and you can take it. I passed on the largest deer i have ever seen for this very reason. I was hunting in Central Illinios several years ago and on the 4th day i had a buck that would score somewhere in the 180-190 range as they found his sheads after the season. He never gave me the shot i needed so i let him pass and I will tell you that was very hard to do. But i wasn't gonna risk wounding him much less any other deer for that matter with an irresponsible shot. Neckshots are unethical and extreamly risky to take so don't take them on purpose you owe it to the animal as we all don't want to wound one.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I agree with rattlesnake. There is times I will take this shot.

atlasman, don't put down a hunter for making a excellent shot and bagging very nice trophy. it may not be the best shot, but like rattlesnake said "what about the people that shot them in the shoulder blade".

It all depends on the persons ability to make the shot. I'm like Burger King, have it your way!!

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

Saying that there are people out there who take worse shots than quartering-in is a pretty weak arguement. There are people out there who spotlight deer and shoot then with high powered rifles in the middle of the night. It doesn't mean that people who are only poaching during daylight hours are being any less unethical.

IMO there is no "gray" area when it comes to shot placement while bowhunting regardless of skill or equipment.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I have never looked into the wisdom behind the arguments for or against taking certain shots and think that like all other things that have been black and white issues they are possibly not all based on facts much less current ones. Like one here said he didn't know that a neck shot was tabo and now he does. What is he basing his assesment on? certainly not the facts , but peer presure. The neck shot does seem to be affective by the count here.

I like the signature and your approach to peoples opinions and although you felt the need to lock a certain post, next time you could wait a bit for some needed peer presure to be applied. There is such a thing as guilt by association and if a person is aware of objectionable things but continues to particapate they have as well sold their souls and not even for cash. Bottom line if someone doesn't like it don't tune in.
:D

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I would have to say that is far from true. There are a few people here who chimed in and said "I did it once by accident and was fortunate enough to put the deer down quickly and recover it" but I'm sure if the truth would be known there are a lot more people out there who have lost deer with this **** than visa versa. As an example last year my father hit a beautiful buck in the neck after his arrow hit an unseen twig and we ended up recovering the deer over a mile away and a month later after it had been eaten by coyotes and gone to waste. Unfortuantely those things happen in real life although you will never see them in videos, so to say that the facts point to it being an effective shot I believe is stretching a bit.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I didn't "put him down"........I thought it was strange to read a post saying all the reasons neck shots are a bad idea........followed by "but I took one anyways" and finished with "I probably won't do it again"

All those statements don't fit together.

For every story of a "successful" neck shot their are countless horror stories. Shot placement is hard enough with a bow without taking low % shots and hoping to get lucky.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

RattleSnake1

I admire your honesty!! And you are right , people sometimes break their own rules when it's crunch time. The line between breaking your own rules and abiding by them is called discipline.

RE: Since when did shooting a deer in the neck become an acceptable shot?
 

I bet the taxidermist just love the neck shot guys. I can't see any reason to take a chance on a neck shot unless you can hit a moving broomhandle 8 out of 10 shots. I am guilty of having taken more then one risky shot(i.e steep angles and quartering on.) but when the blood trail goes dry you know who to blame. It's not very often you recover a animal thats been hit with a marginal shot at best. It would be hard for me to take finding the buck of my dreams a year after I took a bad shot on him.I would rather see him on someone elses wall.