Texas Hunter

Not a shot for me.

nyflyer

I think you did just what you should of done. If you not sure about your shot don' t take it. Bravo!

OneShotCharlie

congrats on seeing a nice deer, and i agree with the others on not taking the shot being the best. you could' ve missed the spine or missed altogether and then the deer would be running and running and you' d never see him again and all because you took a risky shot...so i think you made the right decision

CarolinaDeerHunter

If you were unsure of the shot, I agree that it is best to wait. I would rather have another chance at him instead of having him running away and dying a day later or of gang green. Only you know how you felt at the time and nobody can answer that question but you. Never second guess yourself. Good Luck!! -- CDH

plainsman

I guess it all depends on your groupings. If your sighted in at 2" or under, that deer would be hanging right now. I' d have taken ' em

Jorgy

You did the right thing. Like someone else said, you didn' t feel confident with the shot, so you held off. That as far as I' m concerned is the best thing you can do. Doesn' t make it any easier though second guessing yourself.

Related story. Second season for rifle deer here in Colorado I snuck up on 2 deer on the edge of a wheat field. Watched them for 10 minutes before there was enough light to see they were both bucks. I could have stood and taken a shot off hand (about 150 yards) but I decided to try and sneak closer so I wouldn' t have to take a standing shot on a decent buck while my heart was pounding. I snuck about 30 yards closer so I could lay down for a shot and then the local cows started coming to the field and the deer took off. Never got a shot. Of course my buddy gave me a really hard time since I could have taken a shot that wouldn' t have actaully been that bad, but at the time I thought I could do better. Thats hunting.

Hope you get another chance at him

Steve F.in MD

If in doubt, don' t shoot. On the other hand, if you can hit your target reliably at that distance a neck shot will drop him on the spot. Only you can decide if you made the right choice. Sounds to me like you did.

dkbs

I would have done what you did. Wait. For all you know he could' ve stepped out in the open shortly. The neck is a small target that is very pivotable. Unlike the bulk of its body, the neck can be moved in a split second. Making the best aimed bullet hit a non vital area in that split second.
Sure you may have gotten him, but how would you feel if you' d wounded him. You' d be always thinking, If I' d only waited.
Just my thoughts
Dan

PABowhntr

I probably would not have taken the shot either. I cannot ever remember taking a neck shot on an animal and would not feel personally comfortable doing so. If you feel the same way then you did the right thing.

Nomercy

Ok, I' m picturing myself in this situation, so it' s not really fair to you, but I would have taken the shot...but I hunt with a rifle that I can shoot 1/2-3/4" groups off a bench and 1-1.25" freehand at 100yrds with, with a bipod and 4-16x42mm glass, with CT (winchester/speer) Balistic Silvertips handloaded, the overwhelming majorityof my shooting is done freehand to make sure I can make shots like that, and I tend not to get the " fever" . Assuming I didn' t catch the fever-a fair assumption based on experience-I would have been able to confidently make the shot, which is what matters, if there' s any doubt, you shouldn' t shoot.

It is admirable that you did not take the shot though, you were doubtful, so you shouldn' t have shot...I' m a fim believer that you should only shoot when you' re certain you can maximize your odds of successful harvest, you couldn' t be certain, so holding was the right decision. If I get the " fever" for some odd reason, I' ll hold unless it' s a pure " gimme shot" , i.e. even if I catch the fever on a shot that' s broadside at 100yrds in the open while I' m rested, I' d go ahead, take out the rest, turn the deer, add some obstructions, or make it any longer, then I' d hold though.

I ALWAYS follow that if I have to consider the risks of the shot, I don' t have to consider them, I just don' t shoot, seems that you do too, good job.