Where to aim for neck shots

[75]

Well I'll stick my head above the parapet and say I've had a few neck shots go wrong. One very recently and I bloody hate doing that. I just don't like them and prefer head if I'm not chest shooting them. I think there's too much margin for error with neck. Just a touch off and you can miss the spine or just catch it enough to drop the deer but they can get up and run. Plus with high neck you're too close to the jaw for my liking unless directly from behind.

Either way, head or neck, if it lifts its head it gets another one. I don't mind kicking of legs but anything that lifts its head is going to run.

 

[HonestJohn]

As my late Father always said, just wait a little longer, a shot will present itself, if not, the deer won today.

 

[HallyButt]

I don’t like neck shots, if I can’t hilar or high shoulder shoot I will head shoot, feels like there is too much chance of something going bad

 

[Nickb]

I dont usually take head or neck shots but when I have its lower neck with no problems

 

[baguio]

As my late Father always said, just wait a little longer, a shot will present itself, if not, the deer won today.

Allowing the deer to win shouldn't be an option. Just be better so that you can successfully take the shot that has presented. The neck shot is a lethal shot, just like a head or chest shot. It's a wonder that some people shoot any deer at all with their reluctance to take anything other than the perfect broadside chest shot.

 

[HonestJohn]

I dont usually take head or neck shots but when I have its lower neck with no problems View attachment 355321

Christ man, have that scope sitting high enough

 

[VSS]

Well I'll stick my head above the parapet and say I've had a few neck shots go wrong. One very recently and I bloody hate doing that. I just don't like them and prefer head if I'm not chest shooting them. I think there's too much margin for error with neck. Just a touch off and you can miss the spine or just catch it enough to drop the deer but they can get up and run. Plus with high neck you're too close to the jaw for my liking unless directly from behind.

Either way, head or neck, if it lifts its head it gets another one. I don't mind kicking of legs but anything that lifts its head is going to run.

Surely you mean there's not enough margin for error with neck shots? In which case yes, I agree with you entirely.

 

[Mungo]

Are you trolling?
I provide the Deer initiative recommended locations for shot placement (centreline of neck, coinciding with spinal column), Tim.243 provides photo evidence of this in reality to back it up and yet you keep pushing the issue.

Not at all - I’m very grateful for everyone’s replies. They’re all very informative. I’m not trying to imply that I disagree with them or think I know better.

I’m genuinely curious about what different people do. And as we’ve seen, people do have different approaches. Some will shoot side on, some won’t. Some will only shoot top and bottom, some will shoot in the middle.

There’s enough variation out there to make it worth seeing it.

Should we end every thread immediately after 2 people have provided their answer?

 

[Nickb]

Christ man, have that scope sitting high enough

What's wrong with it , suits me fine. In fact last year I never missed a single shot. 100 % success shooting deer and foxes with it.

 

[Dunwaters]

Let’s assume we’ve had the discussion about whether or not to neck shoot at all, and have agreed that everyone has their own set of personal guidelines.

So: where do you aim for a neck shot?

I seldom take them, primarily because I’m really not sure about where best to aim. But I think I’m missing a fair number of good opportunities as a result.

My favourite shot placement by a considerable margin, with some caveats.

(1). Use a soft, fast bullet.
(2). Stay away from the upper chest unless you’ve decided on that option before you mash the trigger.
(3). If theres any doubt, get up there ASAP and finish it. (even if you have no doubt it’s generally no harm to get up there fast ).

Advantages.

Aim point is always the same, centre mass, halfway between head and chest regardless of the orientation of the animal.
If in doubt, go a little bit higher, not lower.

With a fast frangible bullet you don’t need to hit the spine, a near miss will drop it once you score a solid hit.

The effective area is a lot bigger than is generally illustrated, especially on a stag and the neck is far less mobile than the head.

Very positive feedback from a solid hit, the animal drops instantly .

You don’t have to wait for the creature to turn fully side on and a neck shot, even if it’s a bit off, will generally anchor the animal where it stands which makes it ideal for those last light opportunities close to heavy cover sika specialise in.

You get a nice clean carcass.

Downsides.
if you do mess up you probably won’t recover the animal, it will have 4 good legs under it and there’s unlikely to be much of a blood trail.
Hinds, does and calves have skinny little necks. The target area is small.

 

[Mungo]

View attachment 355356

My favourite shot placement by a considerable margin, with some caveats.

(1). Use a soft, fast bullet.
(2). Stay away from the upper chest unless you’ve decided on that option before you mash the trigger.
(3). If theres any doubt, get up there ASAP and finish it. (even if you have no doubt it’s generally no harm to get up there fast ).

Advantages.

Aim point is always the same, centre mass, halfway between head and chest regardless of the orientation of the animal.
If in doubt, go a little bit higher, not lower.

With a fast frangible bullet you don’t need to hit the spine, a near miss will drop it once you score a solid hit.

The effective area is a lot bigger than is generally illustrated, especially on a stag and the neck is far less mobile than the head.

Very positive feedback from a solid hit, the animal drops instantly .

You don’t have to wait for the creature to turn fully side on and a neck shot, even if it’s a bit off, will generally anchor the animal where it stands which makes it ideal for those last light opportunities close to heavy cover sika specialise in.

You get a nice clean carcass.

Downsides.
if you do mess up you probably won’t recover the animal, it will have 4 good legs under it and there’s unlikely to be much of a blood trail.
Hinds, does and calves have skinny little necks. The target area is small.

This is really useful.

Do you keep your point of aim the same regardless of orientation? So full side on or full facing forward, just put the crosshair halfway across the visible neck?

 

[75]

(3). If theres any doubt, get up there ASAP and finish it. (even if you have no doubt it’s generally no harm to get up there fast ).

I don't agree with this I'm afraid. If there's any doubt, put an other in it straight away. I wouldn't approach a badly neck-shot animal. I had a hind which dropped to the shot, stayed down but was moving a bit. Not enough I was too concerned so I shot the calf as well. I was a little complacent as she dropped so quickly so I moved to get a better angle on the hind to double check, she saw me and got up and ran. And ran. And ran.

With a fast frangible bullet you don’t need to hit the spine, a near miss will drop it once you score a solid hit.

Again, not my experience. I've had several I can recall with "near miss" neck shots that have all dropped like stones but have needed follow ups. That's why I personally don't like necking them. Clearly others do though and I've been out with several well known guides who won't let you head shoot them but happy take neck shots (to the point of encouraging - "neck it if you can"!!).

I've shot a fair few over the years and I've not lost many. But everyone I have lost has been a neck shot.

 

[Rake Aboot]

The neck is amazing , best meat on the animal and makes amazing broth.

Best missed if you can but if you have to then I just shoot the part that’s presenting the best target.
The best neck shot is from behind just below the skull.
Imo

 

[Tazz]

Neck shot for me on Fallow are third option generally behind chest and head, like head shots I prefer front on or reverse looking away it reduces the last minute swing of the head/neck leading to error. The other thing with neck shots is they may go down on the spot from the “ Blow/shock” but then leap up if spine/chord are not damaged, generally with head shots if they go down they don’t get back up

 

[Tim.243]

Not at all - I’m very grateful for everyone’s replies. They’re all very informative. I’m not trying to imply that I disagree with them or think I know better.

I’m genuinely curious about what different people do. And as we’ve seen, people do have different approaches. Some will shoot side on, some won’t. Some will only shoot top and bottom, some will shoot in the middle.

There’s enough variation out there to make it worth seeing it.

Should we end every thread immediately after 2 people have provided their answer?

H/L a Roe and skin the neck back then you will see what is where, a front on winter fox looks wide but in truth with out the fur they are very narrow in the neck. Reds with a thick shaggy coat around the neck are similar

 

[Dunwaters]

This is really useful.

Do you keep your point of aim the same regardless of orientation? So full side on or full facing forward, just put the crosshair halfway across the visible neck?

Yes.
You’re trying to hit the spine and if you miss it you are looking to disrupt as much muscle as possible and to impart maximum shock to the area.
Similar to a head shot, you don’t need to actually hit the brain to kill the animal if you do enough damage close to it.
So pretty much always centre mass.

 

[HallyButt]

H/L a Roe and skin the neck back then you will see what is where, a front on winter fox looks wide but in truth with out the fur they are very narrow in the neck. Reds with a thick shaggy coat around the neck are similar

CWD worse still as their fur projects out at 90 degrees around neck. The one in my signature, the neck muscle was probably 30% of total width, which is what convinced me not to neck shoot. Any one that claims 100% sub MOA in field conditions every time is a Billy Bullshitter, in reference to the ‘get better’ comment above.

 

[Dunwaters]

I don't agree with this I'm afraid. If there's any doubt, put an other in it straight away. I wouldn't approach a badly neck-shot animal. I had a hind which dropped to the shot, stayed down but was moving a bit. Not enough I was too concerned so I shot the calf as well. I was a little complacent as she dropped so quickly so I moved to get a better angle on the hind to double check, she saw me and got up and ran. And ran. And ran.


Again, not my experience. I've had several I can recall with "near miss" neck shots that have all dropped like stones but have needed follow ups. That's why I personally don't like necking them. Clearly others do though and I've been out with several well known guides who won't let you head shoot them but happy take neck shots (to the point of encouraging - "neck it if you can"!!).

I've shot a fair few over the years and I've not lost many. But everyone I have lost has been a neck shot.

If you can see the deer from your shooting point and it looks like it needs another one, fire away, if you can’t, get up there or send the dog to hold until you can.

You are trying to achieve a humane kill and recover the animal , with neck shots you do need the occasional follow up round or to go in with the knife, but you need that with any placement.

I’ve lost a few with neck shots, I’ve lost quite a few more with chest hits.
Deer running into thicket phase Sitka spruce are hard to find, which is why I want them straight down on the deck where they stand.
Theres no such thing as one perfect placement, you need to be able to assess the situation and make an informed choice from the options available to you.
Making an occasional mistake is part of the learning process, learn and move on.

 

[Mungo]

H/L a Roe and skin the neck back then you will see what is where, a front on winter fox looks wide but in truth with out the fur they are very narrow in the neck. Reds with a thick shaggy coat around the neck are similar

I periodically get winter H/L shots a bit wrong because I fail to account for the apparent body width created by extra fur. Essentially spine them rather than H/L. Not disastrous, except you lose a fair bit of loin.

 

[kenbro]

Never it’s to hard to define and easy to stick one through the neck and miss bone. I’ve had one or two stags get up after a poor neck shot which is pretty alarming. High or low is the way to go.

Never done a neck shot but, I would have thought, with the right bullet even if you missed the bone it would be pretty much instant dead.
Ken.