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Neck shots

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
Well...I noticed one from over on another site that has been neck shot already this year. Lucky for the deer and for the hunter he was able to kill and recover it.

 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I got pretty lucky with a neck shot last season. My arrow hit a branch and glanced into the neck, cutting through the wind pipe and an artery. I couldn't tell immediately after the shot where my arrow hit, but I knew something wasn't right by the way the deer ran away. A rookie would have been sure it was a lung hit by looking at the blood trail, but that just wasn't the case. After a little over an hour, I took up the trail and tracked him down. I jumped the buck from his bed, but luckily he was weak from losing so much blood... I had an arrow nocked and was able to get a second shot on him, right through both lungs.

Neck hits happen... and I'd bet that the end result is an unsuccessful recovery more times than not. I really hope that guy didn't intentionally aim for the neck because IMO that's pretty unethical. Looks like a pretty nice doe, nonetheless.
 

Riverdude

The Happy Hunting Grounds Beyond
Supporting Member
10,254
115
Ashtabula, Ohio
I am not a big fan of neck shots, never taken one and really don't think I would. I go for vitals with bow or gun. I am not a rifle hunter but I guess alot of guys do neck shots. Just my 2 cents. :smiley_bril:
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
I've had luck taking neck shots with a gun, but would never consider one with a bow. I'm all about high percentage shots, and that's not one of them.

I've got pics of a doe behind the house that has a hole through her neck from something. Just realized it the other day. I will see if I can dig it up tomorrow.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
I'm not sure if it was intentional or not. I just happened to see the pic posted. I understand things can happen and shots don't always hit there intended points of impact for what ever reason but like you I wouldn't want to intentionally shoot one there with an arrow. I'm just glad it was a kill shot and not turned into one of the guys like last year asking for tracking help because they couldn't find it and knew what and where they was aiming.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
I to hit one in the neck last year after deflecting off of a unseen branch, went about 30 yards from flopping around like a fish out of water and expired. Worse part about it was the arrow was going right at the boiler maker and hit a twig about the size of straw and went from a great shot to a wtf shot. Bottom line deer recovered but makes you think about what I'm missing when I'm lining up the shot....
 

bowieoutdoors

*Supporting member*
I actually prefer neck shots with a gun. I've never had a deer take a step after being shot in the neck with a gun and you don't ruin any meat. With a bow however, I wouldn't take that shot.
 

Thunderflight

Dignitary Member
17,770
167
Shermans Dale, PA
I shot a button buck in the neck once and almost decapitated it. (NC deer are pretty small.)

I'll bet a rage two blade would just about cut the head off a mature Ohio deer. Chuck Adams said they are like throwing an axe at em!
 

RRJJ

Removed by Request.
14,062
0
I got pretty lucky with a neck shot last season. My arrow hit a branch and glanced into the neck, cutting through the wind pipe and an artery. I couldn't tell immediately after the shot where my arrow hit, but I knew something wasn't right by the way the deer ran away. A rookie would have been sure it was a lung hit by looking at the blood trail, but that just wasn't the case. After a little over an hour, I took up the trail and tracked him down. I jumped the buck from his bed, but luckily he was weak from losing so much blood... I had an arrow nocked and was able to get a second shot on him, right through both lungs.

Neck hits happen... and I'd bet that the end result is an unsuccessful recovery more times than not. I really hope that guy didn't intentionally aim for the neck because IMO that's pretty unethical. Looks like a pretty nice doe, nonetheless.


Same thing happened to me once, except my deer fell in 15 yards and was dead within minutes. My arrow hit a limb, an then deflected under the deer neck slicing the jugular.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
I shot a button buck in the neck once and almost decapitated it. (NC deer are pretty small.)

I'll bet a rage two blade would just about cut the head off a mature Ohio deer. Chuck Adams said they are like throwing an axe at em!

I know someone who shot a deer with a rage two blade and it's whole lung fell out on the ground. The whole lung! He still had to track it over the river and though the woods and to grandmothers house. Like 2 miles. Then when he found it he had to stab it in the heart. That guy is super cool.
 

formerbowhunter1023

Now Posts as Jesse..
0
0
SE Ohio
I know someone who shot a deer with a rage two blade and it's whole lung fell out on the ground. The whole lung! He still had to track it over the river and though the woods and to grandmothers house. Like 2 miles. Then when he found it he had to stab it in the heart. That guy is super cool.

LMFAO!!! :D

I'm not one for neck shots unless I have a gun in my hand. I take the neck shot almost exclusively with a gun when I have a solid rest on a calm deer. I like tracking deer, but no sense in it if you can prevent it!!!
 

rgecko23

*Supporting Member*
7,466
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Massillon, Ohio
Joe was that the kid on OS. I was thinking he said the liver or the lung was on the ground. I can't remember exactly. But that was a funny one.
 
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DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
133
Hardin County
I shot a button buck in the neck once and almost decapitated it. (NC deer are pretty small.)

I'll bet a rage two blade would just about cut the head off a mature Ohio deer. Chuck Adams said they are like throwing an axe at em!

I did the same thing my 2nd year of bowhunting. Only had a shot window in the neck standing broadside. Dropped that BB in his tracks.

I wouldn't take that shot today, but it was pretty cool to watch one go down in his tracks. I think I was using Montec G5's at that time.
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Joe was that the kid on OS. I was thinking he said the liver or the lung was on the ground. I can't remember exactly. But that was a funny one.

I remember reading that one. That dude made it sound like the deer was slowly falling apart along the trail... like nuts and bolts were falling out. Was that the dude that tracked it across a highway and into some neighborhood?
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
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Yeah that's it. Through yards. A gas station parking lot. And into a flower bed IN FRONT of someones house where he Rambo knifed that mother fugger.. LOL
 

formerbowhunter1023

Now Posts as Jesse..
0
0
SE Ohio
Yeah that's it. Through yards. A gas station parking lot. And into a flower bed IN FRONT of someones house where he Rambo knifed that mother fugger.. LOL

Gotz damnit that was some funny shit. That dude had to have been in a dark basement drinking a cold beer laughing his ass off when he wrote that. I know I laughed mine off just reading it!!!