Being a newbie to bowhunting, I’d like to hear some opinions on shooting a deer in the neck with an arrow. It is my favorite spot to shoot with a gun 
, but not sure how the arrow would do. FYI: I shoot Rage 2-blade broadheads.
Thanks,
RR
With arrow I would not push your luck no matter what is on the END of it ! Gun have at it
I would not ever shoot a deer in the neck (gun or bow). Take a lung and collect your prize 75 yards later. 
no way with a bow, last resort with a gun
The only shot that would bring down a deer hitting the neck is a good solid spine shot. Unless your a very good shot its one of the least places where it will drop a deer. Other vitals are a much better choice.
I will respectfully disagree with anyone that doesn’t like a neck shot with a gun. There is less to shoot at, but I have never seen a deer run after a neck shot. I have killed a lot of deer in my short 15 years with a gun (MN, WI, IA) and well over half have fallen via neck shots. Plus, you ruin no meat!
I don’t think I could try it with my bow. However I have killed many deer with my .243 with neck shots. Never tracked a single one and not a one went further that where it stood. I also agree no wasted meat with a neck shot.
It Really upsets me to even here of a guy who would even think about a neck shot,are you joking.I think you need to read up on some ethics or something.
Quote:
no way with a bow, last resort with a gun
x2
VITALS BABY!
Well I’m interested in learning. Please share. I have been taught to kill quickly and humanely. If a deer is shot and dies instantly and little to no meat is wasted why does it matter where the bullet or arrow hit? I’m not trying to be controversial but I’ve read this debate before and still haven’t been convinced why a quick clean kill is unethical simply because it was shot in the neck.
I know I have killed 2 bucks during the WI gun season that were shot in the face/neck area that came over from a neighboring farm. I know assumptions can get a guy in trouble but I assumed someone was shooting for the neck or head on these or they were running… One of them had the lower jaw shot off and his tongue was hanging down when I saw him. I finished him because I did not think he would survive the winter and I never saw or heard from anyone looking for this guy…
I have to admit that I made a bad shot on a doe 2 weeks ago, and hit her in the neck. Not sure exactly what happened, but i don’t think I anchored correctly, or I just flat out jerked the trigger as doe fever set in, but anyway at 20 yards she was hit square in the neck with a rage 2 blade and she didn’t make it another 20 yards. When I dressed her out, there wasn’t an ounce of blood left in her. I wouldn’t say I’d ever aim for the neck, but from what I saw on that deer, it appears to be a highly effective shot. As far as the ethics behind a neck shot with a bow, I feel it could be a much more ethical shot than I’ve seen or heard of people taking at the vitals from bad angles.
Quote:
The only shot that would bring down a deer hitting the neck is a good solid spine shot.
I would also have to strongly disagree with that statement. I would not purposely aim for the neck on a deer with a bow but my first deer I took with my bow I had a broadside shot and just as I was releasing my arrow the doe turned facing me. The arrow hit her square in the neck cutting her jugular and she dropped like a rock. Again I would not advocate taking that shot with a bow but If I had a close up shot with a gun I would not hesitate on taking that shot.
Its hard for me to say…my buddy shot a doe accidentally forward and cut the jugular. She went 20 yards and poured blood 
This was before Rage may i add. Im pretty confident if i had a close shot that didn’t offer a shot at the vitals that i would take it 
Im confident in my broadheads and what to aim for…i doubt i would ever have this shot but im just saying its possible that i would think of it
How big is the Jugular??? How big are the deer vitals??? Smaller room for error IMO. 
I respect my qaurry to much to take a neck shot with bow and arrow. I would possibly do it with a rifle, because if I miss the jugular or spine and do not drop it. I have another shot or 2, to drop it. But, if possible I would wait for a vital shot before last resorting to a neck shot with Rifle. My Dad took a neck shot last year with a rifle. He knocked the doe over she spun 2 circles got up and ran off. We never recovered that deer. 
Can you make a killing shot @ 60 yards with a bow? Yes you sure can. Is it a shot you want to take over a 20 yard shot???????? I veiw the neck shot the same way with my Bow.
I’m too new at hunting and wth a bow for that matter to comment.
I say with a gun a neck shot is perfectly ethical. How many people here have wounded a deer by shootitng at the vitals and hit a leg or spin or something of that nature and the deer is still alive as you walk up on it. Ask yourself this are you going to blow another hole in the deer to take out it’s lungs or will you just shoot it in the head or neck. Everytime I have had to do this a head or neck shot kills them instantly. IMO a head or neck shot should only be tried at close range on a motionless deer. My $.02 A bow neck shot could also be very effective but it would be a last resort and then I don’t know if I would take it.
The question was asked if a neck shot was a good shot with a bow. You have to be lucky to hit a vital area in the neck. An arrow dosen’t have any immediate trama like a gunshot does or no impact that would break a neck like a gun shot would. The question meant is it a good place to aim for considering all the variables that could happen.
Everybody knows a spine shot is a hard shot to make. You eigther have to be a very good shot and know your going to hit a vital area or your lucky. If you hit the esophagaus it will cut the throat but they will run forever. An arrow dosen’t cause impact trama breaking or shocking the system like a bullet does so if you don’t hit a vital area in the neck, thier all small areas of low percentages unlike the lungs, thier going to run off and die. The question meant whats the percentages of a good fast kill aiming at the neck area. Anyway thats the way I see what was asked.
but if you do hit the main artery in the neck, isn’t that the same as hitting it in the heart…they bleed out?? loss of blood pressure causes them to collapse or faint right??
Yes I realized I got wrapped up in answering the nay sayers that I got offtrack from the original question, that is why I edited it right after it was posted.
Not the exact image i wanted but will give you guys somewhat of an idea
I agree with lip. I respect what i hunt to much to take a shot that might wound it. Yes it can and has dropped many deer in its tracks. Id never take that shot with a bow.
Good answer, Mossy. The arrow wouldn’t have the same shock value as a bullet. The neck probably shouldn’t be a top choice with a bow. I also see talk of the jugular and spine, but the neck is packed with nerves as well that get great reactions from lead. As far as tracking, a neck kill drops them in their tracks as opposed to tracking, and the possibility of losing your deer like SlopBass’ friend earlier.
But one thing is for sure, each hunter has their own preferences and there is rarely a definite right or wrong answer for many situations. 
Good discussion!
Very well put Dan…Though mechanical heads increase cutting area you are shooting at a “blind” target, “hoping” to cut the jugular or the spinal cord…both small diameters.
You can see the shoulder/armpit crease and ribcage. They will tell you where the lungs lie. Much more room for error.
Besides, the National Bowhunter Education organization has studied the effects of such shot angles for many years and discourages such a shot as be too risky.
hmmm i think angle has a lot to do with it…are we talking a broadside neck shot, or are we talking head on neck shot? A broadside neck shot instead of the vitals…no way. Head on neck shot close range…maybe, but I wouldn’t with a bow. I’m all about the heart shot.
Don’t forget to take into account the “flinch factor” Deer tend to flinch when they hear the release of the arrow or “jump the bow string”. Typically they will drop a couple inches before they try to take off. Vitals are more forgiving in that area and your chances of success are much higher than shooting at the neck! Just my .02!!
I’m not a bow hunter so this answer will be a bit off topic but I was raised with deer rifle hunting and was taught to “Shoot them in the neck to not waste any meat.” I’ve personally seen over 40 deer get shot in the neck and not one of them didn’t fall immediately to the ground. So I don’t know what this talk is about spine shots or jugular shots as the only way, when a bullet from a high-powered rifle enters the neck of a deer (anywhere) the deer falls immediately, there is no discussion here. However we hunt with very skilled shooters so maybe a neck shot isn’t recommended for everyone, I just wanted to clarify that a neck shot is an immediate kill and if anybody tells you otherwise they don’t know what they’re talking about. However, I’ve learned how to cook the neck meat properly so I may change the game plan.
My brother once shot a small buck I drove to him in the neck at 15 yards with a Ruger 300 short mag. The deer jumped, ran 10 yards and turned broadside. He thought he missed. Shot it in the heart and it dropped. There was a perfect 300 hole in the middle of the neck and no blood coming out of it. That deer surely would have gotten away had he not put another shot in it. So NO, you can’t shoot them in the neck anywhere!
That being said many people have excellent results from neck shots with a rifle. I can’t imagine a scenario where I would even try it with a bow. I have been bow hunting for 37 years and the thought has never even crossed my mind, but I am not here to judge anyone.
I’ve killed a lot of deer over the years, both gun and bow. Some of these were neck shots, not by design, and, yes, some dropped on the spot. Some went a long, long ways. Would I intentionally aim for the neck? No….Gun or bow.
Being a phenomenal shot on paper or bale is nice, but the field has too many little unseen things that can cause what looks like a simple poke go very wrong. A blade of tough grass, a twig,….anything, including the nervous tension of aiming at an animal, can make things go from sure to schnit in a blink. The only certain thing while I am hunting is that I don’t need to take chances with a clean kill and I much prefer to wait out an animal that is offering a jaded chance of a clean hit or I’ll let it pass. I think too many people want to kill so bad that they “settle” for a chance shot and some actually get lucky while others learn the hard way that deer can bleed like crazy for 40yards then piddle blood away for another 20 yards before ending entirely and the wounded animal disappears from their agenda.
If you’re new to bow hunting you best forget about the shots that you might take with a gun and go for the sure kill in the kitchen. No, you aren’t good enough to be taking a neck shot intentionally.
Not ruin any meat? The neck roast is my second favorite part of the animal. Screw trimming it out. Slow roast with a small chunk of pork, lipton onion soup and pick out any connective tissues that are very easy to identify after cooking and shred up for hot italian ‘beefs’ that melt in your mouth.
The only intentional neck shot i took was in 2014 with a 30-06 at 20 yards. The buck kept walking at me and didnt present a broadside shot. He stopped at 20 yards and looked up at me. I put the crosshair right under his white patch and dropped him.
Conversely, i wouldn’t take a neck shot with a bow, no way. Im confident in my shooting and equipment, but I’m not confident that hunting factors and deer reactions would be against me.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
