Neck shots?

[Coastal_native]

I'm curious to see what people think about taking neck shots with a MF when elk hunting.  I know it's not universally accepted as an ethical shot. 

It's prooven to be a very effective way to put elk down for me over the last 10-15 yrs.  Generally, If I have a lung shot I'll take it, but if I restricted myself to only taking lung shots while hunting coastal WA, I would have watched many bulls run away in the thick brush.  My experience has been that even if I don't directly hit bone, the shock will still break the neck and drop the elk in its tracks.  Most of my shots are inside 50 yds with a .270 or .300 WIN.

I've been called an idiot by a few people for taking those shots, but I've never lost an animal.  Anyone else have any testimonies?

[JimmyHoffa]

My preferred shot.  I don't care for shots over 200 yds on animals anymore because I like to go for the neck...although I broke that rule on a bear this year and went to 207 yds.  It's lights out, and the animals are in their tracks...dead in a fraction of a second.  I've spent too much time tracking other peoples' animals that were shot heart/lungs....especially with some kind of bad bullet/underpowered cartridge.

[jeepasaurusrex]

A properly placed neck shot puts them down right in their tracks with minimal meat loss. I like the fact that the internal organs etc are not scrambled up. Makes gutting them easier and less messier.  

[sakoshooter]

A bullet in the neck at the base of the skull is much more doable than any where else in the neck. I hate neck shots unless it's close, standing still and I've got a good rest. Otherwise too many wounded with just a terrible flesh wound that run off and possibly die slowly.

[Coastal_native]

A bullet in the neck at the base of the skull is much more doable than any where else in the neck. I hate neck shots unless it's close, standing still and I've got a good rest. Otherwise too many wounded with just a terrible flesh wound that run off and possibly die slowly.

yeah...I've seen a few deer and elk that were harvested that had festering wounds in the neck and back area that appeared to be from gun shots.  I've only completely missed the spine one time, but the shock must have still damaged the spine because he dropped in his tracks and was lights out.

[ladybug]

A bullet in the neck at the base of the skull is much more doable than any where else in the neck. I hate neck shots unless it's close, standing still and I've got a good rest. Otherwise too many wounded with just a terrible flesh wound that run off and possibly die slowly.

 Ahem!!! i beg to differ!!!!

[carpsniperg2]

Have lots of experience with deer, but not on elk. But I can tell you, I have been around more then 20 deer shot in the neck. From 50-250 yards. Only one of these shots did not TKO the deer. The bullet cut the jugular and the deer bled out very fast. Less then 50 yards. All the others were down on contact. There is nothing wrong with a good rest and a neck shot.  

[jeepasaurusrex]

Mine from this year was a neck shot at 110yds, prone position.

[JLS]

Personally, I'd probably lean towards a shoulder shot to anchor quick.  But, I would't pass on a good neck shot either.

That said, if it's not an absolute jungle, or no huge cliffs around, I would never take a neck shot over a good old fashioned lung shot.

[bobcat]

Neck shots work good on deer, but not always good on elk. I shot a cow elk at 15 yards with a 435 grain maxi ball out of a 54 caliber muzzleloader through the neck. In the end I was lucky to get her- she ran 1/4 mile downhill, and with no blood trail at all, we still managed to find her again and I got a good doulbe lung shot into her at 75 yards and she went about 30 yards and went down. An elk's neck just has too much area with nothing but "meat." However I think a neck shot on a deer with a high power rifle is pretty much a guaranteed instantly dead deer.

[Bob33]

Pretty small vital area.  I'd rather not risk it.

[JimmyHoffa]

Bob33, Your diagram doesn't show the jugglar vein/coratid artery.  Typically if you use a soft bullet or hollowpoint at high velocity, it explodes enough to hit all three (vein/artery/spine).  I try to shoot for the throat patch on deer.  The exit wounds are usually bigger than my fist.  With a 30-06 I had a few smaller than that, the 300 RUM exits were a little bigger than my fist, but I don't want them to feel anything so I now use .338-378 Mag on them and keep the bullet over 3000 fps and it takes out half the neck.  Most of the guys I've known that weren't into neck shots avoided it because they don't want to damage the cape.

[ladybug]

Neck shots work good on deer, but not always good on elk. I shot a cow elk at 15 yards with a 435 grain maxi ball out of a 54 caliber muzzleloader through the neck. In the end I was lucky to get her- she ran 1/4 mile downhill, and with no blood trail at all, we still managed to find her again and I got a good doulbe lung shot into her at 75 yards and she went about 30 yards and went down. An elk's neck just has too much area with nothing but "meat." However I think a neck shot on a deer with a high power rifle is pretty much a guaranteed instantly dead deer.

I toatally agree with you.I was talking deer,i personally seen a 6x6 bull take 8 to the neck from a 7mag...... meat hunting of course but never again!!

[wsucowboy]

I've killed a few deer that way and so has my dad. They have all dropped in there tracks. Never tried it on a elk, but if I am in a situation where I can't put one through the boiler room I'll take the neck shot in a heartbeat.  

[Coastal_native]

Pretty small vital area.  I'd rather not risk it.

Awww c'mon bob, where's the trachea and jugular, any damage to those and you gotta dead animal too. 

Just joking, thanks for the pic.  Excellent reference.  I never really intended on relying on neck shots, but after some success I started noticing that a simple pass through shot does some extensive damage to the neck without hitting the spine, even with a large full rut bull with an inch of neck hide.  I've probably jinxed myself by starting this thread.

I think "risk" is a relative term in this discussion.  There is more risk in taking a neck shot in that your vital target may be smaller.  However in making your lung shot, there is added risk of recovering your animal once it runs off.  Either way, I like the input...I may be one shot away from changing my mind, you never know.