Neck shot with a bow?

[diggerpax]

I broke the necks of a cow elk and mule deer with a bow, but both were mistakes. I've since seen two other accidents, and one that was intentional. My old man drilled a nice whitetail buck from ten yards in the white spot. The buck was looking back over his rump, and had my dad pegged (at full draw). My dad waited for about a minute, then smoked him. I would call most anyone a fool who would take a neckshot- but my old man is extremely seasoned, and from 10 yards could have hit the buck in the pupil had he wanted. Do any of you have similar stories?

[J_T]

Nope. No stories like that. But I've wounded. We all have.

There are two shots to be taken on an animal with a bow. Broadside and quartering away.

We should understand animals can move during arrow flight. That's why it's important to keep distances short. Sometimes the movement of an animal results in an arrow intersecting the body different than our intention.

Just because an animal is close, does not mean we should take the best shot "available". No matter how good you are. IF the body position isn't right. Don't take the shot.

Broadside or quartering away.

[Derek_Erickson]

Heres a Neck shot for you

nevermind link broken
(http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php)

[The Hermit]

My deer this year moved enough during arrow flight at 25 yards to leave me with a very messy cleaning job! I'm with Jim on this one.

[daycort]

A head on shot is very very ify. But there is a spot just where the neck hits the body about the size of two fists that will get into the vitals. Extremely dangerous shot and I would never take it. I had a 6 point elk at 15 yards 2 years ago face on. I still have yet to take an elk with bow. With a rifle I would be tagged out every year for the past five years.

[J_T]

I had a bull raging over me at about 2 yards. I was down on one knee, his head was back and he was standing straight on. I never raised my bow. There is no shot there. The only time he was broad side (7 yards) he had a cow on the other side of him. If I have a pass through, I wound her.

[blaker_99]

Last year i had a nice whitetail buck at 20 yards walking right at me in my ground blind. I took the shot with my excalibur cross bow and it went right through his chest and blew through everything inside, and lodged itself in the rear leg about 3/4". WIll i take that shot ever again? The answer is no because the cleaning job was very very messy and some of the meat was spoiled due to fecis. This year I won't take anything but broadside and quartering away shots with my compound bow this year. Just my two bits.

[Kirby]

No, never taken the shot, never seen a reason for it.

Kirby

[diggerpax]

I'll take the front-on shot on anything 20 yards or less- the thoracic inlet is the size of a grapefruit on an elk- not too tough of a shot- the problem is the majority of hunters don't know anatomy well enough to hit it. Blood trail can be a little tougher for those of you hunting in the west coast jungle. A lot of people argue that if they jump the string your in screwed- true, but isn't that a chance with any shot you take? I shot an antelope this year that was broadside at 30 yards. He jumped the string and spun into the arrow- I hit him square in the front of the chest, full penetration. Had he spun away I could have hit him in the back end- chance you take no matter what when flinging arrows- I don't care how fast or quiet your bow is.

[Derek_Erickson]

So your saying a good shot with the bow, should never take a shot at the neck regardles of the distance?

[Gateholio]

I'll take the front-on shot on anything 20 yards or less- the thoracic inlet is the size of a grapefruit on an elk- not too tough of a shot- the problem is the majority of hunters don't know anatomy well enough to hit it. .

Apparently this is about the only shot possible on a giraffe. The girafes ribs are too tough and they overlap- somethign like that- Anyway, having never shot a giraffe, I can't say for sure, but I do recall it being mentioned in an African bow hunting article.:D

[greybark]

:tongue: Hey Gatehouse , when hunting Giraffes how high would you place your treestand ?

[Derek_Erickson]

High enough that if he tries to eat you , you can still easily cut his throat!

[Gateholio]

:tongue: Hey Gatehouse , when hunting Giraffes how high would you place your treestand ?

That is a pretty good question...:smile:

[Kirby]

So your saying a good shot with the bow, should never take a shot at the neck regardles of the distance?

For me, no. I shot competitively for 10 years, shot 3 spot, 3-D, hunting etc and I would never feel comfortable with the shot. Risk of a wound too high for me. If I can hit it in the neck I should be able to put on behind the shoulder.

But to each their own.

Kirby

[sealevel]

I would take that front shot at close range 20yds or under but not a neck shot. Sometimes you just have to go for it and trust your ability.

[Laurence_Erickson]

I found my 15 foot shot to be rather easy .

[yote]

I have done it and the deer never made 25 yards before he was dead. I hit him exactly where I aimed from 8 yards.

[J_T]

Guys, if the front-on or neck shot was a realistic kill shot with a bow, 3D targets would be designed with kill circles on the neck and at the throat.

Sure, the neck and the base of the throat are points of vulnerability no question. But taking the shot, on purpose, expecting the animal to drop? Nope.

If you have that sort of tenacity and confidence, then you should be taking head shots. Why waste time on the neck?

I would also ask, for every one who takes that shot and makes it, how many don't?

[Bow Walker]

Is it the Delta or the McKenzie grizzly target that has the rings on the front chest?

At the Campbell River 3D shoot this year they had one there that the shot placement was head-on. Rather a unique shot and a very realistic target to.

[J_T]

But the neck shot and front on shot are marginal kill shots.

When we post about our prowess, we need to be cognizant of others who read the posts. No different than the rifle hunters posting about 500 yard shots. It puts the possibility into another (perhaps less experienced) hunters mind. And that someone, with less experience, might take a chance as it is the only/best opportunity.

Sometimes the hardest thing as a bowhunter, is passing up a close shot.

I'm not challenging anyone's ethics here. Do what you do. If you have success, awesome. Perhaps, in light of misguiding someone less experienced, some things are best kept unspoken.

Don't know of a 3D target that has a kill shot in front.

[quadrakid]

i know of guys that take the neck shot routinely on close quarters blacktail,less than ten yards. my only neckshot passed cleanly through the muscles of the neck, i was not aiming at the neck. i did not recover that buck.

[Bowzone_Mikey]

Is it the Delta or the McKenzie grizzly target that has the rings on the front chest?

At the Campbell River 3D shoot this year they had one there that the shot placement was head-on. Rather a unique shot and a very realistic target to.


Yes ..its the McKenzie/Delta (they are one company now) grizzly bear

as well as any companys standing bear has rings on the chest

[sealevel]

someone makes a bedded buck with frontal rings . anyone who shot merrit last spring will remember it.

[Bow Walker]

I do agree with J T about giving new/lesser experienced hunters false impressions about shot placement with archery equipment (including cross bows), though.

Much different when gun hunting - lots of KE and shock damage with guns - so the chances of wounding are a lot less than with just a broadhead on the end of an arrow going far, far slower.

[Bowzone_Mikey]

someone makes a bedded buck with frontal rings . anyone who shot merrit last spring will remember it.


Any idea who makes it .... I have shot alot of targets from alot of companies and never seen it ...

Maybe that newer outfit out of Quebec?

Mackenzie/Delta
Rinehardt
Heavy waite (small comapany from Alberta)
Big Shot (another small comapnay from Alberta)
Outfit out of Quebec.... cant recall name ....

Those are the 5 companies I know that have targets in Canada ...the only one I'm not really familiar with is the one in Quebec ... I have only seen a few of their targets ....

[sealevel]

mikey it could be ciblex checked there site its under constuction

[Derek_Erickson]

Does this shoe fit? about a 7 or 8 yard shot

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb224/Derek__Erickson/IMG_1049.jpg

[Kirby]

Does this shoe fit? about a 7 or 8 yard shot


I'd pass on it. Rather wait till it stood and put it through the lungs, but it evidently worked well for the hunter on that shot.

Kirby

[Bowzone_Mikey]

Does this shoe fit? about a 7 or 8 yard shot

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb224/Derek__Erickson/IMG_1049.jpg


That is a lucky shot from 8 yeads away ...almost no penitration ...

that is a piss poor shot selection ... you got lucky ... but you exercised poor shot selection

[Bow Walker]

Judging by the throat slash - he wasn't fully expired when the shooter got up to him. Doesn't look like even a medium percentage shot to take.

[Derek_Erickson]

Its called bleeding it out, full penetration of the broadhead it was actually lodged right in his spine, if you think this was a piss poor shot, and its luck from eight yard you need to obviously shoot more, they have a spine you know, and in that spine is a spinal cord, I don't think you or any supermutant deer is going to take an arrow and a broadhead to the SPINE at 320 feet a second from 8 yards, I mean thats pretty quick, but your right I suppose he should have spooked him up and took an unethical running shot, maybe that would have sufficed your needs, nevertheless if your uncomfortable shooting at its neck then dont bother suit yourself but dont sit here and say that that shot right there was luck, because it wasnt he shot for its spine he hit it end of story

by the way, the shooter took about 13 steps to get to him, of course he wasnt "expired" a lung shot wouldnt even expire him in that period of time, Guess he should have shot his brain:roll:

[jessbennett]

i shoot plenty, and that in my opinion was a lucky shot. :roll:.

one could have waited for deer to stand???? and if it spooks oh well......... the joys of hunting. ;).

[Laurence_Erickson]

I was the shooter for the picture that show up on this thread.I guess it was luck for sure ,but the shot placement had nothing to do with luck.the buck was bedded sound asleep facing away.I suppose if I were an ethical hunter I would have passed on the shot .this buck had no Idea what ever hit him.the only movement from him was his head hitting the ground .Anyways I would like to appolagize to all you ethical hunters and the ones that are just getting into the sport .All the trash talking ,won't take back the shot I felt confident enough to take.

[oldtimer]

If he was sleeping wouldn't his head already be on the ground ?
Not a shot I would take or teach to take but to each his own. Mike

[ratherbefishin]

I have seen deer shot with a rifle pole axed by a frontal shot-but I also shot a mule deer head on-and much to my surprise he ran-when we finally recovered him[thankfully there was 6''of snow on the ground making tracking possable],the shot had been a little off and gone between the shoulder and the ribs-hitting nothing lethal.

[Bow Walker]

OK - we've pretty much talked this topic out. Before it gets any more emotional I'm going to lock it down. The opinions expressed here are all valid.......just as Mike said - "each to his own".