Neck shooting Deer with an arrow,

[ilike223s]

Well not a arrow but a bolt from a 200 LB cross bow.at 20 yards,
I hunt in a small patch of woods in a neighborhood.Now i know if I hit lungs the deer will run,I dont need deer running and falling over in some ones yard,
Some of the home owners may not like that to much,
So the question is, If I neck shoot a Deer,will it drop in its tracks.or just run off,and die In my neighbors front yard,,

 

[janobles14]

a good neck shot with an arrow or bolt will put it down pretty quick. i wont lecture about how its hard to shoot one in the neck sometimes (cuz i do it to on occasion! ). so fear not and shoot away!

 

[ilike223s]

well 20 yards using a by pod,sitting,and at 330 fps,is fast, but not as fast as the speed of sound,Im using 100 gr, expan.,3 blade,I used muzzy for years,but i thought I try these new ones made by excalibur for the cross bow.
thanks for ur imput,I just dont want any deer running through the neighborhood.

 

[alsaqr]

First buck i ever shot with a crossbow was shot in the neck. He ran off a few steps and stood there with the bolt sticking out both sides of his neck. Then he ran off. Was following a very sparse blood trail when i heard a truck stop in the road about 200 yards in front of me. Never found the buck.

Several days later i was talking with a military bow hunter in that area and he told me about a wounded buck that dropped dead in front of him. It had a "short arrow in it's neck." Told him that the "short arrow" had yellow and green fletching. His response: "How did you know that." He took my deer but it didn't matter.

 

[rcmodel]

Just be aware that the deer's spine in the neck is probably not where you think it is.
It is much lower near the shoulders.

Especially on a rutting buck with swollen neck glands.

http://trailcameras.net/images/deer-anatomy.jpg

 

[NCsmitty]

There is never a guarantee of dropping a deer drt whether using an arrow(bolt) or bullet. As rcmodel states, it's a matter of knowing a deer's anatomy and making your best shot. They can be dead on their feet and still run.

NCsmitty

 

[AKCOP]

I always wondered if a blunt in the side of the head would work better than a broadhead. I mean it most likely isn't legal but I was just wondering if that would drop a deer in its tracks if you have a solid rest and know your crossbow well enough to hit that quarter sized target.

 

[Jst1mr]

You are much better off with the proven heart/lung shot. In my experience (and I have added to it with two bow kills this year so far), the key is holding your concealment. A deer hit with an arrow has no idea what has happened - if you remain concealed, quiet, and still the deer may remain close. I have watched many deer stand and look around after a lung hit, then begin to wobble and go down. If they spot you, however, they will run. The only thing that will knock them down on the spot is a spine hit, which would not be recommended because from most angles a slight miss of the spine results in a non-fatal wound and a lost deer. Also, a spine-shot deer, while knocked down, is far from dead and probably not bleeding enough to die - you will have to find a way to administer a coupe de grace....something a lot of folks have a problem with (certainly not the same thing as with a rifle!)

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

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This man above speaks very wisely!

 

[ilike223s]

oh i have spine shot them too..one died 2 mins after i shot right down through him,and muzzy went to the bottom of the chest, One i did have to do a follow up shot,
I just dont want to have to run after deer down the street and finish it off the neighbor kids wanting to know why im kiling Santa's Deer, LOL

 

[Matt-J2]

I just have to ask, exactly what sort of area are you hunting?

 

[JohnKSa]

I just dont want to have to run after deer down the street and finish it off the neighbor kids wanting to know why im kiling Santa's Deer...

I think that's preferable to having a deer with an arrow sticking through its neck running down the street for the neighbors to take pictures of.

 

[moooose102]

Shoot him in the traditional spot (heart - lung area) as normal. (you have an 8" circle as opposed to a 1" circle for the kill) any little thing not going as planed can, and will mess up your shot placement. Then you will be chasing a wounded animal for who knows how far (2 miles?). If you shoot him good in the heart / lungs, he may end up in someones back (or front) yard. But so what. It is perfectly legal. And most likely less than 50 yards from where you shoot him. I just would not suggeset you feild dress him there! A suburbanite home owner coming out to admire his freshly manicured lawn finding a fresh gut pile would not be a pleasant suprise!

 

[Matt-J2]

If you shoot him good in the heart / lungs, he may end up in someones back (or front) yard. But so what. It is perfectly legal.

Is it?
And even then, if the deer ends up on someone else's property, they may not be required to allow you access to it. IIRC, they are certainly under no such requirement here.

 

[Harve Curry]

Broad head arrows kill by cutting, the neck is a small area to get an artery and there is no hydrostatic shock like from a bullet. Heart-lungs is the humane and wise decision.

 

[22-rimfire]

I would shoot for the larger heart-lung area and take your chances. Tis life and I guess death.

 

[absolute0]

Quoting Jst1mr

You are much better off with the proven heart/lung shot. In my experience (and I have added to it with two bow kills this year so far), the key is holding your concealment. A deer hit with an arrow has no idea what has happened - if you remain concealed, quiet, and still the deer may remain close. I have watched many deer stand and look around after a lung hit, then begin to wobble and go down. If they spot you, however, they will run. The only thing that will knock them down on the spot is a spine hit, which would not be recommended because from most angles a slight miss of the spine results in a non-fatal wound and a lost deer. Also, a spine-shot deer, while knocked down, is far from dead and probably not bleeding enough to die - you will have to find a way to administer a coupe de grace....something a lot of folks have a problem with (certainly not the same thing as with a rifle!)

Now here's a fella who knows what he's talking about.

Listen to him.

 

[ilike223s]

oh i killed them through the heart ling areas. no problem. some times they ran 20 yards look around,then lay down,some i hit at the same spot.ran 150 yards, I know all that..
Im only hunting in a 6 acres wooded plot/all surounded by houses. I was just asking if any one used the neck, as i never tried for the neck,I always like the quartering away shot best.or if hes side ways where I can hit through both lungs and maybe heart too..

 

[koja48]

Based on my past experiences occasionally trailing (and frequently losing) neck-hit deer/elk as a guide years ago, one word: NO; I doubt that the majority of the time it will "drop." Remember how a cutting edge kills ~ hemorrhage . . . miss the carotid artery and it doesn't bleed, period. Anyone who tries for a spine shot is cocksure, over-confident, and irresponsible. My 2-cents, but I'd never take a neck-shot with a bow/crossbow . . . more room for error than hit (and I shoot very well with bows . . . 50-years of practice will do that for you). If I want to gamble, I play cards; I don't risk exposing a fine game animal to potential suffering and/or a horrible, lingering death (not to mention that a deer running around with an arrow/bolt thru its neck offers NOTHING positive in the way of securing support for hunting.).

 

[ishredinmysleep]

dont try a neck shot its really easy to wound one that way a good double lung shot and they will go 25 yards max

 

[wyoelkhunter]

i shot one in a corn field once with a bow right in the base of the skull were it connects to the neck everything went quiet i did not no if i hit him or not walked over he laid right there never moved but that is very small target stick to perfect double lung thats the safest.

 

[MountainWalk]

I'd forget all about archery neck shots. I'd rather a deer run 30 yards than half a mile because you missed a very very tough shot.