25-06 neck shot

[Backwoods101]

What I mean by he won’t or refuses to see one run off with a shoulder shot he said dad I need more practice I’ve never missed and I won’t wound a deer. I know what he is capable of or id never let him shoot anything living . We started with a red Ryder,them moved up to an air rifle then .22 all on paper then small game. I have taught them to be ethical sportsman. I’m 56 years old and my 12 year is my oldest so he don’t run squat, he won’t make a bad shot is what he means. Marksmanship is first in our book.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like you are teaching him right. I’ve helped manage 2 HF ranches over the last 20 years on top of hunting elsewhere. It was not unusual for me to skim 15 deer a year. I shot my first deer 28 years ago when I was 10. So between my kills and the kills I’ve witness be it guiding or just helped clean I wouldn’t be surprised if the number of deer I’ve seen kilt is close @500. A deer shot behind the shoulder can run for a couple hundred yards if they have the will. Like mentioned before tracking is a big part of the game but it’s not easy so there’s a possibility you can lose one.
I’ve dropped many deer with the neck shot but had two still alive hours later and that bothered the chit out of me. 15 years later I can still picture cutting a does throat that had been laying there with a broke neck for 2 hours.
If your son is concerned about making an error and wounding a deer, the shoulder shot is his best bet. That’s the shot that allows the most room for error.



My wife and son shoot a 22-250 and I shoot a .223.
Knock on wood we have never had a deer run over 40 yards from a shot aimed at the shoulder. Most shoulders are salvageable and the vitals are mush. There isn’t any vitals in the neck. We have never lost a deer from a shoulder shot.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Greenheadless]

I have always and will continue to take nothing by neck shots. Things can go wrong no matter what your shot is. (Actually, I have shot 3 deer in the shoulder for pure transparency, but that was so they could be mounted easily).

If you are a confident marksman, are competent, make sure to not take a questionable shot (i.e. rush, too far for your capabilities, etc.) then you should have no problems at all. I tend to aim for the neck within 8-10” where it joins the skull.

This is where I was taught to shoot a deer growing up. More importantly, like the OP, marksmanship was the most important subject to be able to do stuff like this. My first deer was at 11 years old and was killed with, you guessed it, a neck shot.

Kudos to the OP for teaching him right.

Btw, I have shot dozens of deer with a .222 Mag and a couple with a .22-250, both with 55gr SP ammo.

[bowmansdad]

What I mean by he won’t or refuses to see one run off with a shoulder shot he said dad I need more practice I’ve never missed and I won’t wound a deer. I know what he is capable of or id never let him shoot anything living . We started with a red Ryder,them moved up to an air rifle then .22 all on paper then small game. I have taught them to be ethical sportsman. I’m 56 years old and my 12 year is my oldest so he don’t run squat, he won’t make a bad shot is what he means. Marksmanship is first in our book.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your answer is in this statement. Practice increases confidence for all of us, range time will only help. My grandson has always been around guns and hunting. When we would be at the ranch, he shot my .17HMR a bunch and got really accurate. When he could shoot 5 bullseyes in a row at 40 yards, we let him shoot at a 100 with a .220 Swift and kept hitting the bullseye so we let him shoot a cull buck. He like your son was scared he wouldn’t kill the deer, he almost cried. We kept pumping him up and stressing the shoulder shot, pointing out how good he could shoot. On his shot, the deer ran 20 yards and fell in sight! He went through this anxiety for his next 4 or 5 deer but they were all DRT!
Let him shoot a bunch, keep pointing out that the shoulder shot is the better option and he will be fine. I also have a few horror stories with neck shots, so I’m not a fan.

[coy-ote]

We did the same thing with my son, when I let him shoot his first doe it was after countless rounds on paper at the range with BB gun, .22 cal air rifle, moved up to my target .22 then to my custom 22-250. Once he was hitting bullseye at 100 I let him take a few coins, then a pig then a does, spikes and culls, 8 deer not one miss until ol big boy stepped out and it was a clean miss .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Greenheadless]

We did the same thing with my son, when I let him shoot his first doe it was after countless rounds on paper at the range with BB gun, .22 cal air rifle, moved up to my target .22 then to my custom 22-250. Once he was hitting bullseye at 100 I let him take a few coins, then a pig then a does, spikes and culls, 8 deer not one miss until ol big boy stepped out and it was a clean miss .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m guessing his nerves got the best of him on this one. Mental preparation is part of accuracy discipline. The whole aim small, miss small philosophy. This is also part of the equation when determining on what a marginal shot might be. If he isn’t 100% comfortable, he shouldn’t rush it and attempt the shot.

[Burnadell]

It is the neck. Deer dropped and a couple minutes later he got up and jumped out of the feed pen and staggered off before he could get another round in him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know you said it is a neck shot, but the picture is deceiving. It appears he shot it low and missed the spine. He would not have gotten up if he hit him in the right place in the neck.

I think one of my hunting buddies is reconsidering the neck shot after he shot this one last month. This shot wasn’t fatal. Fortunately he caught up with her and put one through the vitals.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is NOT where you neck shoot them! The correct spot is at the base of the neck where it enters the body, about a third down from the top of the body where the spine is.

If I am rifle hunting, and the shot is close, I shoot for the neck. If it is a farter shot with more room for error, I will shoot the high shoulder shot and still try for the two shoulders and spine.

[Backwoods101]

I know you said it is a neck shot, but the picture is deceiving. It appears he shot it low and missed the spine. He would not have gotten up if he hit him in the right place in the neck.







That is NOT where you neck shoot them! The correct spot is at the base of the neck where it enters the body, about a third down from the top of the body where the spine is.



If I am rifle hunting, and the shot is close, I shoot for the neck. If it is a farter shot with more room for error, I will shoot the high shoulder shot and still try for the two shoulders and spine.

The spine runs the whole length of the neck [emoji12]. There wasn’t an exit wound so you would think all that energy would’ve snapped his neck. There isn’t any vitals in the neck so you can snap their spine and still walk up on a deer that breathing 2 hours later...I know from first hand experience on that one [emoji17]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cbd10pt]

Deer brain is a bit bigger than a fist - bigger than the spine and jugular depending on angle.
Wait until they are straight away and head shoot them 25-75 yards. Otherwise shoot them through the heart with something fast 25 Cal or larger if you don't want to track

[Chance Love]

I don’t think either of my kids even know you CAN shoot a deer in the neck. Ask either of them where to shoot and the answer will be “right in the middle of the shoulder”. Well, on hill country deer anyway. If we are down south I’d point them toward “the crease” with a 22-250. But if shooting their 257 Roberts, my wife’s 25-06, or my 308, it’s always right in the middle of the shoulder.

IF I shoot for the neck it will be at the base of the neck. Never really been too concerned about lost shoulder meat. There isn’t much there anyway.

Teach your kid how you want. I’ve got my hands full trying to teach mine how I want.

[Mike D]

Curious to What area on the deer specifically for the high shoulder shots are you guys referring to?

That’s a touch higher than I normally shoot but it’s pretty close.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[skinsfan]

I do have become a fan of the high shoulder shot, had to cut a does throat after shooting her in the neck 10 years ago and have never made a neck shot again.

[Cody903]

That’s a touch higher than I normally shoot but it’s pretty close.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks for the reference!

[Uncle Saggy]

Teach him to shoot them behind the shoulder. A 40 yard death dash with a bullet through the heart/lungs is a lot less suffering that living with a blown out neck muscle when he misses the vertebrae or jugular. I don’t care how many you shoot, it will happen.

I so agree with this comment


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[J-J Matt]

I know you said it is a neck shot, but the picture is deceiving. It appears he shot it low and missed the spine. He would not have gotten up if he hit him in the right place in the neck.



That is NOT where you neck shoot them! The correct spot is at the base of the neck where it enters the body, about a third down from the top of the body where the spine is.

If I am rifle hunting, and the shot is close, I shoot for the neck. If it is a farter shot with more room for error, I will shoot the high shoulder shot and still try for the two shoulders and spine.

IMO, there is less room for error on a high neck shot. 90% of the time, you either miss completely or you break the neck and hit the jugular. When taking a neck shot closer to the body, you can run the risk of missing the spine, and just shocking it enough to temporarily drop them, where they can still get up and run. I’ve seen it plenty of times, especially on larger game. I personally believe the best neck shot is right in the throat patch when they are looking at you.

[Greenheadless]

IMO, there is less room for error on a high neck shot. 90% of the time, you either miss completely or you break the neck and hit the jugular. When taking a neck shot closer to the body, you can run the risk of missing the spine, and just shocking it enough to temporarily drop them, where they can still get up and run. I’ve seen it plenty of times, especially on larger game. I personally believe the best neck shot is right in the throat patch when they are looking at you.

Yep, “more to shoot at” isn’t necessarily better. When it comes to neck shots. Accuracy is key, and it isn’t a shot for everyone.