I hear that neck shots on deer are UNETHICAL?

[fabsroman]

A big bullet will short circuit the spinal column with spectacular result on OCCASION.

Me, I don't take them, but since they aren't illegal, I'm not going to say whether somebody should or should not take one.

If that neck shot was effective on that doe you shot, it would have broken her neck immediately and she would have dropped like a rock. The fact that she was still standing after the smoke cleared means that it wasn't as effective as it could have been.

Me, I just shoot them through the heart and lungs. It allows for a little more leeway as far as mistakes are concerned, and I use a rifle most of the time. Head shots would be even better, but those don't allow for much error and shooting the jaw off a deer is a terrible way for it to die.

Ethics are within the hunter. If a hunter always takes neck shots and hardly ever loses a deer, then I say go for it. Me, I'm just not comfortable doing it unless that is the only part of the deer that I can shoot at and it is one huge buck. Others wouldn't even take the neck shot if it is a huge buck and that is the only shot presented.