25-06 neck shot

[RifleBowPistol]

Depending on what ammo is used and where in the neck you hit them, but if you hit the vertebrae, it's going to explode and the deer is done. If you just hit muscle, or the throat, it will make for a nasty wound.
I have shot many deer with 55 gr. 22-250s moving along over 3800 fps. The vertebrae shatters in a bunch of little pieces. I had one leave about a 6" long slice that looked like it was done with a scalpel on exit. I have neck shot them with 308s and got small hole in and decent sized hole out, with a instant dead deer. I have gotten the same results with a 223 on a neck shot. A buddy of mine wound up shooting one through the throat with a 7mm Rem. Mag, made a big hole in it's throat that got infected. I would like to have seen what a neck shot with my 7mm Mag. hand loads looked like. I have never neck shot one with any of my 7mm Mags. I would assume a mess. I always liked the 22-250 neck shot results.
I would say most 25-06 ammo should do quite a bit of damage on a neck shot, if you hit the vertebrae.

[TacticalCowboy]

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 like to shoot directly in the shoulder, but I agree with the neck thing.


Oh wait... I read right here that if you shoot at a deers neck you either get a DRT or a clean miss

[JeffK]

Buck fever, already missed, and now different gun does not seem like a good combination for a neck shot. Wouldn’t be a good feeling watching his buck jumping up and high tailing after a neck shot. Shoot behind or through shoulder.

[DimmitCo]

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.

Very true that making a non-lethal shot to the neck will happen if you neck-shoot enough times.

[Wayspr]

Aim for the base of the neck, right in the middle of the crease where the neck comes out of the shoulder. Front of the shoulder, rather than top of the shoulder. It's basically a neck shot, just at the base of the neck. DRT every time. If there is a bad exit wound, just get a wall pedestal mount and let that exit wound side face the wall.

Agree completely. Shoulder is a much higher percentage shot.

[droebuck]

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.

Yes it will. Saw a doe that my grandfather neck shot get up and run off after flopping on the ground. No more neck and head shots after that all behind or in the shoulder.

[Lone_Wolf]

Oh I agree so out will come the safe queen sendero for shoulder shot


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If he's comfortable with the 22-250 let him shoot one behind the shoulder with the 22-250. Federal Power Shok or Rem Core Lokt 55 gr do the trick every time. The Federal Power Shok leave a bigger hole. Tight behind the shoulder equals a dead deer with a pretty big margin for error. If he can shoot the 25-06, that would be the better choice. Lung shot deer often run a little. Hit them in the shoulder with that 25-06 and they will drop a large % of the time, but you'll make a mess of some meat. Forget about the neck shot if you're planning on shoulder mounting the deer.

[RattlesnakeDan]

My wife uses a.224 Valkyrie in 90 gr. This year I had her take neck shots because she's built confidence that she could could make the shot instead of a shoulder shot. She is not going to get a follow up shot because she gets too wound up after shooting. I taught her to make the shot and then when she is done she can get excited so she is cool and calm before the shot but afterwards she shakes and her heart pounds so loud you can hear it. Her buck this year had a pretty good hole on the exit side of the neck even with that smaller caliber. But it saved any ruined meat and got a drt.

[bowmansdad]

25-06 behind the shoulder, done deal. He might run 50 yards but it will be an easy track. I would rather clean a deer body shot with my 300 ROY than my 25-06, the 25 leaves blood from the nose to the tail.

[sbushee]

He refuses to shoot behind the shoulder, says he don’t want it to run off and suffer, he just turned 12 but he’s been shooting deer since he was 6 with my rifle


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High shoulder shot and they drop EVERY TIME. I have a 25-06 and love it. Deer hate it.

[Tryton]

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 agree. A deer walking around with a sucking neck wound is not a pretty sight.

[KX500]

You're doing your son a huge disservice to let him 'refuse' to take good hunting advice! He is too young to have that kind of control. Threaten the loss of something he values if you have to.

If nothing else explain to him that on a neck shot you have about a 2 inch circle to put the bullet into.

On a behind the shoulder the size of that circle increases to what 4-5 inches?

Stuff happens when you pull the trigger. Which shot is more likely to lead to a wounded deer?

[PondPopper]

Since it’ll be a shoulder mount , I know taxidermist can fix it but just curious


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Never shoot anything in the neck intentionally that you want to shoulder mount!!!
Sometimes when a bullet exits it will severly stretch the skin around the exit hole which can cause the hair to fall out around that stretched area(bald spot).. It can also do this stretching even when the bullet stays right beneath the skin but doesn't exit..
There a lot of other lethal places to shoot your trophy..

[PondPopper]

He refuses to shoot behind the shoulder, says he don’t want it to run off and suffer, he just turned 12 but he’s been shooting deer since he was 6 with my rifle


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He refuses?? Hmm.
He's 12?? Hmm.

[Big Al]

I have a first gen Sendero in 25-06 as well. I shot a doe in the neck at 105yds using Winchester 115gr silver tips. She dropped in her track’s never knew what hit her. Meat Damage was not as bad as I expected. Of course the vertebra was destroyed.