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Author
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Topic: Neck shots
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted December 14, 2003 09:56 AM
From time to time I read about someone taking coyotes by shooting them in the neck. But I don't think I've ever, intentionally used this type of shot.
It kind of makes me curious. For those who frequently use this type of shot, First off, Why do you shoot them there? How well does it work? Do the coyote typically run far, or at all? What type of bullet works best? When aiming, do you aim at the throat side, the spine side, or just in the middle?
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 14, 2003 11:21 AM
I share your curiosity, Tim. Of course, we all know to what you refer, and the gentleman is welcome to offer his own response, which we both would welcome.
However, I'm pretty sure that these hits are not intentional. There is a faction that touts the neck shot when hunting big game, deer, elk, eteteras. That's fine and dandy, but it's not the shot of my choosing. I don't care where anyone else aims, but I have exactly two possibilities. First is the heart/lung, best percentage shot for my money.
Second would be the head, an option under certain circumstances. And this is where I think we see the neck shots talked about.
Consider a facing shot at an animal at an unknown range. Depending on your rough estimate, you may aim for the forhead, eyes, tip of the nose, or whatever you like. But, you know, before touching it off that if he is further, it will hit him between the eyes, rather than the nose, if he is closer than you guessed.
But, for the most part, you count on the bullet dropping a little from the dead-on point of aim, if the animal is further. The intent is to hit him where you aim, or at worst, drop down to a chest strike, or half way between, you hit the animal in the neck. I like the odds in this type of presentation, it actually provides a little more drop than holding on daylight, slightly over the back, on a side-facing presentation.
So, in most cases, where I shoot a predator in the neck, it is half intentional, and an attempt to cover all the bases. But, it isn't intentionally selected as a point of aim, except on intermediate distances, where you hold on the neck, figuring on droping into the front chest. But, because of difficulty in determining the range, you take a hasty shot, with the percentages mostly on your side.
The problem with the neck shot is the vital area, basically the spinal cord.
I remember once, I hit a coyotethat was angled away, hit somewhere under the armpit, and blew the hell out of the animals neck, splitting it in half, all the way to the muzzle. That coyote looked like it had an aligator snout, from a distance, real gross. And, it stayed on it's feet! Needless to say, the bullet missed solid bone, and this is what can happen, and they can run off, in some cases.
I'm sure we are all interested as to the circumstances where one of our more experienced members selects that type of shot; or, if it is just the breaks. I'm betting it's not intentional, for the most part. LB
Q?
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32368 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Terry Hunter
Knows what it's all about
Member # 58
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posted December 14, 2003 03:17 PM
The only neck shots for me have been when the coyote was at a full run.Then almost any hit to take the animal down.Also a little luck does not hurt.Both were instant kills.
Posts: 132 | From: N. Middle Tennessee | Registered: Jan 2003
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onecoyote
Knows what it's all about
Member # 129
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posted December 14, 2003 04:12 PM
The old saying says take your best shot. In my opinion a neck shot is not one of them, I'm talking predators. Leonard and I both know a guy that killed a BIG black bear 667 lbs worth, with one shot to the neck from a 6mm PPC. Yes neck shots work, but I'm not taking one unless I must.
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Great minds discuss ideas.....Average minds discuss events.....Small minds discuss people.....Eleanor Roosevelt.
Posts: 893 | From: Walker Lake Nevada. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted December 14, 2003 06:04 PM
[ February 20, 2004, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Cdog911 ]
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5440 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Member # 33
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posted December 15, 2003 10:31 PM
I damn sure don’t aim for the neck.
Good hunting.
Q,
[ December 16, 2003, 01:07 PM: Message edited by: Q-Wagoner ]
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 16, 2003 03:15 AM
quote:
I damn sure don’t aim for the neck.
That's really all we were looking for.
I figured as much; accidentally hitting the neck, at least for me, is not routine. It seems that we are in agreement that the neck shot, (by choice), is a messy, and low percentage shot.
By the way;
When do you flesh?
What type of scraper do you use?
Do you use a wood board, inside or underneath, or just lay them on a cement floor?
Are you using a gambrels, or whatever's handy?
If you are out of town, do you roll them, fur side out, until you get home?
Do you comb out the fur before fleshing?
Do you turn it after one day?
Do you have a specific animal dump for the carcasses, or do they pile up in the yard?
Do the hides freeze in your fur shed?
Do you wash the fur, at all?
Drop point, or clip blade, or not fussy?
When do you split the tail?
Do you salt? tail, nosepad, anywhere? Fur buyers usually don't like salt, but taxidermists do.
What size stretchers are you using? Wire frame, or wood boards?
Where do you cut the front legs; at the elbow?
Do you leave the lower jaw?
Do you use mint flavored floss for licking and threading the needle? ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Putting up fur is a lot of work, you earn your money!
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32368 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Az-Hunter
Hi, I'm Vic WELCOME TO THE U.S. Free baloney sandwiches here
Member # 17
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posted December 16, 2003 08:20 AM
A neck or head shot is the absolute worst percentage shot a guy can make....on ANY game animal. I can't for the life of me, figure why it is still bandied about with a wink and a nod as being a "great" shot. Ive shots lots of predators and big game, and could honestly count on one hand(with fingers left over) the number of head or neck shots I have made. Bad shot choice, very bad choice.
Posts: 1670 | From: 5 miles west of Tim | Registered: Jan 2003
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onecoyote
Knows what it's all about
Member # 129
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posted December 16, 2003 02:55 PM
Geezzzzz, this has got to be a first....everybody agrees ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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Great minds discuss ideas.....Average minds discuss events.....Small minds discuss people.....Eleanor Roosevelt.
Posts: 893 | From: Walker Lake Nevada. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Norm
Knows what it's all about
Member # 240
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posted December 16, 2003 03:33 PM
it's the tequila Danny;
Leonard, by the time someone answers your questions, they will have written a book....
If we mix all of them with some of your and Danny's fireside stories, we could create a best seller for Oprah's book club...
As for shooting a coyote in the neck. Well, ya know it is a big target and sometimes the only part that one gets to see if you are hunting in the sage and tall grasses of the high desert country. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) Now is it an area to shoot at??? If you purposedly shoot at the neck for a target, you need to take an anatomy class.
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Carpe Diem
Posts: 778 | From: Phx AZ | Registered: Oct 2003
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Q-Wagoner
FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Member # 33
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posted December 16, 2003 04:30 PM
Here is the stretcher
Here is the fleshing beam
This is the fleshing knife, tail splitter, tail stripper, knife and nail. All are used in the skinning and fleshing process.
My process goes as fallows.
I shoot the coyote, I comb the coyote then I skin the coyote and split the tale. From there it goes in the freezer until a later date. When I decide to finish the fur I thaw them out over night at room temperature and then flesh, sew and stretch them. When they are dry to the touch I will turn them fur side out on the stretcher and hose off any dirt or blood on the fur. I then let the coyote drip dry in front of a fan. Sometimes I will wash the hides before I stretch and dry them but I find it more convenient to do it after they are stretched and dried.
Once the fur is dry I comb them out good and hang them up until I am ready to sell.
How’s that for a quick run down?
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Norm
Knows what it's all about
Member # 240
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posted December 16, 2003 05:03 PM
Leonard, what Mr Quinton said is how I was taught as well...
Make sure you comb them before fleshing or you will be sewing where those burrs were located. Ask Mr. Tim if you don't believe me....
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Carpe Diem
Posts: 778 | From: Phx AZ | Registered: Oct 2003
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted December 16, 2003 05:11 PM
[ February 20, 2004, 02:46 PM: Message edited by: Cdog911 ]
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5440 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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albert
Knows what it's all about
Member # 98
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posted December 16, 2003 05:30 PM
One trick that I have heard of is to put a couple of drops of liquid fabic softener in your wash water. I have never tried myself but the guy that told me has won several awards for fur handling at trappers conventions.
My buddy Floyd washes the hides in a automatic clothes washer after they're fleshed. the spin cycle removes most of the water. A couple of guy's told me they have clothes spinners at home that they use to get the water out after washing.
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for what it's worth, eh!
Posts: 195 | From: Parkland, saskatchewan, canada | Registered: Feb 2003
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted December 16, 2003 06:31 PM
Albert,
Been there, done that, Downy works great. ( Rinse cycle only ) But don't act surprised if your wife gets madder'n hell at you for doing it. Especially about the second or third time she catches you.
And be sure to clean out the lint trap. That thing clogs up with hair fast!
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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22-250
Knows what it's all about
Member # 36
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posted December 19, 2003 08:57 AM
Back to neck and head shots; Tim, I think you are right. Why take a low probability shot, when a best shot in the heart and/or lungs shot is available. I have only shot two coyotes in the head. One was a dead run with a broadside shot. The second was a coyote that was hung up about 100 yards out and it was the only shot that I was going to have.
A good story on this broadside shoot. I was hunting with Rich and Tyler Higgins and my son. I was 100 yards or so downwind of the three of them, when this older but really small coyote run thru the stand. I was already standing up against a mesquite tree; fire a single shot about 70 yards, down went the coyote. Rich called for another five minutes or so. I see the three of them breaking the stand, so I walk out met them. I tell them I took the coyote that ran thru the stand. So the four of us walk where the coyote should be, and there was no coyote. We search for another ten minutes or so, seeing no coyote, no blood trail. So Tyler starting saying something like, “You know that coyotes can really get low to the ground when shoot at them. Are you sure that I hit that small coyote.” Now, I know that I hit this coyote and he went down for the count.. But after another five minutes of Rich, Tyler and Glenn all questioning me on this shot, I almost started in believing that I missed.
That when I look down at Tyler’s pants and see all this pink, wet matter on his pants legs. You should have seen Tyler’s face, when he realize that pink matter was brain matter from that coyote that I missed!
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The coyote is a living, breathing allegory of Want. He is always hungry. He is always poor, out of luck and friendless. The meanest creatures despise him and even the flea would desert him for a velocipede.
Posts: 108 | From: Longview, Texas, glad to be gone | Registered: Jan 2003
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