Yup kinda like any action or thing someone does. Had a wise man tell me once, "Ty if you have to ask if something is okay...the better question is what can I change or do differently to make it okay."
Everyone has different sets of ethics which is definitely alright. I like to think that if nobody saw you shoot a deer in the neck with a bow and nobody would find out, would you feel you made a good shot on the deer? If the deer went down in a flash I think some would be alright with it. If the deer ended up with a superficial wound I think the person would feel different. I personally don't like the idea of taking the shot intentionally. I hunted with a guy who would religiously preach that it's a good shot. He knew it was an odd shot to take because he made it known to people. He would say "I'm known for taking questionable shots". He was more about killing an animal. That was his priority. I don't hunt with him any longer but I would consider him a good hunter with a different set of ethical standards. If he took that shot and it seems to work for him, who am I to say he's wrong?
There is no reason to take a neck shot on a deer with a bow. With a firearm it can be great shot on larger game, moose in particular as there is little meat damage and the spine is large in size
To this very day that is the internal question that held me from shooting what would have been my biggest buck in early moonlight one morning at 10 yards...I knew it was not legal time...but I personally knew I could hold no pride in taking that animal knowing it.
My grandpa killed a buck with a bow straight on by a neck shot many years ago and when I first joined this site I would have taken it too. But since joining and talking to other hunters and studying deer rather than just hunting them, I've changed a bit of my hunting style. Rather than just looking at deer as food, I respect them and I am much more ethical and cognizant of proper high probability shots. To me, it's not a spot I would aim for. We owe it to the deer to go for the lungs and heart.
I too have struggled with something similar. 2 seasons ago I was after this 10 pointer. On November 1st he came in and the only shot I could take was the chest or neck. He wasn't a giant, but to me would have been my largest buck to date. I kept waiting for a better shot but it never happened. He picked me off, backed away and left myself wondering always if I should have tried for that shot.
The size of the animal shouldn't matter. A doe or spike deserves the same respect we give a 180 inch buck. Clearly a neck shot with a bow is a low percentage shot and everyone gets to decide for themselves if it's a shot they'd take. It's not a shot I'd take. Who am I to tell a guy he's wrong to take that shot? I'm a responsible hunter who believes strongly that marginal shots are not good shots to take for very good reasons. Would I say it's "wrong"? I'd say it was wrong for me, and try to explain why it should be "wrong" for every hunter.
My second doe I shot idk if I pulled or just made a bad shot. But after shooting her we searched the trail until we found her but there was no arrow. The entry wound was right on the neck I didn’t like the placement but she dropped in 40 yards when I field dressed her I found my arrow entered the neck went down and blasted both lungs somehow. Son I wouldn’t try for it but it was a kill shot for me this year Mike4christ 2016 Bear Escape Easton FMJ 6mm NAP Doublecross
The only time a neck shot is warrented is when it is a "successful miss" and is lethal. Anything can happpen at crunch time, and if it hasn't (or doesn't) you're either one lucky fellow or the ground you walk on is worshipped...
