AGAINST CONVENTIONAL WISDOM
By Mike Faulk

Conventional wisdom calls for placement of an arrow or bullet in the “vital” zone of big game animals. Impact and penetration in the lungs or heart lead to "clean, quick kills" so the logic goes. True enough, a broadside shot, accurately placed, does the job.

As a high schooler, I worked in a grocery store usually as a bag boy or stock boy; but, occasionally, as the butcher’s assistant. What, at the time seemed one of the worst jobs, in reality turned out to be one of those “illuminating” experiences I'm glad I had. In those days, health department regulations weren’t so stringent. At this time of year, we processed deer, too.

Rarely, if ever, does a bullet or arrow take a consistently straight course through an animal. The result, more often than not, is the loss of some of the prime cuts of meat from the harvested game.

Secondly, one must ask how often is the exact, intended point of impact actually hit. I believe the answer is “rarely”. Of course there is a multitude of good, near-perfect shots. There are even more effective shots in the sense of successfully harvesting the animal. What I’m talking about is that precise, marksman-like shot.

Since our effectiveness doesn’t require precision, many of us - me included -take shots based on the old adage: “close counts.” In our conscience, we each know how much success we’ve had taking marginal shots. But the lack of success of marginal shots is my point here. There’s no telling how many times this attitude has resulted in either a clean miss or, worse, a wounded animal which we are unable to retrieve.

Over the years, I’ve come to prefer a neck shot. Miss too high and it’s a clean miss. Miss a little high and the spine shot is still deadly. Miss too low and it’s a clean miss. Miss a little low and it’s a deadly jugular shot.

A successful neck shot will at worst cost you a neck roast. What you preserve in the prime cuts of meat by a successful neck shot more than make up for that lost neck roast. Bon appetite!