This topic caused quite a stir on the Marlin Board last week. One guy even go to calling others unethical because they took neck shots. I have seen many, many deer and antelope killed with neck shots and have personally killed three elk and one moose with neck shots. As Art said, the main advantage to a neck shot is the field-dressing is so much cleaner. That aside, on game facing you a neck shot is very viable. If you are above the game and shooting down the neck shot is very viable. It is only when the animal is broadside that you need to be more careful. I tell my hunters to shoot up near where the neck joins the head. If you miss you will miss cleanly. If you hit you will probably kill instantly. But, realize that the concussion of the bullet hitting in the neck really disrupts the central nervous system and may knock an animal down even though the bullet has gone cleanly through muscle. Always be ready for a follow-up shot. I have seen big, rut-swollen mule deer drop like a load of bricks from neck shots only to jump right up and run off. Because of that I tell hunters do not shoot big, neck-swollen deer through the neck. Another fact in taking a neck shot is caliber. If you are close and a good shot, even a .22 Magnum will kill a deer but if you are beyond 150 yards neck shots should probably be avoided unless you have a larger caliber, hard-hitting bullet and you know how to place it. I don't seem too many neck shots on antelope simply because their neck is so thin. You would need to be real close to shoot them through the neck and while I have done it, on antelope you seldom have anything obscuring your target so you are better off putting one behind the shoulder. Years of observation has also shown me that the so called "boiler-room" shot can be highly overrated, especially on big, tough mule deer bucks. I have seen a number of mule deer and even a few antelope run a long way with a shot through the lungs. For some reason, the .243 and .270 have accounted for the vast majority of these. True, the bullet type was probably wrong but that's a whole new story.