Success at head/neck shooting is more than just aiming at the head/neck. The shot has to be set up - meaning the situation has to be assessed and, if possible, manipulated so the shot is fairly easy. The "white patch" shot others have mentioned is a fairly simple placement, especially within 100yds. And always the "default shot" for both my son and I is the "high through the shoulders" shot that Lon and Ridgerunner mention.
With this buck, my son was sitting in a sturdy blind that is set up for shooting, including window sills wide enough to hold sandbags. He had a clear, albeit long-ish shot. He had a good rifle with a good 14x scope and that rifle is "
zero'ed" at about 275 yds. (just 50 yds short of his target). He was certain of the range (thanks to the rangefinder) and has considerable shooting experience. So a lot of the usual shooting variables were eliminated (or put in his favor) before the shot was taken.
A hunter needs to be aware of when and how successful head/neck shots can be made and when to go to the "default shot", and when to wait for a better opportunity. That includes reading deer "body language" and being acutely aware of angles and elevations. With this buck, my son took the best neck shot - centered vertically just ahead of where the neck joins the body. The exit wound is lower because of the elevation and because (as he told me) he hit slightly lower than he planned. But the performance of the bullet he was using made the "slightly low" hit perfectly effective.
Head and
upper neck shots are wonderfully effective but they should be taken only under certain conditions (including distance and angles), and
always from a supported position. As others have said too, knowledge of one's rifle's performance
and limits is a must, but that really applies to all game shooting. Personally, I would not take a
broadside head shot specifically because of the possibility of just shooting the lower jaw off. Had I been in your shoes (Mountainwalk) I'm sure I would have
and felt terrible about the matter forever. But, like Lon, Ty and Ridgerunner, I've known of too many "
we couldn't find it" deer that resulted from chest/body shots and that is just as bad (imho).
I really don't think there is much disagreement here. Clean kills result from knowledgable and careful shooting, and sometimes a good ability to trail a wounded animal.