Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilOhio
Bomberpilot, I have to differ with you strongly, and the reason is that what you say makes total sense, but conflicts with what I have experienced and seen with my hunter friends. It is illogical, but it happens. It has nothing to do with "aren't hitting them right". The most extreme personal example was the destructive heart shot from about 50 feet, mentioned in my first post.
I hit this deer from almost point blank range, saw the hole open and saw tissue and blood fly out the other side. Unbelievably, the deer did a fast walk through 18" water and into very heavy thicket. It went several hundred feet and was difficult to find.
I field dressed it. I always save the heart and liver, which I love to eat. Field dressing this one, I couldn't find the heart, and thought...??? Finally, I realized a big flat pancake thing had once been the heart. That 575 grain slug had hit it squarely, and hydrostatic shock literally caused the heart to explode. So you think that deer was not hit right????
Almost the same thing happened two years earlier and 100 yards from that spot. I hit one broadside, from close, squarely in the bullseye area. But that deer, one of two standing side by side, took off like a shot. I thought I had missed it, but could not imagine how. I began walking in the general direction, just to check... About 100 yards away, there it lay, stone dead, and hit precisely where I had the cross hairs. The slug also passed all the way through and caused great exit hole damage. Not hit right??? I think not.
There is something about deer physiology, or stamina, or adrenalin, or something that I/we may not fully understand. But sometimes squarely hit ones drop like a stone, and sometimes they run like the wind...for a short time. It may have a lot to do with where you hit, in relation to the nerve system. Break that information transmission system, and it stops right there, but such a hit is a matter of luck.
I learn something new and amazing each hunting season.
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What you posted earlier was "What has impressed me most, and was completely unexpected, is how difficult it is to kill a deer, even with a heavy, high power projectile going directly through a vital area, expending most of its energy. We've lost a number of deer so hit, because they ran long distances and could not be found before the meat was ruined. Our bow hunters have lost the most."
In my response I said deer will die in short order and I stand by that statement. A heart shot deer will usually take off on a "death run", sometimes even running into trees. But those deer will be dead within seconds (just as in your example above). A deer can cover a lot of ground in a couple of seconds, but a heart shot deer will usually leave a very wide blood trail. You should not be losing deer if they are properly hit. Yes, you may have to trail it, but it won't be far. A deer that runs long distances, as you previously said, was not hit in the heart/lung area. Liver shot deer can run a long way without leaving much of a trail, same with a gut shot...still fatal hits but not very quick. But, a deer so hit, if left alone, will lay down very quickly (usually within 100 yards). Given enough time (were talking hours here), it will die right there. If you pursue it too soon, it will jump up and run for miles. If you're looking to drop a deer on the spot, break the front shoulder bone or go for a spine/neck shot.
And as for your statement "It has nothing to do with "aren't hitting them right".", it has everything to do with hitting them right. You do your job and you eat venison. There's nothing magical about a deer...hit them in their vitals and it's over. Period.