Deer reaction when shot

[stosh]

My friend and I are having a discussion/disagreement on deer reaction when hit well in the boiler room with a high powered rifle, in this case a 7mm rem mag. The story goes he was hunting last year and from a good rest shot at a deer at 100 yds broadside. The deer walked off into the woods, a few minutes later another deer ran to the same spot and he shot it in the same spot he shot the first one and it dropped in it's tracks. He is convinced it is his scope changing zero. While I concede it is entirely possible for his scope to be defective, it is also possible he hit the first deer perfectly and it just didn't die right away. He doesn't believe this to be possible. I have shot many, many deer with everything from a 450 marlin, to a 7 mm rem ultra mag and I have shot the heart and both lungs out and seen them walk off like they weren't touched only to pile up 100 - 200 yds away! I once shot a doe at 30 yds broadside with a 12 ga 1-3/16 oz slug Hollow point, blowing the heart and lungs to mush. The deer ran 100yds down hill and 50 yds up the next hill before dyeing ! When I dressed the deer is didn't have a drop of blood in it! Please agree or argue if you wish.

 

[xswanted]

I’ve always always experienced a heart shot deer to mule kick at bullet impact and run 20-40 yards before falling down.

 

[Someoldguy]

Ooooooooh, boy.

 

[rr2030]

Shot a buck at about 70 yards with a 16 ga slug, not a drop of blood for 50 yards then a 4" wide path of blood that I followed to his final resting place. It must have run almost 100 yards before it dropped. Top of the heart was gone, go figure.

 

[stosh]

Yes LOL

 

[Prose]

Just shoot em in the spine like my wife

 

[Tommie]

I have no clue how he does it, but I’ve seen more DRT deer kills by Ted Nugent using a bow.

 

[Doug Beach]

I had a bull & buck tag in Montana, 2006, I think. I was using an -06, 180 TSX. Shot a buck broadside, just behind the shoulder, at about 90 yards. It ran about 50 yards, and went back to browsing. It was broadside to me again, facing the other way, and I could see the exit wound, right where it ought to be. I waited forever (probably 1 minute), and shot it again, in the neck, just forward of the shoulder, because it didn’t seem to mind being shot through the lungs. It died instantly.
I realize the ammo was not the perfect deer dropping combo, but the near non-reaction was surprising. Same ammo killed 3 elk with 3 shots.
Go figure.

 

[spencerhenry]

A kill shot does not necessarily get a response from the animal. I have shot many elk with a bow that do not flinch only to fall down a few seconds later. Any animal shot at should be pursued, especially a rifle at reasonable distances.

 

[bloc]

I hit a standing deer with a .35 Rem. from a Thompson pistol at 50 - 75 yards.

He. Did. Not. Blink.

At first, I thought I'd missed. Then I saw a small mark on his chest at my aiming point which I thought was not there when I pulled the trigger.

He stood still looking directly at me and I had a choice: reload the pistol and take a second shot with all the movement that entailed and gamble that my movement might spook him before I could take that shot, or trust that that new little spot marked the entry point of my bullet.

We watched each other for perhaps 30 seconds, he turned 180 degrees and walked to my left for a few yards, turned 90 degrees and walked unsteadily directly away from me for perhaps 20 - 40 yards, turned right and dropped after walking another few yards.

My bullet had torn into his heart and he'd bled out. He was dead deer standing.

But the bullet had slipped between a couple of ribs without touching them so (I believe) he gave no indication whatsoever that he'd been hit.

JFWIW.

 

[biggen0_8]

Sometimes it's like you used the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique."

That's for you Kill Bill fans.

 

[370bc]

https://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/things-i-learned-shooting-crop-damage-whitetail-deer.8/
Bookmark this article. its a good one!

 

[rr2030]

I have no clue how he does it, but I’ve seen more DRT deer kills by Ted Nugent using a bow.

Probably does what they do in all those lame hunting shows, stop recording until you locate the critter then pose and start recording again.

 

[rr2030]

Sometimes it's like you used the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique."

That's for you Kill Bill fans.

That combined with the "quart of blood" technique would be devastating on any game !

For the Trading Places fans.

 

[CaptainMal]

Multiple times I tried using my 375 H&H and 338 Win Mag for deer. Each time that perfect shot resulted in deer running like crazy for 50-100 yards. The bullets just coasted through the deer without a super shock result. Much the same with my 44 mag rifle if hit behind the shoulder.

Now I like the shoulder shot - high or low. Down Right There or Dead Right There - that's what I would rather have.

 

[Sekora]

I shot a buck a few years ago with my 7mm08 broadside at approximately 100 yards. I hit exactly where I wanted to and knew I made a good shot as I seen him mule kick at the shot. I could not believe that buck ran approximately 200 yards before piling up. When I skinned him out, I found the bottom part of his heart in his off shoulder arm pit. The blood trail was amazing from the point of impact to recovery. Its amazing what these animals do sometimes and a responsible hunter should always follow up on a shot even if it appears to be a miss.

 

[XTR]

I've seen two deer that I've shot in "the boiler" drop where they stood. One I shot on opening day of ML season several yrs ago in TN. I hit a little higher than I aimed (I held for 150 and it was a little closer) clipped the bottom of the spinal cord and the lungs and it dropped in it's tracks.

The second I shot with a 250gr shockwave at about 10 yds (i.e., 30 feet) or less from a smokeless ML, it's lungs were totally destroyed, there was nothing left in the chest cavity.

I've seen many deer take a good shot through the lungs and run off for 20 to 40 yards.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

A kill shot does not necessarily get a response from the animal. I have shot many elk with a bow that do not flinch only to fall down a few seconds later. Any animal shot at should be pursued, especially a rifle at reasonable distances.

I've shot many elk with a rifle that didn't respond. If ya want em on the ground break a shoulder. Most guys, me included go for the boiler room.. Then wait for it. As for deer, they might drop, stand or run.

 

[shoot4fun]

Just shoot em in the spine like my wife

Shooting you wife in the spine would not be ethical I fear.
HAHAHAHA

 

[Drolds72]

300 winmag with 180 gr Federal classics. buck following doe at 250 yards. Shot the buck broadside and went straight down. Doe ran right at me and stopped at 40 yards. Took my classic MN high shoulder shot, and she still made it onto neighbors land 75 yards away. Think those soft points slowed down and really expanded to release energy to shock him to ground until he bled out. Doe was just motivated....