How Is This Deer Not Fazed?

[lmfree]

The two different angles of the pictures make it confusing. Going by picture 2, I would say the shot is actually above the spine and with the angle the deer is leaning my guess would be the shot only hit muscle above the spine. The spine this far front dips well below the dorsal profile of the deer. But then picture 3 makes it appear like the shot is much lower and back and maybe hit a rib near its juncture to the spine which just plain stopped the arrow. If this is a short bolt from a crossbow then there was little to no penetration since most of the bolt is still visible. Just a guess. A lot depends on the broadhead; In the early days of expandables I had very poor penetration which looked similar to this but luckily they were in a more vital area so I still eventually harvested the deer but only after a long, frustrating track.

[Raymond]

Hey Imfree, I never seen a crossbow shoot bolts they shoot arrows.Imfree didn't you read what peevedog posted. A 30" arrow, a crossbow doesn't shoot 30 inch arrows.

[John Buck]

It is amazing how much "empty" space there is inside a deer's upper chest cavity. I had a similar shot, but slightly further back and at a steeper angle. I watched the deer run away with about 1/3 of the arrow sticking out. We searched for him later and found very little--not even the arrow. 2 weeks later, I was able to lure the same buck in with a grunt from about 70 yards. When he passed under my stand, I could see clearly that he was the same deer, now with only a slight limp to show for our previous encounter. When he stepped into the spot I had shot him 2 weeks prior, he bolted--almost as if jarred by the memory. I don't believe he picked up my scent, or my presence; I am convinced he had a "flashback" and ran off.

[greatlakeshunter]

Hello , I think the deer jumped the string. Dropped down and twisted to run.The arrow hit high above chest cavity in neck muscle.Skin is stretched so entry wound looks further back when deer is relaxed.So arrow passed through muscle only.No wind pipe damage.Only danger of infection. I shot a four point one year and lost his trail .Hit him high by shoulder.Shot a six point in same blind the next year and on cutting him up for freezer found my broadhead covered with grizzle in loin area.Tough deer.No one can predict a purfect shot 100% all live animals move.But we can try to do our best.

[baddoghunter]

High Hit for Sure and the height looks different when the deer came back I think because in the first picture the animal is dropping to lunge and run away. That arrow is plenty deep enough to have made an exit hole however it also could have been a 2 blade mechanical the went thru the meat just under the spine on the front side and hit a rib and just slid down the rib just inside the body cavity on the off side or it slid down the shoulder and leg bone perhaps the offside scapula. In an older episode on TV where a Pro hunter named Adam and Im sorry I cant remember his last name hits a deer over 200 iches with double drop tines in the same place. He immeadiatly has a sick look on his face and turns to the camera and states that no way was the hit going to be fatal. It was his biggest deer encounter he ever had and he has taken 3 deer over 200 inches. I remember reading his story where they say he hung around for days looking and even hired a helicopter to fly him over the property.The deer was never found dead but also never seen again.I have a nephew who had shot a nice 8 point in the same place and the deer actually made a loud grunt auggg noice stuck its horns into the ground and flipped over and didnt move. He could see the arrow sticking up and he was young and in expirienced and he felt the deer was dead.He waited 5 minutes of so before he climed down and as he walked over to the deer it got up and ran off. with the arow sticking out on both sides. I met him at lunch and he showed me the thrashing marks in the leaves where it all took place. I could not see any blood so I was sceptical if he was telling me the truth and I asked him which direction it had run. He pointed down a well worn run and I told him to wait for me and I started to walk the trailt. I got to about 80 yards away from him and was just slowly taking a few steps at a time and scanning the area and all of a sudden from under some scrubby pines and brush the buck busted out of there with two does in tow and I clearly saw the arrow sticking out of the deer but could not see any blood nor did I find any.I figure he must have knicked the deers spine or something that basically knocked the deer out or silly and it got up and ran out of fear as it was coming to,Weird unexplained stuff happens in the deer woods. I would like the hunter to tell us the rest of the story. Was it seen alive at a later date was it eventually found dead. Deer can even survive a one lung hit from everything Ive read about it. Tell us the rest of the story please.

[pgchambers]

A little sensitive there aren't you Raymond. Crossbow projectiles have traditionally been called bolts. Maybe if we all call them arrows, the states will all include crossbows in the archery hunt. Is that the idea? Either way, the preaching is unnecessary.

[Wild Bill]

Looks to me like a lack of penetration because the arrow hit the scapula and slid up towards the neck. Probably a two blade broadhead and possibly a wood shaft. The quartering-away photo seems to show the deer lifting and carrying the wounded leg.

I had a couple of bummer shoulder lessons just last season.

[badtoys]

looks like it missed the backstrap went between the ribs and it's to high for lungs or anything vital ,bleed a few drops it stopped , then came back probley thought it was stung or bit by horsefly

[retch sweeny]

How is it this is a televised episode but little information is given such as the Brodhead used? The pics provided don’t do much to help explain. Was the deer shot by a bowhunter with an arrow (one would think there was a pass through the other side then) or was it that of a crossbow shooter and the bolt/quarrel did not go through the other side? If it was shot by a bowhunter using an arrow, what was the draw weight and shot distance?

[jonny5buck]

Hey ben are you ever gonna tell us what happened???? or were you just wondering what we thought???? July is almost over buddy_