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Author Topic: Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to Shoot  (Read 959 times)

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Offline 147 Grain

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to Shoot
« on: July 28, 2005, 03:10:47 PM »
Whenever a bullet strikes your intended target - like deer -  if carefully observed, (9 times out of 10) its reaction will tell you if you hit your mark or not.

Heart or Lung Shot
Upon being hit in the heart or lung area, most deer will usually jump or bound forward - kicking out with their hind legs.  This shot produces a bright red frothy blood trail with pink or white flecks of lung tissue in it.

Liver Shot
No deer can survive a shot to the liver.  Reactions include running a short distance with its head high or well forward before dying within 100 yards.  Blood trails tends to be very dark red / thick and glutinous.

Stomach or Gut Shot
Gut-shot deer usually hunch-up and stagger away into nearby cover with their head held low.   This poor shot usually produces a lot of green-like splashes of rumen from the stomach - content that sometimes has a lot of pines, acorns, or hair, but with very little blood.
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Aim for the Triangle Area between armpits & throat.

Offline 147 Grain

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Where to Shoot
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2005, 03:13:17 PM »
Found the following links that hopefully will be helpful to everyone:

Deer / Elk Anatomy Overview:  http://www.bowhunting.net/NAspecies/elk2.html

In looking at a deer or elk's circulatory system and bone structure, there appears to be two good spots to shoot for:




1.  Heart and Lung area slightly behind the front leg / near the top of the shoulder.




2. Spine / Base of Neck Area.  Following the forward portion of the front leg 1/2 to 2/3'rds up to where the neck meets the spine. There are a lot of major support bones in this area that when broken, should anchor the animal very quickly.
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45 ACP 230-gr. Double Tap Gold Dot = 1,010 fps / 15.3" & .95"    :D

Aim for the Triangle Area between armpits & throat.

Offline Jimi

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2005, 10:58:26 AM »
I aim for the neck every chance I get. They usually fall straight down... though sometimes they fall over. A good heart/lung shot will usually keep them from running more than 100 yards... but invariably they run in the opposite direction from where I have to drag them, which is why I opt for a neck shot.
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Offline JPSaxMan

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2005, 12:08:44 PM »
I usually aim wherever feels right (the vital area or the head)...the last deer I shot I was intending on the head but ended up going to the vital area anyway and dropped her.  :D
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Offline loaded4bear

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2005, 02:42:02 AM »
In my experience, if you do your part, a deer's reaction to being shot has always been the same...THEY DIE!!!
 
Seriously though, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to pay attention to a deer's reaction (& direction of flight) after the shot. Always follow-up a shot, even if you're "sure" you missed. Look for blood, hair, bits of bone, or irregular tracks away from the site. An untold number of "missed" deer (& other game animals for that matter) have run off at the shot only to die elsewhere unbeknownst to the hunter. Put at least as much effort into your follow-up after the shot as you did in locating your game in the first place.
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Offline JPSaxMan

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2005, 03:18:39 AM »
Quote from: loaded4bear
In my experience, if you do your part, a deer's reaction to being shot has always been the same...THEY DIE!!!


 :-D
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JP

Attorney: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in
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Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

Offline Redhawk1

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2005, 05:45:07 AM »
Quote from: Jimi
I aim for the neck every chance I get. They usually fall straight down... though sometimes they fall over. A good heart/lung shot will usually keep them from running more than 100 yards... but invariably they run in the opposite direction from where I have to drag them, which is why I opt for a neck shot.


I would never recommend a neck shot on a deer. I just don't think is is the best place to shoot any game. JMHO. :D
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Offline Jimi

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2005, 07:31:01 AM »
Very good then Redhawk... what would you recommend?
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Offline JPSaxMan

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2005, 07:38:57 AM »
I'm pretty sure Redhawk would recommend a vital area shot, no?  :D
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JP

Attorney: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in
his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?

Doctor: Did you actually pass the bar exam?

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

Offline BnSC

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2005, 09:57:08 AM »
Jimi, I figured someone would eventually tell you not to take a neck shot..

My dad and I have used the neck shot for years with the same, consistent resutls... they die... PLUS, they die right where they are standing.  I shoot a 22-250 a good bit for deer and that is the ONLY shot I'll take w/ that rifle.
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Offline BnSC

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2005, 10:05:16 AM »
147 grain.. that is good info that seems to be pretty consistent w/ my experiences.

A couple of other notes..
Lung / heart shots... the deer usually run full tilt after being hit from these shots..

All shots...
Deer will USUALLY (not always) leave w/ its tail down (doesn't flag) after being hit.  

Good all around info!!
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Offline Brithunter

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2005, 10:20:02 AM »
Hi All,

    All I can say is that reaction varies enormously depending on several factors, like point of impact, reaction of bullet and especially the Deers state. i.e Alert/relaxed!

    An alerted Deer is much more likely to run than one which is totally relaxed, however there are exceptions as always like the totally unaware Button Buck which went down only to pop back up from a head shot at 30 yards with the 7x57mm  :oops:  I have found in most cases a shot which catches high heart/low lung drops them very quickly and often in their tracks and this is the one I normally try for. So far I have only 5 deer that have run after the shot connected and 3 of those were very alert. Oh I have shot 4 deer this year up until April and hopefully will get another couple this year yet  :-)

  Oh Hh BnSC nice to see you here  :grin:  :wink:
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Offline BnSC

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Deer's Reaction to Being Shot and Where to
« Reply #12 on: August 01, 2005, 03:28:05 PM »
Brithunter, hello to you as well!

I haven't seen you around on the other boards in a while..

appears you are having a good go at the deer so far on your side of the pond.  What kinds (of deer) so far?
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Offline longwalker

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where to shoot
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2005, 03:36:13 AM »
My experience is the vitals shot does the trick. With the exception of two firearms shot whitetails I have never had to track a deer more than 40 yards.

The first was at a running buck in the woods in wonter in the rain. The deer never knew I was there but was in full run when he came past me at about 20 yards. The shot was marginal but a lung shot none the less. He piled up about 150 yards later the 30-30 bullet passd thought and I was able to track the deer pretty well. Upon impact I did notice the tail drop.

The second was two years ago when I shot a nice buck with a handgun The set up should have given me am easy 15 yard shot. However this was not the case. I eventually had an open standing shot, quartering, away. However the distance was about 60 yards. I had to place the shot behind the left leg to have it pass through the vital area and pass out infront of the right leg. Mission accomplished. Upon impact the deer jumped straight up in the air and ran about twenty yards farther away. He stood there, turned 120 degrees to the right and begain walking east. My experience told me I had made a good hit. But doubt crept into my head. I moved through the woods to try and catch up to where I had seen him last. The deer was with in 15 yards of where I had last seen him. The shot was exactly what I had planned on with the bullet just under the skin in front of the right should. The deer moved about 125 yards after being hit.

All the other deer I have shot have dropped where they stood or with in 40 yards. Most I never lost sight of unless in deep cover.

longwalker
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