Aiming Question: Dropping Deer In It's Tracks

[Graybeard]

There is an area above the lungs and below the spine (admittedly not a large area) where there is nothing crucial to the survival of the deer. Hits there often drop a deer in its tracks only to see them jump and run off. Generally hits there are not fatal and the deer do recover nicely.

It is one of the reasons I hate to hear of folks shooting for a HIGH LUNG shot rather than the lower heart/lung shot.

[BBF]

I would have thought that access to the chest cavity via a large bullet hole would cause the lungs to collapse from the atmospheric pressure itself. Another reason for a big caliber

[Graybeard]

The area I mention doesn't open a hole in the chest cavity to deflate the lungs but really you need to put a hole in the lungs to do that.

[blackbear]

I would have thought that access to the chest cavity via a large bullet hole would cause the lungs to collapse from the atmospheric pressure itself. Another reason for a big caliber

What large calibers do you shoot? I have a .450 Marlin but have not shot anything with it yet.

[mechanic]

The only shots I have seen that have never failed to drop a deer on the spot are head and spine.  I only take those shots if the deer is in range and relatively motionless.  It takes patience while holding a bead until you get a still shot.  On any running deer, I have always shot for the lung, heart area.  They may not fold up immediately, but they can't go far with holes through the lungs and or heart.  Within 50 yards I will always go for a head shot.  Even with a small caliber, a brain shot is instantaneous.  I have seen deer shot with huge calibers, even 375 H&H that required tracking.  Shot placement is crucial regardless of caliber.  And as always, the largest target is the chest area.  Make the shot you are most sure of.  Never cause suffering needlessly, is my goal.  I believe that all God's creatures are marvelous, and while I believe in the natural order of things, I never want to make one suffer.

Ben

[blackbear]

Large calibers are not needed for deer but some people like using them. Shot placement is crucial whatever caliber one shoots.

[cwlongshot]

 For me, where and how I hunt I aim for the base of the neck/high shoulder. Same as others have described, 99% of the time its a bang flop. You know you did it right when they fold up there legs and seem to "hang" there in mid air. 

 But that's for typical new England distances. When the distance stretches, my aiming point changes to center of the lungs, its a good target and quite a bit more margin for error. Under estimate distance and you still have lungs and heart, over estimate and it lungs ands spine, its a win win.

 I am a bow as well as a gun hunter, with the gun I don't expect them to move after the shot. With the bow, the sharp blades hemorrhage more efficiently, so the bones are avoided for lung tissue.

I don't like head shots as I have hunted with a fellow that does this every chance he gets. I am sorry to say it has accounted for some LONG tracking jobs when he catches the fringes. My uncle is a neck shooter. While I never remember him missing, its also to high percentage a shot for my liking.

CW

[cwlongshot]

There is an area above the lungs and below the spine (admittedly not a large area) where there is nothing crucial to the survival of the deer. Hits there often drop a deer in its tracks only to see them jump and run off. Generally hits there are not fatal and the deer do recover nicely.

It is one of the reasons I hate to hear of folks shooting for a HIGH LUNG shot rather than the lower heart/lung shot.

 I have seen this shot first hand!!
  Some years back, my brother shot a small buck with the bow, a week before rifle season. He said, he saw his arrow sticking out both sides of the deer as it ran off. He let it sit until I got there some 1/2 hour later and we tracked it. The blood ran out some hundred yards later and after searching all afternoon, we gave it up as lost.
 One week later, our father was hunting a couple hundred yards form where my brother had shot that deer and in the vicinity of that ravine. We herd his rifles report. Gave him about a half hour and slowly worked our way over to him. I got there just before my brother. He was coming up from below. My father pointed him to where the deer laid, when he exclaimed "You shot my deer"! Sure enough a quick exam shower two holes, nicely healed where the arrow went UNDER the spine but obviously ON TOP OF the lungs. 
 Let the lord strike me down where I sit, if any of this story is untrue.

CW

[Cottonwood]

There is an area above the lungs and below the spine (admittedly not a large area) where there is nothing crucial to the survival of the deer. Hits there often drop a deer in its tracks only to see them jump and run off. Generally hits there are not fatal and the deer do recover nicely.

It is one of the reasons I hate to hear of folks shooting for a HIGH LUNG shot rather than the lower heart/lung shot.

Bill is correct, as you can see where the shot is on my buck, and it dropped right where it stood.

[rickt300]

I have yet to find this "empty area" high in the deers chest near the shoulder. It might be behind the shoulder blade or maybe if the deer is breathing out as the bullet hits him. However every deer I have hit with a proper bullet in the chest has been down quickly. Some immediatly and some made it a few yards.

[cwlongshot]

Rick,
 You could have hit it spot on. This "void" may not always be there... I hadn't given it that much thought.
I only know for certain that it does exist.

CW