rich007

last week I hit deer in that pie plate size area behind the shoulder above the elbow from about ten yards. Exactly where I wanted to hit. The arrow passed through the deer completly. I saw the deer lay down twice within a very short period of time. To make a long story short he ended up getting away. He stopped bleeding and I lost his direction, but the blood was very heavy for the first hundred yards.
My question is: is it possible to hit a deer in that vital area( the front of the rib cage) and not hit any vital organs like the heart or lungs. And will this deer eventually die? Has this happend to anyone else! I would like to have some explanation. This was definatly a very solid shot it wasn't grazed.

SDarcher

thats where i hit my deer, broke a rib on the way through and everything. But he only went about 30 yards and then layed down and died. did u pressure the deer too much or did u give it some time to lay down and die? sometimes if they lay down they'll still be alive for a while and u just have to give them time. But if you hit it in the vitals that deer should be lying dead somewhere. maybe get a few people tohelp you and try looking for it again.

Mathewsboy

Was it broadside? or quartering towards or away?

YOu couldnt have hit double lung or heart and lung.

I can only think that you must have not hit where you thot and you only caught one lung...

rich007

thank you, I think you are right I only gave the deer about 15 minutes then I went after him and he ran. I kept jumping him about every 200 yards. I was sure that he would colapes but he never did.

rich007

I guess your right. But I have very bright colored fleching and I could see very clearly where that arrow hit. Like I said, if someone gave me another shot a the deer I would not have done anything different. But I agree with you, I just wish I knew for sure what happend.

royak

You pushed to soon no doubt. If you hit where yo siad it could have been a little too far back that said he probably will expire but if you push one too soon he can live a lot longer then you think. I have saw deer hit in the heart run for several hundres yards if pushed. If possible go back and look in the last place you found blood and start in a small circle ever extending it look under brush and tall grass. You would be surprised how easily they can hide even while dying.

Gryan

No

It is easy to be off a bit in our estimation of the hit. Did it myslelf last weekend but with the opposite result. Son hit one that we thought was too far back. (He shot and I was watching the vitals closely) Went fifty+- yards and dropped in plain sight.

Sorry you lost one.

Greg