I am not currently an archery hunter. I was just wondering how far deer typically run after getting hit with an arrow.
With a gun there are a lot of variables. And then still unpredictable at times.

quote:

Originally posted by frank4570:
I am not currently an archery hunter. I was just wondering how far deer typically run after getting hit with an arrow.
With a gun there are a lot of variables. And then still unpredictable at times.

It all goes about shot placement like with a rifle.

Like you said there is a lot of variables.

if undisturbed after the shot, typically about 60yds but runs up to 125yds are common. Beyond 150yds isn't a good sign.

Many of the deer I shot go from 20 to 40 yd's. I have shot through deer that jumped from the noise the arrow made hitting the ground after passing through. Then they kept eating apples, started to shake their heads trying to stay awake, made one jump and died. A heart shot deer can make 100 yd's. Most good hits result in death in about 10 to 20 seconds but they can cover a lot of ground in that time.
Of course a spine hit drops them. I have somewhere around 235 bow kills and a heavy recurve seems to have less chance of a deer running far then a heavy compound. I don't know if it is the noise or impact.

My doe ran 20 yards, and was a 20 yard shot.

Bugle,, you keep sticking them right there and you won't need to practice your tracking skills..
Great shot, nice doe, congrats.

With a double lung shot they don't typically go further then 50yds. With a single lung hit they can go pretty far,couple hundred yards or more if pushed. Gut shot,they usually lay down within 100yds but could take 10hrs to expire. When in doubt back out!

My buddy and I hit 3 deer this fall, and recovered 2 of them. He had a spine shot on one doe, and a liver hit on another. The liver hit left zero blood after the first 5-10 yds, and we found her by walking grids--about 70 yds from his stand.

I shot a doe--complete penetration with no blood, only clear liquid and hair on the arrow. I couldn't see the where the arrow hit. Waited 15 minutes before I got down and checked the arrow, and once I found blood--about 15 yds away, I waited 30 minutes before taking up the trail. Blood trail was "medium" for first 40 yds, then there was a large spot--about 18" diameter of bright red blood and clots about an inch deep, and a steady trail for next 30 yds. After that it was a steady drop, drop, drop for 300 yds and then nothing more. Strangest thing was that the entire blood trail was uphill--the only time I've had a wounded deer go uphill. Went back the next morning and walked about 300 ac and found nothing. My buddy watched the place for a week and saw no buzzards or other signs that the deer died.

In retrospect, I think it was a gut shot and we pushed too soon.

However, in response to your question--a shot through the heart/lung area usually has 'em down and dead within 50-75 yds.

Many years ago I had a noisy compound and shot at a buck at 25 yd's. The deer bolted, spun around and ran back before my arrow got there. I hit him in the liver. He walked away, out of sight.
I remembered reading that a liver hit is painful and the deer will walk a straight line. I found him by just walking the line he walked out on. So it might be true.
That was the only deer or squirrel I was ever able to hit with that bow so I sold it and bought a new bow. Funny thing was I had the quietest sounding bow at the indoor range, it just made a dull thump while all the other bows banged pretty loud.
Even at 10 yd's I could not hit a deer with it, they were GONE right now and I killed a lot of dirt instead.

My brother and I both shot deer on opening day of 2008. His deer-a toad of a buck that dressed at about 160#-took the shot like nothing ever happened. The arrow passed completely through and he just stood there, bled out, collapsed and died. My deer-an average sized doe-took off like a raped ape after being hit. The shot was a fairly steep one, but the arrow managed to hit both lungs and do sufficient damage to the heart before passing completely through. As the crow flies, she only made it about a hundred yards, but the blood trail was about 2500-300 yards long.

Good shot placement should equal a short distance. I have shot a bunch of deer in my 30 years of bow hunting and never had to track further than 50 to 60 years, most were found within 20 to 30 yards.

shot a buck on opening day about 6 years ago, dead centered the chest, right behind the shoulder. Darn thing went about 200 yards from the point of impact to recovery. Shot a doe the year before... same place. 40 yards, impact to recovery. Shot another buck, fall of '07 the same place. 50-60 yards, went down in sight. Next afternoon, my sister shot her first deer (9 point) same place - same result. 50-60 yards, went down in sight. The difference? Different deer. No two shots will give identical results (short of spine or brain trauma). Ideally, expect 50-100 yard trails.

gd

Most of my bow kills have went 20 yards or less. If you hit both lungs and take the shot when they are relaxed, and don't move a muscle after the arrow impact they will usually die within sight. Only get one lung or no lung and shoot at a keyed up deer and you have a long tracking job ahead of you.

A deer hit in both lungs or the heart with a razor sharp broadhead will generally go 75 yards or less. Hit in only one lung, or with a less than sharp broadhead, they can go much farther. Razor sharp heads play a huge role in how quick they go down. Bow killed deer die from bloodloss, dull heads don't cause enough quick enough blood loss.

Several years ago I showed a gyroscopic top to a buddy. He asked "how long does it spin" I replied "until it stops."

Deer generally run until they die.

the chef