Ouch!

Reloader

"I WAS AIMING AT THE RABBIT HONEST"

What a shame, I just hope that it was cured of its suffering soon after.

Regards Runas

The thing about it...it looks like a pretty good hit with respect to angle, point of entry, etc....I'll bet ya a hundred bucks it was an expandable broadhead that failed to open.

Looks a bit far back and high to me.

Frans

quote:

Originally posted by Frans Diepstraten:
Looks a bit far back and high to me.

Frans

Me too.

Cheers,
Canuck

My only question is How in the hell is that deer still walking? That should be top of the lungs. Either he had just exhaled when the arrow struck, or he's got some serious luck, but either way, from the picture he should be dead. So maybe it was his lucky day. Cause it sure wasn't the hunter's.

gd

I agree, He should have been dead as a hammer with that angle and placement, I've killed a pile of them with that shot. A good many times when going for the low heart shot, they jump string and the hit is slightly high.

My theory on this picture is that he was possibly standing at a strong quarter away from the hunter and he went for the behind the shoulder shot but, the arrow went down the ribs under the shoulder and didn't enter the cavity. Notice how he stands like his left front shoulder is hurt. I bet that broad head is under his shoulder giving him fits. The angle of the arrow could have easily been bent because there's no telling how long he'd been hit before the picture was taken.

I've shot deer quartering away with a bow and had the arrow not enter the cavity when I thought for sure it was a good shot. For that reason I stay away from strong quartering away shots. A slight quartering shot is great but, a strong quarter can deflect the arrow down the ribs and go under the shoulder meat with no vital connection.

I have a good friend that killed a nice buck 2 years ago with an arrow inside his chest cavity. When he was on the skinning rack there was a large bump under the hide behind his ribs. Upon cutting it open there was an entire arrow and broadhead inside that deers chest cavity! No telling how long it was in there. The broad head hit lungs so, it's really unbelievable how he lived. I just don't see how he made it. His horns were not even deformed, he had a nice rack probably upper 120s.

I also killed a 6pt on a hunt in Alabama that had a deformed rack. When I cleaned him he had about 4" of a Super Slam arrow and a Thunderhead 125 stuck in the middle of his pelvis.

Strange things happen.

Reloader

Kinda looks like the arrow is in the paunch. Looks like a slow death for that poor guy.

MG

Hate to see a pic like that, but I wouldn't be surprised if that deer isn't alive and well currently...

The digestive system was not injured, as the deer would have developed sepsis and died (at the very least would not be coming to eat from a corn pile)

The injury appears to be at least a week old, if the lighter colored spot around the arrow is in fact shedding of hair from the deer licking the wound.

I suspect the arrow entered under the spine, probably just before the kidney, and may have gotten the periphery of one lung, but certainly not the pulmonary artery or one if its major branches.

It's really amazing how some 'kill' shots don't do what they are supposed to do, and some horrible shots result in a quick death.

When I was 17, I shot a deer with a bow running. She was around 25 yards away broadside, I released the arrow with a 18 inch lead, and the arrow struck her just in front of the ham. I felt sick after seeing the arrow impact, but relieved after she collapsed not 25 to 30 yards away. I ended up cutting BOTH iliac arteries and she exsanguinated in a matter of seconds. But I learned to never shoot at a moving deer after that one.

I think Megaalomaniac's description is on the money. Above the liver and in front of the kidneys and behind the lungs. In that void area.

Man that sucks!!!!

I am always impressed and amazed by the resilience and tenacicty of animals in their fight for survival. Humans included, here.

IT ALL depends on which one you are calling "unlucky"
THE shot may be further back than you think. From the angle it is unclear and in cases like this inches are as good as miles.

In my 40+ years of deer hunting I have seen deer getting around with legs blown off or missing as a result of accidents. I have seen them bounce off of cars and run away. Have been present when 3 "dead" deer came back to life posing most embarassing situations to the folks who pronounced them dead.

It also doesnt seem like a lot of arrow or maybe crossbow bolt is actually in the deer.

if he came back to feed, he isnt feeling too much pain.
hate to see animals suffer like that anyway. Why I am not a real fan of bowhunting unless you really can make a killing shot with absolute certainty. You owe it to the animal.