zrexpilot

Took my first deer of the year. It was big mature doe. Hunting southwest Texas.
Anyway long story short she heard me draw and started to walk away and I let it fly, 22-25yd shot.
It looked to me that I hit a little high, she run off and I seen her stop and then walk off.\
Well I checked the time. 7.15 pm at 7.18 I heard some kicking in the rocks in her direction like she went down and was kicking .
Went back to camp for some good flashlights and waited to till 8.00. Went back to track her and followed a blood trail 40 yds right to her.
Hit a little far back, I suspected liver. Upon cleaning her I did hit her liver and some stomach. But she expired within minutes.
Some years ago I had basically the same hit on a buck and he went 10 yds and collapsed, dead. Again liver shot.
My friend took a buck 2 weeks ago with a strong quartering away shot, again liver shot . Buck went 80 yds and collapsed dead.
Sure seems like the liver shot is very deadly.
Whats your take on it and expierences.
Seems at least there is a little room for error on a broadside shot, which is a good thing.

BEARBUSTER66

They don't go very far when hit in the liver, but it sure ain't funto gut them when they are hit in that area!

Washington Hunter

It depends where you hit the liver.

There are two different sized arteries located in the liver.

Larger ones towards the front, small towards the back.

The farther back you hit, the longer it will take the animal to expire.

Hit one of the larger arteries and it'll go down quickly.

mobow

Congrats on your doe, and yes, the liver will kill them EVERY time....but sometimes time is what it takes, so wait a while before taking up the trail. They will always bleed to death with a hole in their liver. It's just a matter of time.

rybohunter

I've had mixed results with liver shots. They result in a dead deer, sometimes its just alonger time until they die. Even liver and one lung shots have left deer alive for more than an hour. They are the trickiest shot to follow up on.

zrexpilot

I really lucked out, and I dont like getting lucky when it comes to hunting. I shouldnt have taken that shot, she was walking, that one step is what caused me to hit far back. Just glad it was quick for her.

wi_buckstomper

i have had 2 liver shot deer and both went over 200 yards b4 going down, i waited til morn for both and found them without a whole lot of trouble

Rob/PA Bowyer

I agree with the rest, liver is a deadly shot and like was mentioned, it could go either way, a very quick kill or one where you in for a long wait.

Here's two scenerios. The bull elk I took in Wyoming was a liver shot, I watched him go down and the guide wanted us quiet and to wait. My hunting partner confirmed that bull was down and the guide still wanted to find the arrow and track him. The arrow was soaked in blood and the trail looked like a 18 wheeler lost hydraulic fluid. The bull expired in seconds.

Scenerio two: I filmed a friend of mine's father shoot a nice 8 point. He hit it in the liver/presumably and after we watched the film, we confirmed the liver hit and I suggested we wait 4 hours. We went down for dinner and at after 2 hours they got ansy and wanted to go and I announced it was against my better judgement but agreed to go, hey it was their land so...we found the buck alive, looking at us with lights. When we tried to back out it was up and ran. We still left. The next morning we found it about 100 yards down the hill in a creek bed. Upon field dressing it we found it did indeed hit the liver.

If you don't see or hear the deer/animal go down, it's still the right choice to wait, wait and you'll find it, bump it and the percentage drops.

JustRace

I got a doe like that tonight. I had put a thicker face mask on tonight because of the wind chill. We had 40mph wind gusts today. Well I hadn't practiced (key mistake) with the thicker mask on and had a harder time setting my anchor point and lining up my peep site when the doe walked out. I took the shot and my first thought was "CRAP" when I saw where it hit.The doe didn't go 20 yards before itexpired. Its amazing how animals are. I double lung my buck at 25yds and it runs 100yards, I shoot this doe and am thinking i'm going to have to get my dog to track this one and it goes down in 20 yards.

MOTOWNHONKEY

Its a deadly shot for sure but the death can be slow and painfull. I know you didn't intentionaly shoot your deer in the liver. Its our job to make sure the animal suffers the least so the double lung 9 times out of 10 is the best shot.