ORIGINAL: C. Davis
Murph999,
I have a good bit of experience with deer shot with a 30-30. An unpusheddeer hit anywhere in the vitals with a 30-30 will go no farther than 75 yards. Here is my formula:
Shoot, wait 15 minutes, go to the spot you believe the deer was standing when you shot. Find blood, and follow it to the deer. 75 yards is the long track with most being under 50. 3 floundered and died under 10 yards.
I would recheck the zero on your rifle.
C. Davis
While I agree with everything you said about being patient when following a hit deer, your statement about the 75 yards is not always true. The last buck I shot with my 30-30 was a through-through double lung shot (missed the heard, but the lungs were solidly hit). 40 yard shot. The deer, unpushed, went 130 yards before it crashed and burned. He died right at that point, well before I got out of my stand.
I will have to say that this deer was surprising in this regard. I've never had a deer or moose that went more than 75 yards with two holed lungs.