ORIGINAL: rdy2hnt
The arrow was most definitely ABOVE the spine as Rob stated. As far as the "hollow spot" "no man's land" stuff goes, it's a myth. I am not trying to start that great debate all over, but I can assure you after field dressing/butchering well over 100 deer and having two close friends who are wildlife biologists, if you place an arrow/bullet in the chest cavity of a deer, behind the shoulder, it is a dead deer.........period. It is possible to hit above the spine and cause nothing more than a flesh wound barring infection. If it is below the spine and good left/right the lungs are taken out resulting in a quick, clean kill.
Careful about using the words "always", "never", or "period". There are exceptions to every rule. I'm sure some of you already saw my bow buck thread, but in case you didn't, here's a pic of the shot placement onmy buck. My two-blade Gator shot bottom, My brother-in-laws pass thru G-5 shot from ten days prior above:
Hisentry hole on the other side was a bit higher, but it positively passed below the spine, just through the top of the chest cavity, and appeared to missed both lungs.The holes in the top of the chect cavity were quite evident upon dressing.No hemorage was identified at the top of either lung. Theprevious arrow andblood trail was consistant with a flesh wound.
The lungs are somewhat free-floating in the cavity, and it is possible for the lungs partially deflatedduring aheavy exhaleto move a bit within the cavity leaving a gap up top. Won't happen very often, but it certainly did in this case, and this deer was remarkably well healed for such a recent wound.