RE: did i hit the deer?????
These were taken directly from Finding Wounded Deer by John trout Jr.
Liver Hit -
"When the liver is hit, a deer usually lunges ahead quickly and runs hard, but not as fast as a lung-shot deer. However, it typically runs harder than a stomach- or intestine-shot deer. A liver-shot deer will not run a short distance, stop, and stand for awhile, as many gut-shot deer do.
The blood of a liver-shot deer is dark red, appearing almost maroon. However, it is not as dark as that of a gut-shot deer. Judging the color of blood is easiest when you see a bloddy arrow, or blood on the ground before it dries."
Stomach Wound -
"When hit in the stomach, a deer will not run hard, such as a deer hit in the lungs. It will often jump, take a few bounds, then stop if it doesn't know you are there. Some stomach-shot deer will only flinch, and then run gently for a short distance. However, when the deer moves away, it will usually walk slowly. The deer may also appear hunkered, with the back hunched and the legs widespread. You may also notice that the deer's neck and head are stretched out and even with the back - not above the back as with an alert deer."
Intestinal-Shot -
"The reaction of the intestinal-shot deer is much like the stomach-shot deer. It often appears hunched, and seldom leaves the scene running. If the deer runs, it appears sluggish, and will soon slow down and begin walking. If you can see at least fifty yards, you will probably notice this reaction, or see the deer stop and stand before it walks out of view.
You will often find less blood when you track an intestinal-shot deer than when you track a deer shot in the stomach. The holes in the deer seem to clog sooner, perhaps because of the mushy tissue of the intestines, and the contents inside the intestines."
Double-Lung -
"When a deer is hit in the lungs, and the heart and aorta artery is spared, it usually lunges forward and goes into a hard run, much like that of a racehorse coming down the home stretch. Its belly is also low to the ground as it takes long strides. A deer may go over the tops of bushes, and may leap over brushpiles that are in the way. When the deer begins running, the tail is often up about halfway. After the animal runs thirty to fourty yards, the tail usually drops. These are typical reactions.