This angle tells the story the best I think. That pass through If that's what It actually Is has to be 2" to 3" down from the top of the deer's hair. The back straps alone are 2" to 3" thick at least. The hide alone Is another inch or 2 thick depending on the amount of fat he has. There has been many deer hit there that have not been found, reason being cause they lived through It. 10 years ago I would of said that deer Is going to die of a gut shot. Up till then I didn't pay as much attention to all of the area above the spine. There's much more room up there then I had ever thought was possible. A friend of mine shot a bear about 4 yards away 16' up In a tree. He went over the spine and caught the ribs on the other side with one blade (2 blade zwickey) and In the process It cut the outer edge of the far lung. We got that bear. The sharpness of the angle on this deer Is way less and I mean way less then that of my friends bear.