Originally Posted by
troid
I shot a doe last Saturday - 100 yards, Marlin 35, 200gr Corelokt. It was a typical shot just behind the left shoulder - in fact, I grazed the back edge of the shoulder. She went about 50 ft. before dropping. When I field dressed her, I couldn't find an exit wound, which is not necessarily unusual. I did find a big carved-out chunk inside the back right ribs. I also found it strange that when I quartered the deer, one leg seemed stiffer than the other. Well, when I was carving the meat up last night, I found out why - the bullet was lodged in the back right leg. The femur was blown completely in half. I'm amazed she ran as far as she did.
Anyway, I shot completely perpendicular to her (a picture-perfect shot) and the leg skipped at almost a right angle once it entered her. I can trace the trajectory - skipping a bit off the shoulder, more off a rib, more off the ribs on the other side, out the body and into the leg.
I'm still new to hunting, and know that bullets don't always pass straight through, but that sure seems like a wild ride!
Is this unusual? Characteristic of the bullet I'm using? Thoughts?
Yes it is unusual. While ribs definitely have the ability to deflect a bullet to a degree, it is hard to imagine a rib deflecting a bullet at such a sever angle (about 90 degrees) and maintaining the needed energy to continue through the deer lenght ways and still have enough energy to shatter a femur. Not doubting your findings, just stating that you'd be had pressed to repeat those findings in your hunting career.