The only deer I ever helped recover that was alive when we found him was neck shot with a muzzleloader @
75 yds. Deer traveled about 400 yds. and laid down. We found the deer
with a tracking dog in a terrible cut-over thicket. Went to water, like many do. Only deer I've ever seen, alive or dead, with his eyes closed. When we approached, he grunted loudly, got up and went about 75-80 more yds. and laid or fell down again. We got to him and finished him off. Not a big fan of neck shots because of this experience. Or head shots. $.02