Liver Shots
 

I really dont know from experience but my dad last year shot a big doe in the liver and he said it hunched up and walked away...then bedded down about 30 yards from him...and died later on....then saturday my uncle shot a doe and he said he didnt see were he hit it but in hunched up and also walked away..but the odd thing is we havent been able to find much blood...any suggestions or experience of this..

RE: Liver Shots
 

It's pretty normal for a deer to hunch up on a hit outside of the body cavity. I believe a portion of the liver is inside and a portion outside.

Your uncles could have very well been a stomach/intestine hit.

RE: Liver Shots
 

the thing is there was very good blood on his arrow and it was a pass through... there was good blood for about the 30 yards it walked then he couldnt see it so idk its kinda wierd if you ask me..

RE: Liver Shots
 

My first deer was shot in the liver with a shotgun so it might be slightly different. I shot it at an angle and the intestines blocked the entrance hole so there was NO blood. He took off into a reserve to we waited a bit. call the DNR to get permission to look. Luckily he was on a deer trail so we followed that into the woods and there he lay like he fell asleep. It also looked like he went to the bathroom before laying down to take his last nap. As far as good blood on the arrow it makes sense as the liver has a TON of blood going through it. Then maybe like mine somthing plugged up the entrance hole causing the lack of blood trail. Just my 2 cents.

RE: Liver Shots
 

thanks for the information buckrogers

RE: Liver Shots
 

I shot a buck last year in the liver and like you mentioned the arrow was covered but the only blood we found was at the impat site. After I shot it the buck ran a few yards and started licking the wound then he bounded away uphill. I waited til morning and never found him. All i can say is they can be hard to track when hit in the liver.

RE: Liver Shots
 

sounds like a gut shot. this happened to me on my buck and i didnt find the deer until like a week or 2 later after many hours of searching. and it went far

RE: Liver Shots
 

Liver shots arethe most complex hits on a deer. Some go 80-100 yds good blood all the way and die in a short time. Other times they are still alive after 4 hours. :(
On a gut shot, catching liver can sometimes give you just enough blood to trail them(assuming hole doesn't plug) and assuming you give them proper time to lay up and die. Even liver/1lung shots can be tricky and you better give the deer time or you could push it and lose it.

RE: Liver Shots
 

The only liver shot deer I've had died in less than 3 seconds. He ran and crashed into the creek I was set over and that was it. I've seen heart shot deer last longer. When we saw where I had hit it we were shocked how fast he died.

RE: Liver Shots
 

Sounds like you were dealing more with a Gut shot than a Liver shot. A Liver shot deer most times will bleed profusely once it gets to bleeding;)

Dan

RE: Liver Shots
 

as far as lookn for it head to the local water source

RE: Liver Shots
 

A deer that hunches up and lays down fast is usually a gut shot.I have noticed that most deer shot in the guts will lay up pretty fast.I once hit a doe in the paunch and she laid down within 30 yards of where i shot her and I had to sit and wait for awhile.

RE: Liver Shots
 

A liver hit is usually pretty leathal!!! Most deer wont go far!!! Should be good blood also... I would think any deer that huntchs up and walks off... Would be more like a gut shot... If You shoot a deer and are not sure of were you hit and your not finding good blood... I would back out and wait 4 hours or so and start the search over again...

RE: Liver Shots
 

The thing is it probably didnt go to far it prolly went into the marsh or swamp about 60 yards from his stand and hid under something and is laying there dead...idk beats me

RE: Liver Shots
 

I liver shot a doe 3years ago with the bow. She just stood there no clue what happened and looked around. She stood there for about 10seconds. I use a crossbow so I couldnt get another shot in her.The the blood was just pouring out. She went on a 40yd death run fell down and died within seconds. I've been on the trail of numerous liver shot deer and all have been recovered. The liver although not the ideal target is extremly lethal imo. Sounds to me in you're case though that its a paunch shot. Back out for atleast 4hours better yet if its shot in the evening and cold enough give it overnight and resume the trail in the morning. Paunch shot deer if left go give a good chance of recovery.

RE: Liver Shots
 

i appreciate all your guys info it is really helpin me figure out what happened

RE: Liver Shots
 

I shot a 7 point last year and after disection, the arrow penetrated between the liver and the guts. In other words, the back side of the liver and the front of the gut was hit pretty hard. The buck ran in about a 15 yard circle around a tree. Then after running the circle, he trotted about 40 yards and finally slowed to a walk. I watched him as long as I could (about 100 yards). After waiting a while, I got down from the tree and looked for a blood trail. I found small drops of blood for the 100 yards that I saw him walk away (blood trail #1). After that, the blood trail stopped. I called my buddy to come help me find the deer. We circled the area for about 20 minutes andmy buddyfound the deer about 60 yards away from where that blood trial #1 ended. Where the deer died, there was a lot of blood, soI decided to follow the blood trail from where the deer expired (blood trail #2) toward where blood trail # 1 ended. I didnt make it 10 yards from my buck where that blood trail #2 ended. There was about a 50 yard hiatus between the two blood trails.

RE: Liver Shots
 

thats really wierd

RE: Liver Shots
 

My first elk i shot in the liver, it just stood there, had no reaction, but it was my first kill so i could get another shot off cause i was shaking so bad but suddenly it just started rolling down the hill. It bleed out, and there was alot of blood.

RE: Liver Shots
 

It should bleed out internally and die. Probably wont leave any blood trail

RE: Liver Shots
 

Their are things you have to answer. WHat color was the blood? Bright pink blood with bubbles means lung. If theirs corn, fiberous material, or green looking material you hit guts. RED Watery blood is usually a muscle hit. Look at blood on leaves,does it appear to have water around it. Bright blood is artery blood which is good. If i can remember right liver blood is darker in color. A deer hunched up usually states that the deer isnt going to die immeditly. I have hit a deer high-above the shoulders. It hunched up and stood their until a hunter scared it. Then it walked 200 hundred yards and found a thicket that it felt safe in. It was dark black/red blood that was easy to follow. i waited 3 hours and jumped it. I followed it to another thicket and waited till morning it was right their. The shot didnt penetrate much i hit some major bone and it was a far shot. When looking fora deer i always keep in mind where is the water sources. It always seems that they are headed towrd it. YOu also need 2 people on a blood trail. One to stay were the last blood was and another to search for more blood. Dont just follow deer paths they often ditch them before they die.

RE: Liver Shots
 

yea i understand that but it really would of been nice if their was blood to track the arrow was caked and there was good blood for quite a few yards then it stopped.

RE: Liver Shots
 

yea well to bad u shot it at 7:30 at night could have dropped it their if it was earlier

RE: Liver Shots
 

I have to disagree!!! A liver hit with a low exit hole will leave a great blood trail;)

RE: Liver Shots
 

I've seen liver hits with low exit holes not bleed much. In that area, there are usually a lot of stuff that can plug them up unless you have a quartering away shot that goes through the liver and a lung. Remember that the liver is not on the lower portion of the body, it mainly sets up high.

RE: Liver Shots
 

i liver shot a deer two nights ago but it looked like i also sliced a lung and he laid down within 30 yds and died shortly after that. i gues i got lucky he didnt run far becuase it was raining and would have been a tough track.

RE: Liver Shots
 

I shot a deer with a rifle in the liver and it did not bleed for 200 yards. Remember i dont care where you hit a deer if you have a high exit whole, the body cavity has to fill up till that point. Blood is restricted by gravity too!!!

RE: Liver Shots
 

I liver shot a buck and he was dead in 5 seconds........he walked down a trail and we heard him crash litterally before i was able to set my bow down!

RE: Liver Shots
 

I think BobCo pretty much nailed it.