I was reading another post about a deer that was recently recovered....and the poster said the shooter thought he only got about 12" of penetration on a quartering away shot. I'd like to hear what the autopsy revealed. I had a deer, last year, leave my set with a good bit of the arrow sticking out its side. If you had asked me to bet my life on what I saw.....I'd have to tell you I thought I got about 12" of penetration. In reality....the deer had an exit wound under its off-side armpit, and the arrow backed out that fast. I stuck another deer on a quartering away shot and the arrow sunk up to the fletch. When I recovered him.....the entire arrow was on the trail, less the BH.

I just can't see how......with all the modern equipment.....we can get VERY marginal penetration. I think our eyes play tricks on us, sometimes. I think, in reality, what we perceive as marginal penetration is typically a MUCH better hit than we initially think.

Thoughts?

(Limited experience, my backside.) I would agree. I think anytime you see fletchings sticking out, you assume you had less than adequate penetration.

You're right, get anywhere near the opposite leg and the arrow can indeed bounce out. Think of it ,on a bradside shot you have a 50-50 chance of either hitting rib, or going in between, same on the other side. You think the rib bone slows down the arrow much? You bet it does. Hey I'll take 12" of penetration any day. Thats a dead deer if it's in the boiler room.

"

"Hey I'll take 12" of penetration any day"


We'll just leeve that one alone.

Thats a good one Andy. I dont think a rib slows down much. I punctured right thru the center of a rib on both sides with a cut on contact head. It also tore my fletchings off which would slow the arrow down some as well but I still got a complete pass thru and the arrow traveled another 12 yards before going into the dirt. I was shooting from the ground on that deer.

Now the leg bone, I can see that stopping an arrow very fast.

A few years ago I had a deer that I shot and seen run off with the arrow in it. Found the deer less than 50 yards and the back ½ of the arrow about 25-30 out. After examining it I found out that it did go through. It broke a rib going in and one going out right behind the shoulder. When I watched it take off from the shot I thought that it did not penetrate all the way. I would have bet money. Before I recovered it I could not figure how it did not make it through. Perception is not what it always seems to be.

The 5 point I just shot Tuesday was at 35 yards and I am only pulling 62 lbs at the string. I use Muzzy broad heads and I got complet pass thru ( both lungs ). I think my arrow is in China because I still never found it. The deer went 35 to 40 yards and I watched him drop. On the other hand, I hit one a couple of years ago in the shoulder blade and got almost no penitration and never found the deer or my arrow.

Honestly I have never had one that did not pass through. My brother hita shoulder bone once and I could hear that hit across the woods and I cant imagine it was very deep being a shoulder bone.

I havn't had a arrow not pass through in years of hunting. In the last 20 or so years. I have bowhunted for over 40 years, I have had a two shoulder hits one was a 300 + buck and the arrow still pass through and stuck in the ground, making a X in the paddle bone. I do think it how it hits the paddle bone makes a difference. Maybe it's because I have always shot 65 to 70 Lb bows and carbon arrows. I just shot a doe on my first tag at 25 yards this year and the arrow passed through like it didn't hit any thing and stuck in the ground, but made that great sound a pass through makes, both lungs and went about 20 to 25 yards and it was dead. your right about vanes , but feather will lay down on the shaft when wet with blood. Vanes do take some penetration from your arrow. but with are bows we have now days and the carbon arrow it's not a problem

Put them down

I would agree it happens so fast your eyes can decieve you . I had one that i thought i saw the fletch ing sticking out but it was a pass thru . It can also hit the back leg and bounce back or work its way back as it runs