My cousin live in a different part of the country. He claims to have hit a doe at about 15yds from a ground blind. He's not sure of the shot but he heard a loud smack. Different from hitting a tree. Because of that he's pretty sure he hit the shoulder. He's shooting an 80# mathews and using muzzy 3 blades. He recovered his arrow so he things the shot was passthrough.

He and his buddy let her go for only 30mins and went looking for her. They found her alive laying down. She jumped up and ran. I think this deer is dead. Shouldn't a shoulder hit (given penetration) clip the lungs or at least the spine?

Yes u it could but I have shot a buck went thru one shoulder deflected into the brisket came out in front of the other shoulder never to be found

Not always they'll be dead with a shoulder shot, i shot an 8 pointer a few years ago with rage 2 blade and punched through both shoulders, ran across the field with no front end and found him bed up still alive, had to put another in him because that was after 1 1/2 hours.