Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

I have a rookie question...Today I saw a hunting show where a nice buck was shot with a bow and it dropped in its tracks. Is this rare or is there a good chance this will happen? I assume since there is no pure shock(like with a rifle slug) that you would have to hit the spine... and wouldnt that mean that you missed your intended target (vitals area)... or does a heart shot do this? Your experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

There is no shot on a deer that is going to drop it in it' s tracks unless you have disrupted the central nervous system.........this would mean a head shot or spine shot and that' s it. Arrows do not kill the same way as bullets do, but the inadvertant arrow that causes a break in the spinal cord or directly to the brain can cause " Bullet Like" results.

If you hit one of these areas with a bow, it shouldn' t be intentional........especially the head. too much margin for error and a crippled animal.
The spine is most often hit because of a deer' s lightening quick reflexes, as they will drop down to load their muscles for quick flight (they aren' t ducking the arrow), and they are so quick that the result can turn a " perfect" lung shot into a spine shot in a blink.
I have heard of guys who will purposely shot at the spine but this is on straight down shots.....I personally don' t care for that shot either because of the margin for error. A little one way or the other and you have a single lung hit and possibly a long day/night ahead of you looking for a wounded animal.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

A deer dropping in it' s track on a bow shot is rare indeed. Don' t expect that to ever happen. It may, but it is highly unlikely and is not the norm. I have shot quite a few deer with the bow and it has never happened to me nor do I expect it to happen. A deer needs time to bleed out.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

Watched a guy do it to a caribou on T.V. also. He remarked how hard the mechanicals he was using hit. I remarked to my kids, to bad he shot about a foot high.

Kinda like the imfamous " nice femoral artery shot" comment on one of those shows.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

I saw that show too. It looked like the animal toppled over or should I say knocked over like it was a target. I was hoping they replayed, it cause it looked mighty phoney.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

I' ve seen Dan Fitzgerald shoot a buck right square in the front shoulder and he dropped in his tracks grave yard dead.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

Belle....its because of what' s BEHIND the shoulder.
http://home.mn.rr.com/deerfever/Anatomy.html

HE call' s it the point of the shoulder shot, and all that it is is a spine shot. Most times he' s actually in front of the shoulder blade entirely and hitting ONLy the spine. A powerful bow with a tough broadhead can get thru both. Most of these " Fitzgerald" shoulder shots are at low angles or from the ground to involve the spine. Ol' Dan loves his spine shots.[:' (]
Stupid shot if you ask me.

There' s only one true GOOD shot in bowhunting and thats a shot in the vitals.......lung and or heart area. Most room for error, and the least possibility for crippling/wounding.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

Matt, I' m not arguing with you, it has been 10+ yrs since I watched that video, but I could have sworn it was lower in shoulder that that required to hit spine. Anyway, I agree, the only shot to take is at vitals.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

Belle,
Check out that link I put in the last post........the spine runs directly behind the center of the shoulder blade. The reason Gun hunters shoot for the shoulder to drop a deer in its tracks.....the impact on the shoulder blade even if it didn' t hit the spinal cord just shuts down the spine instantly.
I remember the video you are talking about as well. Back when Dan was shooting 95-100# bows and big ol aluminum arrows he thought he was shooting a Howitzer.

RE: Deer dropped in its tracks?
 

If it ever happens to you - you do need to know how to react............Its not a shot that you will soon forget, and its not as uncommon (especially for new bowhunters) as some might suggest, like Matt said, because of the " ducking" of the deer due to the sound of the shot.

If you hit one in such a way - use Every arrow you have if you have to - until you are sure you put one in the lungs. Some people think of this as overkill - I' ll bet they never had one get up and take off after such a shot.

The impact of a spine shot can sound like a 2x4 batted against a light pole - but unless it actually severs the spinal cord - the deer can, and will get up and run away - and is usually lost. Don' t be afraid to empty you quiver if you have to. If you actually do sever the cord, the deer will have NO reaction when hit again - if it jumps and/or rolls around - you' d better shoot again - QUICK!