We read on here about deer that survive being shot in the "void" and how some believe it and some don't. I never believed it till I saw it with my own eyes about fifteen years ago.

Anyway,

I shot a nice seven point last weekend. He came in just as he should, worked his way in feeding and looking just lke they always do. I drilled him at about eight steps from a ground blind and he ran up over the rise. A quick trailing job and there he was. As I admired him I noticed a wound seeping clear fluid and blood from his swolen neck. I thought he was just rutting as he came into range. Turns out, he was punched through the neck by another buck's antlers. The hole went in on the left side of the neck, next to the throat. It was about the size of a quarter, I put my finger all the way through it and it was deep into the meat. It came out on the top of the neck. It was perfectly round and had no broadhead marks on it or anything. It must have been pretty recent because it wasn't at all infected.

So I thought that was cool. Then I roll him to gut him and he has a scar on his sde. Closer inspection revieled a almost healed arrow wound. You could see the three baldes of the broadhead where the scab was. On the entrance side, the arrow went in high but below the spine. The exit was also high but a little lower. The entrance was completely healed and the exit had a small scab. Under the skin, both sides were healed but some puss and scars the shape of the broadhead were visable on the exit side. One the inside of the rib cage, no evidence of the hit at all yet it went completely through. The angle was'nt very steep but you could see that whoever shot it did so from a treestand.

Sorry this is so long but that was one tough deer with a world of bad luck.

He looked completely normal coming in and his reaction to my shot was typical of a good lung hit. I guess there is a "void" if you hit it right. Seen it twice now. I'll post pictures of all of the wounds when I can get them onto a disc to upload.

Greg

That's really interesting. It just goes to show that deer have an amazing will to survive and an even more exceptional ability to heal. They truly are majestic creatures.

Are you absolutely sure the arrow went below the spine? if there was no visible evidence inside the ribcage, I think it's more likely the arrow hit above the spine. Some pice might clear things up. I'm interested either way it turns out.

Can't wait to see the pic's.

I always try to keep an open mind and try not to put anything into the definite category. Take a look at what someone found in their deer. The deer was alive and well with this in his cavity:

They are tuff,interesting pic.I shot one 6 years ago that had a full togeher broadhead wedged below its spine. It was not infected.Was grown over with a hard fiber cacoon

It is incredible how tough they can be. Several years ago, I found a broadhead inside a deer's shoulder while butchering. Like cardeer's, the broadhead was completely encased in a white, fibrous membrane.

Good sory! They sure have the will to survive.

I shot an old doe last year when she came in right below me the first day. I hit her well, and she went about 25yrds and expired. When I skinned her, every, and I mean EVERY rib had been broken previously and a couple of them hadn't healed properly. Her rear leg had also been broken and her nose was extremely crooked. She had apparently been hit by a vehicle....and had lived.

She was large and healthy....but I would imagine that she broke 15-20 bones in that accident, and lived.

Tough animals.

Very interesting post.

I won't repeat my stories here due to them being so lengthy and I have done it a couple of times already so I am sure people are bored with them. Suffice it to say twice in my life I have witness deer with an arrow sticking out both sides of the animal below the spine. One I watched for over 30 minutes....

Nothing is for sure in bowhunting! []

Totally amazing creatures ,, they are so resilient and make you respect them because of their ability to survive.