Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

I've noticed many posts where guys talk about the pass through shots they have made on animals.

I was always told that it is better to have the arrow penetrate and stay in the animal, the theory being that every movement is creating more damage with the sharp blades, thus, more hemorrhaging and a quicker, cleaner kill.

My hunting partner shot a bull this past season at 45 yds with a GT 5575 and a Muzzy 3 blade 100 grain BH. The arrow went through the bull so fast, the animal looked at where the arrow had hit the ground, he didn't even know what happened. It was a well placed shot which looked to be a double lung. We watched him for 15-20 minutes at 100 yds, he looked "sick puppy" but walked across the meadow and out of sight. We gave him an hour to bed down and stove up. We tracked him for close to a mile, and the blood trail stopped. At one spot close to where he had shot him, we found what appeared to be a large chunk of pink tissue in a blood spot 12" in diameter, we had good blood for quite a ways (half mile) then it slowed to a spot every 20 yards or so and eventually nothing at all. There were 5 of us tracking the animal and unfortunately, we did not recover it. Don't beat me up over this, I've done a pretty good job to myself. We had two other hunters tell us where the carcass was 5 days later, they had been hunting bear over it. We went back in and took the horns, which my partner tagged.

I believe that had the arrow remained in the bull, it would have continued to cause damage, and we would not have lost it.

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

If he had truly double lunged the bull, your friend would have found it. It may be true that at times an arrow staying in can continue to do damage but I'd much rather have a passthrough.

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

I would take a pass through every time, you get a much better blood trail plus you have your arrow to see the type of blood on it if you are unsure of the shot. If you hit them in the vitals good enough it will result in a quick kill,But I'll take an arrow that stays in if it was only a shot that nicks the vitals, resulting in the broadhead to continue to cut around the vital area

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

When I put something to work I don't want to find it laying down on the job seconds later. Let it stay in there untill the job is finished. It won't go far if it's being cut at every step. I wouldn't.:D

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

Having the arrow remain in the animal to let the broadhead keep cutting as the animal moves is an old concept, but I couldn't tell you for sure if it really works that way. Is the broadhead actually causing more damage or is it just an urban legend? It sounds plausible, but who really knows?

I think having the arrow sticking out the side of the animal as it runs, slapping against the brush, will just keep spooking it and make it run faster and further. And I like the idea of having two holes leaking. I want the passthrough, but as long as the arrow's in the right spot and does the job, I'm not gonna gripe if I don't get it.;)

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

I am in favor of a pass through,a confused animal versus one who is pumping more adrenaline with every step or bound as the shaft whacks brush.Two holes I believe will result in a better blood trail,with less liklihood of coagulation and the bleeding stopping.Willl a broadhead that remains in the animal continue to more damage,sure it will.Is it my preference,no.

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

I feel like a total passthrough the animal will bleed better than arrow staying in. Seems that arrow could plug the hole and maybe not leaving a good bloodtrail. I don't know if arrow staying in will actually do more damage.

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

If the arrow stays in, then the hole will just seal up around the arrow, then no blood. If it passes through, you have two large holes to leak blood.

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

Insert one nail and one head...........................here

RE: Pass through or stay in the animal?
 

All good posts, and I can see the argument for both sides.

I can't say that I know 100% it was a double lung shot, but the blood was coming out both sides of the bull and was slightly below hip level on the trees along the trail. I watched the shot hit, but the arrow was travelling so fast, it was hard to tell the exact placement. The animal never gave us another broadside position to check with bino's.

When we went in to recover the horns the carcass had been tore up pretty bad by the bears, and after smelling it from cutting the head off, there was no way we were going to turn it over. If you ever find yourself in a situation that you are near an animal that has been dead and rotten for a week you will not soon forget how bad it stinks. We considered burning our clothes after getting back to camp.