Rammer

Such as deer, elk, antelope, moose, bear, etc.....You get the picture.....What happens, does the animal drop on the spot, run a little ways, a long ways, etc?

Personally, I have only had 1 deer run more than a few steps after being shot with a high powered rifle. I got to thinking of this subject reading another thread tonite and while watching the Outdoor Channel the last few days.

Seems like all the big name guys, shoot a deer, and it proceeds to run out of sight. Does this happen to everyone? Why is it they hardly ever drop in their tracks on film?

I guess I'm just curious as to what others have had happen after the shot.

James B

Many animals hit through the vitals will still run a short ways. A hit to the spine or brain will drop them where they stand as a rule. Bullets close to the spine such as a very high shoulder shot will often drop them about as fast as the blink of an eye. Thats the shot I go for if I really don't want the animal to go anywhere. (like right on the top of those Missouir river breaks) The ones that go down forever.

Rammer

Ya, I hear ya about the breaks on the Missouri River. I've never shot a deer in those breaks, but have had to drag some 'yotes out of them, and that was enuf work. While in Harding County this year deer hunting, my buddy Tim shot a buck on top of a bluff as it was sprinting across the top, and the momentum carried it to the edge of the bluff and it managed to tumble 100 yards down before stopping against a boulder. Nothing like 3 guys taking almost 45 minutes (we aren't overly small guys) to get that deer to the top.[:@]

eldeguello

"Such as deer, elk, antelope, moose, bear, etc.....You get the picture.....What happens, does the animal drop on the spot, run a little ways, a long ways, etc?"

It can be any one of these reactions. You can NEVER count on an animal dropping in his tracks, regardless of what you hit it with!! You must be prepared to track them, and know how. NEVER ASSUME you missed, just because the animal runs away!

usajag

I got used to shooting deer and them falling dead in their tracks this lasted for about 10 years and then I had a monster buck hit dead to the world, or at least I thought I did. The buck ran another 400 yds and right into another hunter. It basically flopped over in front of him with a few drops of blood (It lost most of its blood when I shot it and over the first 100 yds). What that tells me is you never know. I used to only shoot deer in their vitals up to that point. I still do most of the time but if I'm in an area with alot of other hunters I go for a double shoulder shot. I don't want that deer to be able to move at all. I would rather need a second shot then loose him as he runs into another hunter.

Hunter06FlKy

there's actually an article in the current deer and deer hunting that talks about one shot drops. to garauntee a one shot drop you should shoot for the shoulder blade(scapula). this of course is only with a high powered rifle, slug, or muzzleloader.

Paul L Mohr

Check out this link. It has tons of info on terminal ballistics. About half way down the page is a link to a study done by the South Carolina DNR. They shot several hundred deer and logged the results. Very interesting I thought.

http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/mechanics.html

I believe shot placement does make a difference. If you aim for a high shoulder hit you are more likely to drop the deer on the spot because you have immobilized it. That doesn't really mean it died that quickly though.

I haven't had very good luck with lung and heart shots with a muzzle loader and slug gun inside of 100 yards. I mean it kills them for sure, but they run, often times 50-100 yards. I might try a high shoulder shot next year just to see what happens.

I have never hunted with high powered rifle, I have seen lots of footage of it though. And it seems rather unpredictible like the study shows. I will see one hunt were the deer doesn't drop with a fairly powefull rifle. Then another with some kid using a 243 and the deer drops like a sack of bricks.

Paul

Pawildman

Are we talking about deer?? Shoot 'em in the neck, if you can--- absolutely drops 'em in their tracks. End of the story----

Hunter06FlKy

paul, alot of the time if you take a shoulder shot you will not only immobolize the deer, but usually you'll break the back and neck and most likely take out the lungs from the bullet, bone fragments, and hydrostatic shock. neck shots also work very well.