liver shot

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:29 pm

Feeling bad is a natural reaction. No worries, go back out there and hit a homerun.

Good luck!

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:32 pm

deer never went to waiste,many annimals feed on it,mother nature doing its part in the food chain.go out with more determination .If anyone has hunted much,in time it will happen.regroup,you have food to put in the freezer

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 5:44 pm

wabi wrote:I'd say it probably didn't go far if I'm reading correctly. A young deer has less stamina than an older one and even a gut shot will often put them down fairly quickly.
Work the trail carefully and you should find it.

I have to disagree with this comment and the fact that liver shots kill deer quickly. Last monday my friend shot a deer behind the shoulder in the middle of the deer ; however, the deer turned and it exited the gut on the other side. The shot was perfect but the deer turned. We waited 4 hours and that deer was kicked up and found 3 hours later. this deer was probably hit in one lung, liver and stomach and it was still alive after 4 hours. We sat in the stands the whole time so the deer was not pushed. The same day I shot a small doe. I took a longer than normal shot and regret it. I hit the deer from the ground, after walking to my friend the shot was 42 yards and I should not have done it. I was standing free handed and hit the small doe. After 3 hours of trailing for 3-400 yards we stopped, and went an looked for my friends that we pushed earlier. My point to this comment is not to argue the point made by wabi but state that i think all deer are individuals. I mean every deer will react to a shot differently. I have hit big buck the way my friend shot the doe and they died in 50 yards and could not believe the amount of blood from that little doe most of the big does are dead with that amount of blood loss in 100 yards and less. So I believe it comes down to that perticular deers will to live and toughness to stay alive. I no a double lung will kill quickly but liver shots and hitting small doe could be different on every individual deer.

Good Luck Hunting Big D

Dave1 · Post by **Dave1** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:35 pm

I have seen one buck survive an arrow hit thru the outer portion of the liver.

An hour or so after dark one Saturday evening, I was called to bring my dog to trail up an arrow shot buck. The shot had been made two hours earlier. The dog picked up the trail immediately and eventually trailed the buck out into a deep water swamp. I was over waist deep and the dog swimming all the way across the swamp. Once on the other side of the swamp, the dog began to whine and I knew then we had jumped the deer and he was moving ahead of us. It was late and we called off the trail. We went back and searched the next morning and never found the buck.

I killed that deer a month or so later and we found the perfect "X" on the liver. He was a little thin, but otherwise appeared to be healthy.

Dave

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:58 pm

a friend of my brother shot a buck during gun season,that had been shot through one lung and survived until gun season.also my brother shot a buck that we lost the trail and never recovered.5 weeks latter,his buddy was gun hunting same spot and shot that buck with 7" of arrow in his chest,shoulder.
unfortunately he had gang gereen so meat was bad.

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 9:52 am

Dave1 and michiganman great stories. These are great examples of how certain deer can survive shots that others would not. Some deer would be dead in less than a 100yds with this kind of damage and these deer lived for weeks. About 3 years ago my no tracking streak was ended after I had seven deer in a row fall dead from my stand within sight. Then the next deer I shot was a drop tine eight point that I hit right behind the shoulder. This deer was hit well and layed down like the other 7 before it; however, it got up and ran another 150-200yds. It took me 4hours or more to find that deer. I think all hunters have stories like these and can not figure out why? I think deer are like all other species and even people there will to live, toughness, strength, and health are all diffeent in every one and this is the reason that some expire quick and others live for days.

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 10:37 am

the will of a large whitetail keeps him going.once over 2.5 years old he has grown wiser than many other deer.he has been hunted by both man and preditor.even after a good hit that will take 1/2 hour or more,he might just try to get back were he feels safe.it might be all the way to his bedding area,and if he cant make it that far,under brush,trees even laying in the creek,or lake.we once tracked one through pines that were on the ground,i dont know how he got under the brush.we got that buck 3 hours latter by holding tight and not pushing him.

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 10:38 am

the will of a large whitetail keeps him going.once over 2.5 years old he has grown wiser than many other deer.he has been hunted by both man and preditor.even after a good hit that will take 1/2 hour or more,he might just try to get back were he feels safe.it might be all the way to his bedding area,and if he cant make it that far,under brush,trees even laying in the creek,or lake.we once tracked one through pines that were on the ground,i dont know how he got under the brush.we got that buck 3 hours latter by holding tight and not pushing him.

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 10:38 am

the will of a large whitetail keeps him going.once over 2.5 years old he has grown wiser than many other deer.he has been hunted by both man and preditor.even after a good hit that will take 1/2 hour or more,he might just try to get back were he feels safe.it might be all the way to his bedding area,and if he cant make it that far,under brush,trees even laying in the creek,or lake.we once tracked one through pines that were on the ground,i dont know how he got under the brush.we got that buck 3 hours latter by holding tight and not pushing him.