Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

How long can a deer live after double lung....

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    How long can a deer live after double lung....

    ...shot from a bow?

    If you'd asked me this a week ago, I'd have said about as long as he could hold his breath.

    Sunday, I started a post 'Arrowed a buck - what's it mean if he won't leave' about my most recent hunt.

    Briefly, shot a nice 8 pointer Sunday evening at about 10 yards. Thought shot was good. Buck ended up 90-100 yards away where I could see him. But he just wouldn't die. An hour and a quarter later, he still wasn't dead. Came back the next morning, to find him near where I'd seem him last. Surprised to find that my arrow had hit both lungs - but on the nearside lung, the arrow had hit upper/back corner of lung. Apparently a deer can live for a while with one partially functional lung. Just guessing, but I assume this buck lived around 2 hours after the shot.

    Several years ago I shot another good 8 pointer. I remember seeing arrow hit lung area but high. He did a 180 to go back where he came from and I could see blood where the arrow had started to come out. Exit wound was a bit high too, but still in lung area. Found his remains months later about 500 yards away. I was perplexed that he made it that far. But now that I know that a double lung shot doesn't always result in a dead deer in a matter of seconds, it makes a lot more sense.

    So, I'm sure a lot of guys have made high lung bow shots on deer.

    Just how long can they live after that?

    #2
    They wont live long after a true double lung, but they can go a long way on 1 lung.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Mayhem View Post
      They wont live long after a true double lung, but they can go a long way on 1 lung.
      Agreed, most of my shots now are heart shots and I have been able to watch them or hear them die since I switched.

      Comment


        #4
        Aim for the heart so if they duck a bit on the shot you catch the lungs solid. If they dont duck then you've just made the perfect shot.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by rtp View Post
          Aim for the heart so if they duck a bit on the shot you catch the lungs solid. If they dont duck then you've just made the perfect shot.
          End of story..

          Comment


            #6
            I have not seen one live past a few seconds. Usually about 60yds. How fast can they run 60 yds?

            Comment


              #7
              Unless you collapse both lungs, then a deer or any animal for that matter can survive. There is lung tissue that you can hit/penetrate that will not collapse a lung.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by rtp View Post
                Aim for the heart so if they duck a bit on the shot you catch the lungs solid. If they dont duck then you've just made the perfect shot.
                Done son......

                Comment


                  #9
                  Every deer I have shot with a bow in 35 plus years i have aimed for a double lung. Lost maybe 4 of on average 2 per year. You truly bust both lungs they are not going to last long at all. You get a hole in the diaphragm as well and they really ain't going to last long

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Mudslinger View Post
                    Unless you collapse both lungs, then a deer or any animal for that matter can survive. There is lung tissue that you can hit/penetrate that will not collapse a lung.

                    True. The upper back lobes can be penetrated without collapsing the lungs in which case the can live for hours.
                    Last edited by rjtkdplus; 11-21-2019, 03:35 PM.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      One lung deer can go a long ways. Take out two lungs and not so much. Never had one run over 75 yards. I am using Rage broadheads though.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I've seen 2 that any "where shoot a deer instructor" would tell everyone to shoot a deer, both were killed 7+ days after being shot, both scabbed over, both killed chasing does. I don't know how they did what they did and like most everybody that reads this, wouldn't believe it if a hadn't seen it with my own two eyes!

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Silvey View Post
                          Agreed, most of my shots now are heart shots and I have been able to watch them or hear them die since I switched.
                          my first deer ever shot with bow was perfect heart shot... she still ran 85 yds, tough animals. Best thing to do as most know is if you don't see them expire wait long enough for them to bed and go peacefully so you don't jump em

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by tex4k View Post
                            I've seen 2 that any "where shoot a deer instructor" would tell everyone to shoot a deer, both were killed 7+ days after being shot, both scabbed over, both killed chasing does. I don't know how they did what they did and like most everybody that reads this, wouldn't believe it if a hadn't seen it with my own two eyes!


                            Several years ago I was contacted to bring my blood dog to track a buck on a ranch in Victoria. Shot was captured on video and was a double lung but an older dog had gotten too hot so they called me. I wasn’t able to take the track but checked back in several days later to see if they had any luck. They didn’t find him and were looking for help from the buzzards at that point. Weeks later the guy texted me picks of the buck alive and well at a feeder. Had two perfect scars right across from each other and had to have gotten both lungs. The only thing we could figure is that he was so fat that the entrance and exit sealed up and lungs didn’t collapse. Wish I still had those pics.


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I guess anything can happen. I have never seen it, hope I never do.

                              The chest cavity operates under a vacuum. Two holes in the ribcage eliminates the vacuum, 4 holes in the lungs eliminates the ability to breathe, I don't see how a deer or any animal can survive that, regardless if the wound is high or low in the lungs. I haven't had a double lunged deer go over 80yds.

                              The only way I think it could happen is if the broadhead blades were dull and the wounds sealed off due to trauma.

                              Good subject, good discussion
                              Last edited by lovemylegacy; 11-21-2019, 08:19 PM.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X