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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Bodork on November 25, 2013, 11:11:00 PM

Title: typical recovery distance?
Post by: Bodork on November 25, 2013, 11:11:00 PM
What would be a reasonable distance to expect a mule deer to travel before expiring? Assume a close range lung shot-18 yds or less. Non-spooked animal.
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: joe ashton on November 25, 2013, 11:14:00 PM
My average is about 60yards.  Some have just stood there then dropped and one went a long way..
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: on November 25, 2013, 11:16:00 PM
I've never shot a mule deer but I can't see them being a whole lot different than most other animals with a hole through both lungs!

I would say 40yds to 100yds on a well placed shot through both lungs.

Bisch
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: mwosborn on November 25, 2013, 11:31:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Bisch:


I would say 40yds to 100yds on a well placed shot through both lungs.

Bisch
x2
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: 30coupe on November 25, 2013, 11:58:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Bisch:
I've never shot a mule deer but I can't see them being a whole lot different than most other animals with a hole through both lungs!

I would say 40yds to 100yds on a well placed shot through both lungs.

Bisch
What Bisch said! When they can't breath, they don't get far.
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: Bob B. on November 26, 2013, 12:11:00 AM
My average is 40 to 60 yards with very few that went farther or not even 40 yards.

Bob.
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: ChuckC on November 26, 2013, 09:03:00 AM
I believe it depends on the scare factor at impact.  

If you made a lot of noise, or if you hit a heavy bone, causing more trauma, they run harder to get away from the perceived danger.  A deer can run far in just 5 - 10 seconds.  IF they are not so scared, they tend to jump away to the first cover, stop and watch, then keel over, or bed and die.  All in seconds (assuming a double lung hit).

As above, I have put an arrow thru the chest of several bucks that responded by kicking, looking around, and, in one case, going back to feeding.

Everything eats deer and turkeys. Their normal response to anything out of line is to get out of Dodge.  

Normal ?  0 to 100 yards might get most of them.

ChuckC
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: Sam McMichael on November 26, 2013, 10:18:00 AM
The longest was about 80 yards, but most went down within 20 or 30. Granted, I have not killed a large number of dear with the bow.
Title: Re: typical recovery distance?
Post by: rkelly on November 26, 2013, 11:08:00 AM
After 50+ years doing this, I agree with Chuck C.
But there can be exceptions.