Deer: Mid/High Lung or Low Lung/Heart Shot Placement

[KSdan]

Here are some anatomy pics.  The one "in the shoulder" was shot off the ground and dropped in its tracks.  After the autopsy you will see it is dead on the spine.  

The other carcass with masking tape and measurements is the actual anatomy of a 220# FIELD dressed buck.  The top dark line is the actual location of the spine.  Directly at the shoulder- anything above half down will go OVER the spine.  The spine then sweeps back up.  I think there are many so called "high lung" hits from tree stands that are never recovered- because they are not lung but over the spine.

 

 

[KSdan]

Here is the other with measurements I was speaking about above.  Note the line of the spine.

[Apex Predator]

Depends on which way you think the deer will run when shot.  If you think he will run towards the vehicle, then shoot him in the heart!     I've always worried that a high lung shot deer has a chance of getting away from me.  I don't worry about those shot lower.

[SteveB]

KSDan - Great pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve

[KSdan]

The only thing that I should have added. . . in the last pic- the "elbow" and shoulder sagged forward in the actual photo setting.  In real life structure, the elbow would be/was just under the lower left hand corner of the "vital" area, where you see the blood shot mark from the arrow entrance.  

This is the buck by the way. . .

[tradtusker]

Thanks for the pics Dan pretty interesting  

[Curtis Haden]

Some good points and illustrations above, and I appreciate everyone's input.  Just to clarify, I was not and am not now trying to convince anyone of anything.  "High" and "low" are pretty relative when considering the size of a deer's heart/lung area.  I don't have too many worries about my ability to track a double-lunged deer, regardless of the height of the shot.  Having said that, after due consideration, I will continue to aim mid-low, more for the "reflex" factor than anything!

It is beneficial to discuss such things, IMO, for the sake of both the posters and readers.

Thanks!    

[Ray Hammond]

a heart shot deer is still breathing. A double lung shot deer is getting no oxygen to the brain- that deer will die faster..unequivocally, without argument faster.

[pdk25]

I disagree with Ray.  It is relatively impossible to hit the heart without taking out a portion of both lungs.  Also when shot in the heart the blood doesn't lungs to become aerated to deliver oxygen to the brain..

Dr. Patrick Kelly  MD

[pdk25]

should read "doesn't reach the lungs"

[jimneye]

I shot a doe through the middle of the heart.  She ran no more than 40 yds.  There was almost no blood trail, the heart had stopped beating.  I aim mid body tight to the shoulder. I'll take a doubble lung over a heart shot any day.

[Ray Hammond]

pdk, I've heart shot several deer inadvertantly and did not touch lungs.

[Fletcher]

If I was good enuf in a hunting situation to place an arrow precisely where I wanted to, I would go thru the big vessels/arteries just above the heart, which would also take out both lungs in the process.  I think having the heart intact and pumping helps with a good blood trail and fast bleed out.  In the few times I've been lucky enuf to get this hit, it has produced the shortest and heaviest trails of all.  When I can follow the trail from the tree, I figure it's pretty good.  

A sharp broadhead thru both lungs and any critter is down.  Seems to me that the closer to the center of the lungs that broadhead goes, the quicker the critter goes down.

I also agree with those that feel most 3-D targets are marked too far back.  That's one reason I rarely shoot for score.

[pdk25]

You've been unlucky Ray.  Irrespective of that, if blood doesn't reach the lungs it will never become oxygenated and therefore be unable to reach the brain in an oxygenated state.  There are some large blood vessel, such as the main pulmonary arteries, superior vena cava, and others that can cause massive blood loss, but if these vessels aren't hit a deer with a comparable hit in the heart will almost certainly expire more quickly.

[BowHuntingFool]

I like a Double Lung hit a bit lower and trying to keep the heart still pumping the blood to get a better blood trail! With blood coming out both side of the deer!

[pseman]

I think we may be starting to split hairs here. I really don't think that the time it takes for a deer to go down after a heart, double-lung, or heart and lung shot is going to be much different. Every one of those shots will lead to a quick death and a short blood trail. The difference is negligible.

[pdk25]

I agree with you pseman.  I felt compelled to comment when I felt incorrect information was presented.  Double lung or heart equals dead.

[KSdan]

Gotta laugh. . . the difference in these shots are inches, and we are trad guys!!  I am not sure any of us are that good in calling a shot!!