Question: Last year, my son shot a 6-point buck with his shotgun. He claims he waited at least 30 minutes and didn’t push the deer. We finally found some blood about 30 yards from the spot of the shot and tracked the deer with a very slight blood trail for well over 3/4 of a mile before we finally lost it.
At the end of the trail, the blood spots were tiny drops few and far between. When I questioned him, my son said he thought he hit the deer high, maybe below the spine and just above the vitals in what I’ve always called “no man’s land.”
If this is the case, will that deer die if no infection sets in, or will he heal and live to breed another day? — Bill W.
Answer: The idea of a dead zone or “No Man’s Land,” where a bullet or arrow can pass through just above the vitals without inflicting a mortal wound has been perpetuated for ages. I’ve seen enough anatomical charts, scientific evidence and demonstrations to convince me that no such area exists. On a broadside shot, a projectile cannot pass through the chest and under the spine without puncturing both lungs.
If the shot is behind the chest, it will penetrate the liver or paunch. Either is fatal. A liver-shot deer typically won’t travel too far and should expire within a relatively short time — 30 minutes or less. A gut-shot deer can travel a long way, especially if pushed, and can live up to 12 hours or more.
Our eyes sometimes play tricks on us. I once shot at a buck and swore I saw the arrow fly cleanly over its back. I recovered the double-lunged deer 75 yards away. I’ve also shot plenty of deer that I was sure were double-lunged, but it turned out they were hit somewhere else.
A deer that appears broadside in the heat of the moment could actually be quartering to or away from you. It’s not uncommon for hunters to shoot too far forward on a deer that is quartering away, slipping the projectile inside the leg but ahead of the vitals.
If the shot is ahead of the chest, you could also hit the shoulder or leg. This often results in a long blood trail starting out prolific but gradually petering out. Quite often the deer is not recovered, but in many cases will eventually recover from its injuries.