What do you make of this ?

[bigngreen]

I think that is very likely, there is a spot there that unless bone is hit or the bullet frags and cuts that huge artery under the spine they can go along time. Kind of a dead space. I gutted a couple animals that I found that the only damage was to the large vein under the spine.

 

[kcebcj]

Watched a friend fire at a large sambar stag yesterday evening from 950 yards .

The deer was perfectly broadside and when the bullet got there the deer jumped and lurched about 4 ft in the air. He then made a mad dash in a semi circle from where he was facing and went out of site.

Being as it was 20 min till dark we backed out and walked back in hoping to recover him this morning.



DUH

I don't mean to come off here as a cranky Idaho elk hunter but why would your friend chose to make a 950 yard shot just 20 minutes before dark. If the animal was across canyon it would take 20 minutes just to get to where he was.

I don't know much about Sambar have only taken one but I know a lot about elk and an animal of that size left out over night especially gut shot will likely spoil or at best sour even if it's cold.

 

[happylilcuss]

Well I agree with your assessment. I too have seen a lot of animals hit in that area and they all threw a faint blood trail and had blood colors that made you question where it was hit. I do however still think that it acted just like an animal hit too far back. Wich is just about where this shot placement puts it.. Not a direct gut shot by any means but back non the less. I feel for you guys and sure wish you the best. Theres nothing more gut wrenching than leaving something on the ground somewhere and you just cant find it.

(Please forgive me for the cruddy paint shop job but it gets the point accross I think)

 

[3fingervic]

Good luck in the recovery. Keep us posted.

 

[Down Under Hunter]

Thanks guys for your thoughts !

That artwork is just great HAPPY!

I'm sure the hit is in the mass of the body rather than around the edges. My justification of this is I believe the deer would have been spine shot if the bullet had gone higher on the impact. Anywhere in that top 4-6 " and I think he would have dropped like a rock.

I dont believe he could only be muscle hit as there isn't anything in that area to support that. If it was in the legs that would be different but a high body shot with bright red blood without foam suggests forward of the paunch but it could be in rear of the lungs high or liver.

I feel that given 14 hours before we were in there looking gives us every chance for him to have bedded eventually and expired, maybe not far out of the current search area which is only about 400 M square currently

Cheers

DUH