Recovery Distance

[charlie4]

I've been reading many post with very short recovery distances. I've shot many deer with different broadheads. It's been my experience on every shot the deer take off running for a short couple bounds as if they were spooked at least 20-30 yards. When people post recovery distances are they referring to the distance from where they last saw the deer or from the point of impact. Just wondering

[mikej]

i count it as where the deer was when the shot was taken

[Boo]

That would be the distance the deer traveled from starting to die to death.

[sumner4991]

I've been reading many post with very short recovery distances. I've shot many deer with different broadheads. It's been my experience on every shot the deer take off running for a short couple bounds as if they were spooked at least 20-30 yards. When people post recovery distances are they referring to the distance from where they last saw the deer or from the point of impact. Just wondering

You are right . . .normally the deer take an initial run, then stop. At that point, they either die or keep walking/running. However, neck and/or spine shots result in instant drops. There are a number of factors that limit how far a deer will travel after the impact of the broadhead. We kill via blood loss, so it seems to reason, the bigger the arteries we cut, the the quicker the kill. Hitting vital areas with an accurate shot(shot placement) is the key to a quick kill.

If you are referring to the data I'm collecting, then Boo is right. I want distance from POI to the spot the deer die.

I've gathered a lot more data since posting on the last thread. I'll run the averages and post the results before I head to Virginia.

Scott

[kev]

I've always been amazed by deer. Sometimes a good ground level double lung shot will result in a 10 yard tip over or a dead sprint for 80+ yard death run.

This year for me theye've been close recoveries under 50 yards on 3 deer with the Vixen and 125 magST's on 16" bolts. All were pass throughs at pretty close range maybe 17 yards the farthest.

[wildwindom]

You can use 16 inch bolts out of the vixen?? Didnt know that

[wabi]

I've been lucky on my deer for the past few years. All have been very short recovery distances, and I have even been able to see a couple go down. They made an initial dash, stopped and stood for a few seconds, then dropped. I count my distance from where the deer was standing when hit to the point where it died, following the path it took where possible.

[crazyfarmer]

it all just depends on the deer.... some like to haul butt after the shot, but most will sprint for 30-40 yards and stop.. then fall over

just think of someone shooting at you.. my guess is you would run as far and fast as you could before stopping

[hetichunter]

All the deer I have shot with my compound have run a short distance and then stop and try to figure out what happened.

I wonder if there is any difference with a crossbow being louder then a compound and making them run a little further. Dont know just a thought.

[Pydpiper]

My problem is not how far they run, but where they run to. Seems every deer I shoot jumps over the edge of a cliff after I shoot it, I watch it drop at 15 yards then roll another 80..

[chris4570]

[quote="sumner4991. We kill via blood loss, so it seems to reason, the bigger the arteries we cut, the the quicker the kill. Hitting vital areas with an accurate shot(shot placement) is the key to a quick kill.
[/quote]

Yep. If you look at some of the deer anatomy pics, the big blood vessels leaving the top of the heart, aorta and vena cava. Cut through one of these the it will be a short tracking job. The blood pressure drops very fast when you slice one of these hoses. I shot a doe three years ago, vena cava, she travelled less than ten yards before flopping over.

[8up]

POI to where the deer died. There are lots of variables that can effect how far one will go. If the deer detects you I think the adrenaline in the brain may help it stay of its feet longer. Or if the deer is already excited like a doe being chased by a buck or even the chasing buck. During rut the bucks blood also has a higher amount of coagulate in it or so I have read. This helps it heal from fighting wounds.

I hit a buck a couple years ago with a 30.06 150gr thru the heart and it ran 80 yards uphill before it fell over. A week later it was back to bow season and I shot at a doe and got a deflection off a limb hitting her in the rear and she ran 80 yds and flopped. I hit the femoral artery and got lucky.

Accuracy is everything but for me a close second is an exit whole. In my younger dumber days I took a hard quartering away shot and burred a 25" arrow in a deer from end to end but it stopped at the chest not giving me an exit whole. The deer went into a cutover and I just got lucky because there was no blood to be found. It took us hours doing a grid search. My point is just because it will kill the deer quick doesn't always mean you can find it. As long as I can see blood I am happy.

Sorry for giving you so much more than you asked for.

[kev]

You can use 16 inch bolts out of the vixen?? Didnt know that

I use 16" and 17". 17" 75/95 GT expedition hunter shafts and a bit heavier spine in older discontinued Carbon Express shafts for 16". Blaser vanes. 125 ST mags. 319 gr. total weight on the 16" Carbon Express bolts

It kinda started as an experiment on a closeout / going out of bussiness sale at a local pro shop 3 years ago on 5 doz. Carbon express shafts I bought for $90.00.

It's worked very well on the Deer. I do set up and shoot alot closer than most people, very seldom over 15-20 yards. Needless to say all have been pass throughs and short recoveries. I may try some mechanical 125 gr.Spitfires soon though I've always thought with the little Vixen a cut on contact head suited it's lower FPE better, though one never knows until they try.