Bad shot Myth

[SpencerSS]

I can tell I'm making freinds. This should help in that dept.

Myth: "I shot a deer between the spine and the lungs", The space in the chest of a deer.

Fact: All mammals have negative pressure lungs. The way they work is: as the animal contracts it's diafram and rib muscles, the lungs (which fill the chest cavity) have to expand and draw in air. If air gets in the chest cavity outside the lungs, they calapse; because the lungs have no muscle or rigid tissue support.

-There is no air (or gases) around the lungs; only an ounce or two of fluid creating a thin (1/64") layer between the ribs/spine and the lungs.


It is actually possible to shoot both the lungs and the spine, as the spine dips into the chest cavity slightly.

These are anatomical FACTS, not speculation. For anyone who has used this story, find another excuse for losing your deer.

 

[gunut]

I don't think this subject has ever come up on here. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cajun 22]

Hi Spencer,
All of my shots must be the worst. They all fall right there.

 

[smith625]

LOL!

 

[yamatitan]

Seems to me that even if the lung collapsed the deer could still run a good ways? Maybe not I dont know ive never tried to run holding my breath.

 

[SOLAteeda]

According to pangris' sticky in the handgun forum, a shot through the lungs won't physically stop a threat for between 30 seconds and several minutes. Deer run fast and can cover considerable distance in several minutes.

Spencer, I have no idea if this thread was aimed at someone in particular who said anything in particular. I myself prefer to go for a neck shot, and generally won't throw a shot at a running deer. That is WHEN I actually get to go hunting though, haven't been in a few years.

 

[SOLAteeda]

Moral of the story: if you don't want to track it, follow the zombie rule. Take out the central nervous system.

 

[gunut]

Head shots are cool.

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

Head shots are cool.

CNS is great but head shots aren't the easiest thing to make. I have heard horror stories of people going for head shots and instead knocking the jaw of an animal resulting in having to track the animal several miles or in the case of Florida terrain the animal dieing while trying to cross a body of water. I have always been told the best place allowing for greatest margin of error is the traditional kill zone.

I am a big stickler on being respectful to the animal and causing as little pain as possible. This is one reason why it would be difficult for me to take up bow hunting.

 

[henry]

I'm glad you said that,....there IS skill involved in shooting a deer,...you have to "place" the shot for a clean kill.
Why is it that some hunters want to substitute a larger caliber or some new "magnun" caliber for an accurate shot?
In my opinion, shot placement is more important than anything else.

 

[SOLAteeda]

CNS is great but head shots aren't the easiest thing to make. I have heard horror stories of people going for head shots and instead knocking the jaw of an animal resulting in having to track the animal several miles or in the case of Florida terrain the animal dieing while trying to cross a body of water. I have always been told the best place allowing for greatest margin of error is the traditional kill zone.

I am a big stickler on being respectful to the animal and causing as little pain as possible. This is one reason why it would be difficult for me to take up bow hunting.

I agree about respecting the animal. Though a headshot isn't the only way to take out the CNS. A neck shot is what I always go for. A proper neck shot that severs the spine drops the deer on the spot. Instant death, no pain.

 

[SOLAteeda]

Delete

 

[SpencerSS]

Seems to me that even if the lung collapsed the deer could still run a good ways? Maybe not I dont know ive never tried to run holding my breath.

Run? Sure; but so can one that's had it's throat cut or been shot through the heart.

 

[gunut]

I really don't understand this thread. Hunters, or killers of animals, talking about painless kills. If you are that concerned about the welfare of your kill, stay home. The reason I want to make a quick kill is because I don't want to walk far to retrieve it. I could care less what kind of pain the animal is in. To you ethical hunters, thank God they don't scream when they are hit with a bullet or an arrow.

 

[SpencerSS]

Most mammals that are human sized have between 8-60 seconds if the heart is destroyed. I think a collapsed lung is closer to 5 minutes.

Yes. but try cutting a hole into the chest without cutting the lungs. You can do it with a knife, but a shot from a bow or a firearm!

The point is you will cut/ destroy lung. The times from staying alive are true, but most of that time can not be spent running. Once the lungs deflate (seconds) and aren't collecting O_2 anymore the animal has only a few seconds of running before blackout. The heart will continue to beat and the animal will try to breath, but the oxygen will have been depleted from blood and muscles.

This experiment is dangerous; If you are at rest, and you hold your breath and sprint you will colapse in less than 10 seconds.

 

[SOLAteeda]

The reason I want to make a quick kill is because I don't want to walk far to retrieve it. I could care less what kind of pain the animal is in. To you ethical hunters, thank God they don't scream when they are hit with a bullet or an arrow.

I am far from a tree hugger or a greenpeace nutjob, but I appreciate the life an animal gives up to put food on my plate. Most people who have never hunted and killed their own food seem not to realize that their steak, hamburger, bacon, or fried chicken came from a living, breathing animal. *

I am really at a loss for words in response to what you said... I have enjoyed reading some of yours posts and by no means will I throw a hissy-fit over this... It is just hard for me to see how you can have complete disrespect for the lives you are taking. I completely understand not wanting to walk a long ways to track a deer. It is a pain in the neck to have to track a deer through thicket and briars, but when you don't respect the life of the animal, you have lost touch with the true hunt. Maybe you are just wanting to shoot an animal and put some meat in the freezer or horns on the wall. How long will you track a deer before you decide that it isn't that important to find it, because hey, it is just a dumb animal and I can shoot another one? I was raised to respect the lives I take. You eat what you kill. You do everything possible to find a deer that you don't drop on the spot. Wasting meat and disrespecting the animal's life is a sin to me, maybe not to others. Why cause pain that you could prevent by waiting for a better shot?

Maybe I'm weird and should just go back to reading some Tom Brown Jr. or something...

 

[gunut]

To answer your first question, I will track a deer as long as it takes to find it.

Your second question, I cause pain to whatever I kill no matter where the bullet hits.

Everything else in your post is your opinion. And you actually accused me of things I did not mention in my post.

I just have a hard time reading about ethical kills. Nothing is ethical about killing a living breathing animal or man for that matter.

Just to answer a few of your comments toward me. I am not a trophy hunter, I kill 2 deer per year, because that is how long deer meat last in my freezer between seasons. I eat everything I kill or catch. I do not waste anything. God was also mentioned and I believe he put these types of animals on this earth to feed us. It has nothing to do with respect.

 

[SOLAteeda]

To answer your first question, I will track a deer as long as it takes to find it.*

Your second question, I cause pain to whatever I kill no matter where the bullet hits.

Everything else in your post is your opinion. And you actually accused me of things I did not mention in my post.

I just have a hard time reading about ethical kills. Nothing is ethical about killing a living breathing animal or man for that matter.

Just to answer a few of your comments toward me. I am not a trophy hunter, I kill 2 deer per year, because that is how long deer meat last in my freezer between seasons. I eat everything I kill or catch. I do not waste anything. God was also mentioned and I believe he put these types of animals on this earth to feed us. It has nothing to do with respect.

I appologize if I offended you, gunut. I was careless in using the word "you," sometimes using it to mean hunters in general. I should have chosen my words more carefully, and I commend you on only taking as much meat as you need. I know many people who kill more deer than they need, and think that some hunters could learn a thing or two from you.

As for the whole discussion on pain, respect, etc, I will leave it alone.

 

[gunut]

No problem dude.

 

[CZowner07]

I personally go for the shoulder or neck. The shoulder takes out the heart and lungs and usually drops the deer where in its tracks. A neck shot will take out the CNS which will also drop it. It all depends on what shot I get.