Deer move and sometimes right at the release. Sometimes there is that tiny branch or weed stem you didnt see. What was the strangest killing arrow path have you had. As an example,I shot a buck traveling left to right. It was a tad high behind his shoulder. He did a wide running arc dropping insight where he'd come from. I still followed the blood trail and found the broken shaft. Got to the deer and the broad head was sticking out his back side near the tail. The broad head flipped in him missing all his guts as it traveled the length of his body. What are some of yours?
I took a shot at a nervous doe a couple seasons back, I watched her run off with my glowing nock in her back ham, and she ran off my property I was so sickened and pissed off at myself I wanted to throw my bow. I headed to town to buy beer to throw myself a pity party. I took the left out of my driveway started down the road when I caught a glint of green light in the woods by my swamp. I stopped and had to move around to pick up the light in the woods, I wound my way thru the woods towards the light and found her laying there, not going anywhere. I still went to town to get beer to celebrate.
I managed to put a muzzy between the eyes of a big doe one day out of my tree stand. She was standing almost straight under me in a creek bed when I released. Just as I released she spun her head around to look up at me. The arrow shattered but the muzzy penetrated deep enough to do the job.
You blame the head rather than the hunter for poor performance. I know for a fact that a mechanical head, a rage can penetrate both shoulder blades of a mature buck. Granted it was a rage titanium but still with an arrow over 450 grains with ke in the upper 70's low 80's a rage or any other mechanical will get thru any bone that a fixed blade will.
So here's another,took a broadside shot on a doe. The second I released the sound made me cringe. I watched the arrow hit that, stiil, doe in front of the rear leg WTH! I watched her bound twice then wobble another 5 yards and tip over. I was so amazed ,happy and relieved I never looked at my bow until I was taking pics. The sound and arrow flight was due to my knock being still attached to the string. I'd missed sanding that arrow knock. Thunderhead severed the femoral artery. Never found the shaft until I disced the field. PS , that broad head also missed the intestines, how I don't know.
Here at home I was up on the mountain for a few days hunting Mule deer. I had hiked in about 3 miles, and around 11:00 I sat down and leaned up against a pine tree to take a Nap. While sleeping I heard a crunch of a branch. It was loud enough I thought I had an elk coming in. When I looked up there was a little 4 point buck (8 point eastern count) standing about 15 yards from me. When he looked away I drew back to try and try and take the shot. If you have ever sat flat on the ground with your legs out in front of you it is harder to do then you think and to aim with out the deer seeing you. I went to move my leg and I hit the release by accident. Of course the buck bolted down the ridge and I was kicking myself for not being careful. I go to find my arrow and see a blood trail. I had hit the deer without even aiming. The buck went about 60 yards and died.
My first buck had 2 exit holes. At 40# I didn't get a pass through, but the broadhead went back in the chest cavity and pushed back out again as he ran.
the Hypodermics certainly will. The blades might not make it thru but the point will punch through. For me personally; cow elk in 2013. She was quartering-to just a touch and my G5 striker clipped the shoulder on entry. She ran straight down the mountain; hard track job, but easiest pack out of an elk of all time- she piled up less than 15 yards from our quad, which was just downhill. When we quartered her out and cut her open to get the arrow out we found I got heart and both lungs; the blades were bent so bad the arrow basically corkscrewed inside of her. The point just barely broke the skin on the backside; and the nock was just barely visible when you peeled open the entry hole. Basically the arrow skewered her and was lodged completely inside her body end to end. Oddest (luckiest) one I've seen was my cousin underestimated the range on a nice 8 point whitetail; deer was quartering away and the Rage clipped the buck's elbow, blades deployed and the head deflected up- only got about 2" of penetration but punched a 2" hole right in the bottom of the heart. Buck snowplowed maybe 15 yards and piled up. Arrow popped out right at point of impact; buck was probably dead less than 2 seconds after being hit.
Mine is a doe I shot late season when I was a younger hunter. I should not have taken it as she was nervous and at 40 yards. When I released the string, it hit my bulky clothing. I saw the arrow go way left. I did not even know it hit her, but she ran 35 yards and fell over in plain sight. I could not believe it. I climbed down and walked straight to the deer. It had gone just under her tail straight through the rear end, broadside. Very thankful for my luck that evening.
I have to add this shot gun one for it was by far my strangest kill. I was set up in a tree I bow hunt from so knew every single ft of yardage around it. I had a great year that year and said to better half, " you OK with me taking another doe? " He said only a big one. I had a group of deer show up late and I decided I'd shoot the largest doe only if she came in close and broad side. At 30 yards I put a bead behind her shoulder letting a 31/2" Breneke 20ga go. She tipped right over then popped up and went into brush and stopped. A few minutes went by and I thought OK , shes dead. About that time I see her walking back up the hill away from me. SERIOUSLY!!? The way she was going I had zero shot picture. Head down feeding! tail down she walked to the ridge above me. It was starting to get dark but I kept my eye on her. Next thing I know her tail goes straight up and drops out of sight. I get down and there is zero blood anywhere. I get to her and there is zero blood. I roll her over and there is not one hole in her. I opened her up and dark blood gushed out of her and the liver had a tiny star shaped tear. Look and there is no hole on the inside of her. Take her home, hang and skin her when I see her elbow is broken then feel it. A lump between her hide and the fat on her hide. Cut it open to see my slug . Plastic waddling still attached . The slug had just the slightest dent from hitting her elbow. It never actual!y entered her body to kill her.
