I would think you would hit, heart or lung, liver, diaphram, stomach, and end up in the hind end some where. imagine tipping your head back and shoving an arrow down your throat all the way to your butt, think it would do some damage? I would take the shot if i was on the ground, and it was inside of 30 yards.
Speaking from first hand experience, it's a very doable shot. Mine was at 14 yards. Hit the heart dead center and the bull went 30 yards and turned around to look at me. Tipped over about 15 seconds later. Penatration was up to the fletching on a 31" arrow(2317) with 1 1/2" broadhead.
I would say not even in same ball park as a gut shot. simply becuase you are going through the vital organs in front of the guts, the diaphram and most likely the liver. before you get to the guts. animal would expire much quicker than just a gut shot deer. based upon that, if you hit low, yes long track, no recovery, same as a low hit perfectly broadside. All I was saying is what you would hit. Kill zone is still ethical from front on to me. you have to hit an animal good to kill it no matter the angle. MY personal opinion is I would take the shot. I know my bow, I know my abilities.
What great timing, just received and read this article today from D&DH about this shot proposition. Goes pretty in-depth into the animal's anatomy. http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/biology/deer-huntings-riskiest-shot?et_mid=564854&rid=233716713
Thats like saying you would shoot him in the butt bc you "think" it'll come out his heart! Ive seen people make a perfect double lung shot and the arrow exit the deers hind leg after deflecting off a rib. In NO way is that an ethical shot, your just asking to lose that animal bc he will likely run FOREVER!!!
Never....Ever would I take that shot. I've hunted elk plenty and that is a bad shot... period. Elk are tough animals and the nightmare just begins when you hit one poorly. Keep in mind video gets edited before it gets produced and we have no idea how far that elk went, if it took another arrow to kill it or if it is even the same elk that they "recovered". I don't care if you can hit a walnut at 40 yards. Elk move and a half step moves the target 18 inches. Bad and irresponsible shot in my opinion.
I will be in the minority but I take the shot. 15 yards, no angle , unspooked bull I can make that shot every day of the week and three times on Sunday. Criteria for a shot, makable the vast majority of the the time, kills quickly and is readily recoverable.... It meets my criteria.
I had such a situation once during my first and so far only elk hunting trip. Although I consider myself a good shot at 20 yards I did not take the shot at the elk, even thouhg it was a bit close then 20 yards. I can tell you first hand that staring at a bull under 20 yards can be bit unnerving for a first time elk hunter. I am glad I did not take the shot. But what a very cool experience.
My thoughts are that very few people should probably attempt a frontal shot... Here's an interesting article on it... http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/live-hunt/2011/07/bowhunting-tips-when-take-frontal-shot
Im also in the minority, from the ground at close range on elk or deer my arrow will buried to the fletchings.
