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Low gut shot with a firearm..

Congrats. I've said many times on here, a gutshot deer is a dead deer 100% of the time.

Gutshot animals don't die of blood loss. They die of Septic Shock, which is the final stage of sepsis, or a blood infection. All the contaminated stomach entrails mix with their blood, sending extremely deadly bacteria and pathogens throughout their bodies and most importantly, their organs. Their body goes on DEFCON 1, fighting an infection they have no hope of beating. This creates a fever the likes of which we cannot begin to comprehend.

This fever is what creates the intense urge for water, hence where the classic tale of the wounded deer goes for water comes from. Eventually, their organs begin to shut down, and their demise shortly follows.

This is why gutshots should be avoided at all costs. I had one this year and it sucks. It's one of the most horrific ways to die.

I have ZERO proof of this, but it's why I think gut-shot deer taste crappier. All that bacteria has worked its way into every muscle of that deer.
 
Congrats on the recovery. From your initial description of the hit and her reaction I felt like you had a good chance if she wasn't pushed. It's amazing the sort of damage they can take and keep going. I'm always curious about the load used. You said 44 Mag, was it out of a pistol or rifle, and what load, if you don't mind.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
Congrats on the recovery. From your initial description of the hit and her reaction I felt like you had a good chance if she wasn't pushed. It's amazing the sort of damage they can take and keep going. I'm always curious about the load used. You said 44 Mag, was it out of a pistol or rifle, and what load, if you don't mind.
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44 mag out of single shot CVA. I'm shoot those Bear Creek ballistics loads from it. They have performed well from it. I never thought I got good accuracy with it from a factory load. Good shots have stopped them in their tracks. It's usually the operators fault if they don't.
This area I have been hunting is full of small brush down low as well. I think I have made some bad judgement calls on if there is any brush in the way. I can see some of the bigger twigs. But I don't think I can see all those smaller ones. When I got to where I hit her I looked back at the tree and the amount of smaller little twigs I couldn't see was a lot.
Deflection may have played a roll. I Probably should have let that one walk. Or at least walk some more. Screenshot_20251207-084813.png
 
Shane77624 said:
I just don’t understand how people guy shoot a deer with a rifle under 300-yds.
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If you have ever hunted in brush you could understand how a twig can easily change the bullet flight.
I have shot a 6pt at 40 yards and hit a 1/2 inch sapling and missed the deer completely on the 1st shot and was stunned when he didn't flinch and the sapling tipped over. Then stood for the next lethal shot. The cross hair on scope lined up exactly with the sapling and I didn't see it.
 
bigmike23 said:
Congrats. I've said many times on here, a gutshot deer is a dead deer 100% of the time.

Gutshot animals don't die of blood loss. They die of Septic Shock, which is the final stage of sepsis, or a blood infection. All the contaminated stomach entrails mix with their blood, sending extremely deadly bacteria and pathogens throughout their bodies and most importantly, their organs. Their body goes on DEFCON 1, fighting an infection they have no hope of beating. This creates a fever the likes of which we cannot begin to comprehend.

This fever is what creates the intense urge for water, hence where the classic tale of the wounded deer goes for water comes from. Eventually, their organs begin to shut down, and their demise shortly follows.

This is why gutshots should be avoided at all costs. I had one this year and it sucks. It's one of the most horrific ways to die.

I have ZERO proof of this, but it's why I think gut-shot deer taste crappier. All that bacteria has worked its way into every muscle of that deer.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of them do bleed to death prior to this though, since I've found multiples after only 6 hours. I usually go home and try to nap to forget about the ordeal.
 
Icedog said:
If you have ever hunted in brush you could understand how a twig can easily change the bullet flight.
I have shot a 6pt at 40 yards and hit a 1/2 inch sapling and missed the deer completely on the 1st shot and was stunned when he didn't flinch and the sapling tipped over. Then stood for the next lethal shot. The cross hair on scope lined up exactly with the sapling and I didn't see it.
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That's pretty much what happened on my first deer ever, except I was shaking like a leaf so it was 100% me and not my shotgun's fault. Thankfully my buck fever has calmed down compared to 11yr old me.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
 
Icedog said:
If you have ever hunted in brush you could understand how a twig can easily change the bullet flight.
I have shot a 6pt at 40 yards and hit a 1/2 inch sapling and missed the deer completely on the 1st shot and was stunned when he didn't flinch and the sapling tipped over. Then stood for the next lethal shot. The cross hair on scope lined up exactly with the sapling and I didn't see it.
Click to expand...

This is where very high velocity rounds come in handy. My only rifle gut shot was a small mountain buck. He was moving through small pines and I picked my opening. Once he stepped into it and my crosshairs were in his vitals, I let the 25-06 with 120 grain ballistic tips do its thing. Well, there was a delay between my eyes and finger, so I center punched his stomach. He made it 20 yards and then died. He laid there briefly but was dead well within 60 seconds. No exit. He was maybe 50 yards away. The little pill exploded at that range and I found pieces of lead and jacket in his lung and near his heart. If I'd been using a 30-06 with 180 grain partitions, he probably would have gone farther.
 
Icedog said:
If you have ever hunted in brush you could understand how a twig can easily change the bullet flight.
I have shot a 6pt at 40 yards and hit a 1/2 inch sapling and missed the deer completely on the 1st shot and was stunned when he didn't flinch and the sapling tipped over. Then stood for the next lethal shot. The cross hair on scope lined up exactly with the sapling and I didn't see it.
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Exactly what happened to me two years ago... small sapling I didn't see right in front of the barrel because I was focused on looking through the scope at the buck. No follow-up though because it was black powder.
 
Icedog said:
If you have ever hunted in brush you could understand how a twig can easily change the bullet flight.
I have shot a 6pt at 40 yards and hit a 1/2 inch sapling and missed the deer completely on the 1st shot and was stunned when he didn't flinch and the sapling tipped over. Then stood for the next lethal shot. The cross hair on scope lined up exactly with the sapling and I didn't see it.
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Why would you shoot through an area that does not offer a clean shot?
 
Icedog said:
If you have ever hunted in brush you could understand how a twig can easily change the bullet flight.
I have shot a 6pt at 40 yards and hit a 1/2 inch sapling and missed the deer completely on the 1st shot and was stunned when he didn't flinch and the sapling tipped over. Then stood for the next lethal shot. The cross hair on scope lined up exactly with the sapling and I didn't see it.
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I’ve hunted brush and made a point to have a clear shot with nothing in the flight path of the bullet. I’ve passed many shots because the deer wasn’t providing clear shot.
 
Jtaylor said:
He told you if you read the post. I appreciate these posts from @MattMan81 and others, it's how we all learn as hunters. Rather than criticize, maybe offer some feedback that has made you an expert marksman.
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No smart guy, he doesn’t state anything other than he botched the shot.
 
Shane77624 said:
No smart guy, he doesn’t state anything other than he botched the shot.
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He explained it in the post directly above your first post.

I am curious though. You have never missed a deer under 300 yds in your entire life? How long have you been hunting? How many deer have you shot?
 
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Shane77624 said:
Why would you shoot through an area that does not offer a clean shot?
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Because I’m a coyote. I’m trying to eat that deer. Don’t put your ethics on me. They get hit by cars etc etc etc. shooting one and losing it isn’t the end of the world. I’ve never talked to a bobcat or coyote who felt bad about a deer getting away from it.
 
If you hunt public land you can't legally trim lanes, nor is it feasible. If you run and gun hunt, again, trimming a 200 yard lane is not feasible. If you are using a scope with magnification the object at distance will be in focus, a lot of stuff in between will be out of focus and almost invisible. Add low light conditions to that, considering that is when deer move most, and it can be very easy to clip a branch or stem.

If your only frame of reference is shooting a rifle off a bench out of a preset box blind down a mowed green lane on private land, then maybe the idea of their being unknown branches, etc in the way may be a foreign concept. Aside from heavily manicured setups however, hitting unseen small obstructions in the woods is a common and real thing. Even a small twig can send a bullet flying off course by a lot.
 
Shane77624 said:
No smart guy, he doesn’t state anything other than he botched the shot.
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And your critiscm is helping how? Have you never botched a shot?

I don't understand how people can not understand how you can miss a deer with a rifle under 300 yards.

Congrats to the OP on a successful recovery. Hunt long enough, and there will be bad shots, or shots you think were bad, except for that one guy - he never misses his mark.

Sent from my SM-S711U using Tapatalk
 
MattMan81 said:
44 mag out of single shot CVA. I'm shoot those Bear Creek ballistics loads from it. They have performed well from it. I never thought I got good accuracy with it from a factory load. Good shots have stopped them in their tracks. It's usually the operators fault if they don't.
This area I have been hunting is full of small brush down low as well. I think I have made some bad judgement calls on if there is any brush in the way. I can see some of the bigger twigs. But I don't think I can see all those smaller ones. When I got to where I hit her I looked back at the tree and the amount of smaller little twigs I couldn't see was a lot.
Deflection may have played a roll. I Probably should have let that one walk. Or at least walk some more. View attachment 123725
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Sounds like you're happy with these? I remember when you suggested them to me, or maybe it was the forum in general. I know a guy using them in a .450 this year, haven't seen him since gun season opened though. I am strongly considering these for my .350 next season. Have you tried a load other than the HV?

Congrats! Glad you found her man!
 
Shane77
Seriously, we are here as a team to help each other and to learn from each other and to better the sport of what we do.
We are not here to to slam one another.
Are you a true hunter that hunts public woods, or this guy Catfishing: the act of creating a fake online identity to deceive someone.
I would dare to guess every "true" hunter on this site and any other hunting site has had an instance of a shot going sideways on them.
If your here to contribute, please do so respectfully.
 
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