Lung vs. Heart shot ???
Maryland
DOUBLE LUNG VERSUS A HEART SHOT C.J. Winand
Executing a good, clean shot depends on your level of experience and proficiency. But, with today's bows archers are more accurate than ever before. If you have the opportunity for wither a heart or a ling shot, is one better than the other? I asked a doctor friend of mine who also hunts. He always encourages hunters to aim for the lungs over a heart shot. He believes the benefits of a double lung shot are vastly improved when compared to a heart shot.
The doctor explains, "From a physiological standpoint when there is trauma to the heart the body automatically responds by shutting itself down. This causes the blood in the body to move slower." In other words, all the arteries, veins and major organs retain the blood they currently possess. When a deer is hit in the heart, blood circulation decreases and less blood exits the body. Therefore, a heart shot deer may not bleed as much compared to a lung shot.
Conversely, "on a double lung hit, the wound causes the heart to beat harder. This is mainly due to the loss of blood pressure. As the body tries to compensates for the loss of blood pressure to supply the brain with blood, the heart pumps harder. Whenever the heart beats faster, more blood is lost and a hunter has a better chance of finding the animal."
By no means does the doctor suggest that a heart shot is not effective. The fact is a heart shot is lethal. Choosing the lungs over the heart is simply a good rule of thumb to remember whenever you are picking your shot. The lungs also provide a larger target area that gives hunters an easier shot as compared to the smaller sized heart.
With this information in mind I asked the doctor his opinions on the waiting game after a confirmed hit? Like most of us, he suggested waiting 30 minutes. Whenever hunters push deer, the type of shot and the amount of adrenalin within the animal determines how far a deer will run. The further away a deer runs often times lessens your chances of finding the animal. Again, depending on your set up and the evolution of modern broadheads (especially expandable heads), many times there's no need to wait when the deer falls within sight. But that's another topic within itself.
What is the difference between a gun and a bow and arrow hit? The doctor explains, "Unlike a bullet hit, when a deer is hit with a broadhead, many times he doesn't know he's hit, he just knows something is wrong. There is no adrenalin surge associated. The deer weakens from blood loss and lies down. If you give him enough time to "bleed out", that's where your blood trail will lead. If you track too soon and jump the deer, or he sees or smells you, this is where a rush of adrenaline keeps him moving. Increased adrenaline can cause a deer to escape from you and move quite a distance after the bleeding has stopped. This can make deer pushed too soon very hard to find."
makes alot of sense. I have shot deer in the heart that ran forever. I like that special spot where you hit the lungs and take out alot of the plumbing going to the heart.
A deer double-lunged with a broadhead will usually drop before going out of sight; 30 to 50 yards from point of impact. A deer double lunged with a bullet will go farther.
very true. A SHARP BROADHEAD does awsome damage and makes a quick humane harvest.
While we are on this type of topic, lets see other thoughts... mechanical or fixed blade heads? Any particular maker you stand by?
I used to use Spitfire mechanicals.. but being I also hunt hogs, I swapped to muzzy fixed blades. I stuck a pig at perfect broadside, in the kill zone and got about 3" penetration with mechanicals. Since switching to fixed blades, I am usually poking out the other side or passsing thru.
When I first swapped I tried Satalite fixed blades.. pulled them out of my first kill and the blades were mangled or broken off. Switched to Montec G-5 blades, then over to muzzy because of the lower cost.
I switched from muzzy to Slick tricks 4 years ago and never looked back. They fly like field points and are sharp as hell with the new blades they got. I have shot hogs and deer with them with no issue. I have also shot Montec's and Hellrazors with awsome performance. Mechanicals are good for some people and have killed deer with them, but my confidence is in fixed blades......Check out Slick Tricks, they are great.
Does Slick Tricks make 75 grain? My buddy used Rage 2 blade mechanical a few years back and got his first deer with them. The damage was amazing, but I'm just not convinced with mechanicals. For hogs, I have been told by every guide/outfitter I have hunted with.. fixed blades only. First hog I took was 100 pounds or so and all 4 arrows only went in 3-5". I have shot several deer with fixed blades and get way more penetration. Only bad experiance I have had with fixed blades was a large doe last year.. arrow went in about 2" and she snapped it off. I'm convinced I hit her right on the front leg bone. Never recovered her, but the farmers land I was hunting found her about a week later. So I killed her, but it was a bad shot on my part.
No matter what you use, its all about shot placement. For instance, if you hit that knuckel "Its over" I know Slick Trick makes a lesser grain model, might be 75 or 85 grains. Mechanicals are good heads, I find less penetration, but have friends who won't use anything else. Confidence thing. I find that mech's loose kenetic energy deploying blades and in my experience don't do well with bones....All in what you have confidence in. Try Slick Tricks and I promise you won't be dissapprointed. plus they are cheaper on the wallet that some of the other heads on the market
I have killed a number of deer in Allegany County using the 3 for $10 Bob Allen Walmart broadheads.
yep, all about shot placement....we worry about metal heads and I have known guys that still have stone heads on their Trad eq. People have used stone and bone for thousands of years.
Slick Tricks have an 85 grain. I do not think they go and lighter.
I have always shot for a "Double Lung" no matter what the weapon is. I would like to see the deer that was lost after a DL hit. I have seen a heart hit deer run a long way before dying creating a difficult find. I have also seen deer live with a single lung hit.
I simply go for lethal hits. Unfortunatly, I think we have all seen deer get away that we were positive we hit with a lethal shot. I have seen deer, that I thought I did a bad shot, drop in their tracks as well. Hunt enough and you'll see it all. Worst was a deer where the shot sight and for about 30 yards, blood was everywhere. Looked like a mass murder took place.. but the blood slowly got less and less.. down to drops and no deer. We searched for 2-3 hours that night. Came back the next day and put in another 3-4 hours of searching. Everything from following the direction to doing ever widening circles.
I've seen single lung hits live after being shot, because a friend killed a deer during gun season with half my shaft still him it...NO smart remarks gents.
How about dumb remarks? Haha. I shot a deer several years back with a rifle in PA. I pulled out 5 bullets from her body and not 1 of them was mine. They were all pistol. She was also covered in tumors and a club foot. I put her out of her misery.
