1 lung hit

[Huntingmike]

I shot a buck yesterday morning at 815 he was quartering away hard when I shot. I hit him midway back he stumbled then took off tail up. I waited 2 hours to tracked him. At hit site I had light brown hair and white hair. Blood was spotty at first then it started to open up big pools of bright red blood with a little bit of bubbles in it tracked for about 300 yards and then I was just finding tiny drops then lost blood. I called deer seach at 1130. Didn't hear from them by 230 so I went back out doing circles and found blood about 100 yards away and it was a pretty good trail with a few nice spots this when on for about another 500 yards then the land gets a little swampy in spots. Deer seach called me back at 330 and they came out they where able to track a few hundred yards finding blood on little saplings here and there but we lost light and pulled out. The guy from deer seach told me that a 1 lung hit deer could survive is this true from the amount of blood on the ground he has to be dead. I'm going to go back and seach the swamp when I get out of the stand. What does it sound like to you guys

[BigVal]

I'd be looking for him

[Water Rat]

I'd search the swamp too.

[jmg343]

I used to race harescrambles/enduros in the mountains of Northern California.  I had a nasty get-off at pretty high speed way out on the course and put one of my ribs through one of my lungs.  It was not pretty.  But, I lived, and it was at least 2 hours before I was getting any real sorta care in a hospital environment.  I think a wild animal's will to survive is stronger than most of ours.  So, I guess they could live.   I can tell you this much, if he didn't live, then he is surely dead.  

[jmg343]

Looking for him I would be.

[Uncle Nicky]

Not so sure about a doe or yearling deer, but yes, a bigger deer or buck sometimes survives a 1-lung hit.

[jjb4900]

yes, they can live.....and lose an ungodly amount of blood, to the point you'd swear it was impossible for them to survive. That being said, I would search until the bitter end.

[outdoorstom]

Yes, they can survive that, especially if hit in the top of the lung.

[boo711]

I shot a buck 3 years ago on a Saturday, same situation as you, quartering away. I know I should have put pin on the deer figuring where opposite shoulder would be but I didnt, put it right behind left shoulder. Had a pass through shot. I'll explain how I know later, besides that I got the arrow all covered in blood. Buck ran probably 60 yds. Through binoculars I could see blood coming out and running down leg. I let him go. Waited a good 1/2 hour, got down brought stand to my uncles house and went home and got my son. Came back after about an hour to go look for him with my uncle. By now it's about 11:00. We jumped that buck twice looking for him. There was blood everywhere, couldn't figure out how he was still alive. After the last time we jumped him we followed the blood trail up towards this thick patch up near my uncles house. We knew where he was going so we backed off. It was about 3pm at this point. Figured we'd wait til morning and come out first thing. Well he was still alive the next morning. Busted out of that thick stuff and took off almost on the same path he went in there on. We tracked him for a bit and lost his trail and blood close to a cut cornfield on my uncles property. Never regained the blood trail. My uncles buddy called him the following Friday night. His kid had just taken a nice 8 and wanted us to come see if it was the same deer. It was. My arrow had hit the left lung and the exit hole was in between the 2 front legs. I messed up. Never touched the other lung or heart. So yes they will live. Sorry so long, just brought back a memory I guess I wanted to share. Lol. Hope you find it!!

[biggamefish]

JMG so if you were out there alone and could NEVER get medical help you think you would have lived?

[jmg343]

I kind if doubt it, but maybe. At the time I was fighting with everything I had to not lose conciousness.  I honestly felt that if I passed out, I wasn't waking up.  But, who knows.  Ive seen people live through way worse.  I certainly would have been very uncomfortable and in a lot of pain for a long time.  All that was done for me at the hospital was morphine, and they put in a hiemlic(sp?) valve to allow the blood and what not to drain from my lung.  That and X-rays and stuff.  I was completely out of it, so I guess some other stuff might have been done too, but I honestly have no idea what. 

[Five Seasons]

I'd be more concerned he will fall to infection, disease or yotes after that kind of hit

[biggamefish]

Anything is possible for sure. Deer are amazing animals with an incredible fight for life! I only asked because it baffles me how a deer would live through a one lung hit where you actually hit the one lung and not graze it.

[jmg343]

I guess it could also depend on where you hit the lung.  My rib went through the top of my lung.  The doctors said that about 30% of my lung collapsed, but the rest of it was still functioning.  I imagine a deers lung would function in a similar fashion.

[njg0621]

That deer is dead somewhere in my opinion...if you did indeed hit him in one lung

[biggamefish]

Yeah a deers organs seem to be the same size