Liver Hit Reaction-Strange?

[LanceS4803]

Bowhunting at dusk and hit a doe a little far back, definite liver area. She was with a group of 10 deer and they all ran 60yds and stopped. She stood completely still facing away from me while the other wandered off.
I watched her for 30 minutes and she never moved, not one step. I could only see a spot of red, low, on the exit side. It finally got too dark and there was a buck chasing does all around her.
I waited until morning and found her 30yds farther away. Field dressing showed a complete liver pass through.

I've never had a liver shot, so is her reaction typical? I think she probably would have never moved if the other deer hadn't been running right past her.

 

[catman529]

Thats kind of weird, I'm surprised she didn't lay down sooner. They usually lay down soon or run till they die.

 

[huntforme7909]

I did the exact same thing a few years ago on a big doe. Hit her a little far back with my bow and she jumped about five yards and hunched up in the back and stood there. Fortunately she was still broadside to me and after a couple minutes of her standing there motionless I ranged her and shot her again. Double lung and she ran about 15 yards and fell over. But upon field dressing results showed a perfect hole through the liver on the first shot.

 

[ADR]

True liver hits cause a reaction like gut shots. If no lung is hit they don't go far then bed up or just stand there. I think this is done due to the extreme (visceral) pain. I don't think they want to move much because it hurts to do so. These are my observations and my explanations, ymmv.

 

[JeepKuntry]

I hit one years ago that hunched over, trotted 40 yards and stood there bleeding for about 5 minutes. Jumped her an hour later from a bed covered in blood. Backed out for a couple more hours only to bump her again. Liver hits can take some time before they actually die.

 

[102]

I am not sure I would ever classify any reaction to an arrow wound as "typical" anymore. Common maybe...
And yes, her reaction would be common for a liver hit deer.

Often liver hit deer will live a long time. Seems like the warmer it is, the longer they live. But then, I have shot them in 0 temps with snow on the ground right at dark and had to finish then off at daylight.

Deer are VERY tough. I ALWAYS try yo err to the LONGER side of waiting and risk spoilage, rather than loss (to either coyotes or running off).

After HUNDREDS of blood trails involving arrow hits in every conceivable place imaginable, we have lost very few to either coyote or spoilage.

But MOST of the time when we have had doubt, and ignored our own "should have known better ideals" we have almost always regretted going too soon.

Just this past early gun season, I shot a doe with an arrow as she was taking a step. THe entrance was in front of the left hip, about the last rib.

I heard the all too familiar "water mellon thump" of a paunch hit (i.e.-gut).

I watched her walk away, back arched like a cat, while looking back. She looked almost like she was on her tip toes.

I was not happy.

I stayed on stand for 3 hours longer then got out of the ladder stand quiet as a mouse. I had to walk right past my arrow on the way out, and it was also away from where she went.

My arrow revealed what I had thought. Liver/stomach/lung.

5 hours after I initially shot her I returned to take up the blood trail (which disappeared after 80 yards).

I found her another 80 yards away too weak to get away.

THe autopsy revealed liver/stomach/diaphram/right lung.

Yet she was still alive 5 hours later.

They are TOUGH!

 

[Hunt2Live]

Thats kind of weird, I'm surprised she didn't lay down sooner. They usually lay down soon or run till they die.

True. Never seen one just stand around. I guess anythings possible when you shoot one though!

 

[bigtex]

I guess all deer react differently even when hit in the same place. I've only liver hit a few, but the ones I have they have all run like a bat out of hell at least until out of sight or hearing.
If it's a quartering to or away and you puncture the diaphragm and get liver they run like a bat out of hell until they fall over dead.
Any shot that penetrates the diaphragm [from my experience] is a dead deer.

 

[LanceS4803]

Thanks, folks.
Just another reminder for me to take the extra time to "Aim small, miss small.".

 

[WilcoKen]

That sounds similar to the deer I've liver shot. It seems like everything they do is slow motion. I gave mine 3 hours before trailing it. Arrow had thin, watery blood on it.