# How far does a Heart or double lung shot deer run?



## cnelson120 (Aug 8, 2010)

I have tracked hundreds of deer for myself and friends in 35+ years of hunting and in my experience, I have found a heart or double lung shot deer does not run more than 75-100 yards and most go less than 35 yards. What has been your experience?
The reason I ask is because When someone tells me they made a perfect shot and I track blood over a 100 yards, then my first reaction is, this is not a perfectly hit deer. Just wondering what your experience has been.


----------



## Sluggersetta901 (Dec 12, 2009)

smh.... search function?


----------



## cnelson120 (Aug 8, 2010)

Sluggersetta901 said:


> smh.... search function?


Hmmm


----------



## bardman (Oct 18, 2006)

I agree with you 100%, have seen bigger bucks run a lot farther then I thought they ever would hit with good shots. Never over 200

I have seen most of the deer I hit fall when you hit um in the boiler.


----------



## Tony Trietch (Jun 18, 2006)

until they are dead.
Every one is differant.


----------



## MOBIGBUCKS (Aug 12, 2006)

Less than 50 yards since I started using Spitfires. Before that, never more than 75-100. Not saying the broadhead has anything to do with it...Just observations from many different kills.


----------



## outdoorsman3 (Nov 15, 2010)

could be 5 yards, could be 200. just whatever has the most will to survive!..................

rage broadhead comment.. :behindsof


----------



## slowen (Jun 27, 2006)

I shot a blacktail this july and i knew it was a perfect shot but the deer bolted off full sprint leaving a bright red arrow and only scant blood for more than 100 yds. We crawled on hands n knees for 45 mins and found a dead deer. When i opened up chest, liters of blood filled the cavity with blood that pumped out the lacerated ventricle. All my double lung pass throughs have been quick kills all found around 50 yds or less.


----------



## Freelance Bowhunter (Sep 7, 2010)

Totally depends on the terrain. I had a heart shot deer run full out 200 yards across an open field before falling dead. If it is thick cover they may run hard for the same amount of time and only run 50 yards. Uphill, downhill, jumping over logs and fences, etc. etc. All these things affect the length of the flight. One thing is for sure, a double lung shot deer that runs will live 6-10 seconds. If they do not run they can stay on their feer for 30 seconds or more.


----------



## followthrough (Jan 24, 2011)

in my experiences heart shot deer tend to run further than double lunged deer do... now i will say the total time it takes for them to expire seems to be about the same...heart shot deer drop there back and take off like a scolded cat...lung shot deer seem to jump/kick and not go very far normally falling in sight....heart shot deer normally expire running into a tree but they go 100mph till they are done....


----------



## Eric W (Jan 16, 2007)

Sluggersetta901 said:


> smh.... search function?


If he had done a private search, then the rest of us wouldn't have seen this thread and could not have participated.

Also, almost EVERY topic here has 100s of threads on it (Best camo? Momentum vs KE? Aluminum vs carbon? What will he score?). Are you implying that there is no reason to every post another new thread here again?


----------



## 176"buck (Jul 7, 2010)

My experience is deer in open areas or fields tend to run a lot farther than deer in thick cover, especially bucks. I've had bucks in fields or crp run 200 yds with perfect hit.I've usually watched them fall, and it's only a few seconds after the shot, but they can go a long way at full bore in a few seconds.


----------



## RxBowhunter (Feb 16, 2005)

Double lung- usually 30-60 yards. Often less than 30
Heart- 0-100 yards. 

My brothers very first deer was a perfect heart shot. The deer raised its head, looked around then went back to eating soybeans. My brother thought he had missed and was nocking another arrow when the deer just fell over. It never even knew it was hit


----------



## Dave M (Jan 10, 2009)

I had a double lung go over 300 yards.
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1656351
I think a lot depends on where the lungs are hit.


----------



## Elite fanboy (Dec 11, 2011)

I think a lot of it depends on the type of broadhead. In my experience, every deer I have shot with an expandable (vortex mini max) ran farther than those I shot with a fixed blade. I'm no expert, but I'm convinced the large hole caused by an expandable "shocks" the deer into running faster and farther.


----------



## mtmadman (Jun 9, 2006)

In my experience, most have been from 10 to 60 yards. I did have one double lung hit doe go a little over 100 yards, and one center punched, double lung, passthrough bull elk go 250 yards. I couldn't believe it.


----------



## Bakes5 (Sep 10, 2010)

70 yards for heart shot in thick woods.


----------



## Beendare (Jan 31, 2006)

Seems to me its about 6-7 seconds... then it just depends how spooked they are on the shot. 

Totally anecdotal observation but since I have been shooting a quieter bow with COC heads, the animals just don't streak off like they sometimes used to


----------



## Pope & Young 24 (Oct 30, 2007)

I drilled a nice 8 point a couple years ago and I seriously mean I smoked him. It was a double lung hit (when I gutted him both lungs were basically gone) and he ran 120 yards. If I had to average out all my double lung kills they'd probably average somewhere around 60-75 yards. That's not very far, considering deer cover that ground in less than a few seconds.


----------



## mnbowhunter23 (Jan 14, 2009)

I have had somewhat different results than many on here. Honestly i bet most of my deer that i've shot with a good double lung shot have gone 125-175 yards. This being with all pass throughs (g5 striker and spitfires). 

This particular buck ran about 300 yards. Perfect broadside shot with a g5 striker and complete pass through. 








Last year i shot a big SD buck (16point) with my rifle. Similar placement as the buck above and he ran 150 yards and laid down. 1 hour later i walked up on him and he proceeded to get up and run and i had to shoot him again. Big Midwest bucks are tough critters.


----------



## hunting170 (Sep 12, 2003)

cnelson120 said:


> I have tracked hundreds of deer for myself and friends in 35+ years of hunting and in my experience, I have found a heart or double lung shot deer does not run more than 75-100 yards and most go less than 35 yards. What has been your experience?
> The reason I ask is because When someone tells me they made a perfect shot and I track blood over a 100 yards, then my first reaction is, this is not a perfectly hit deer. Just wondering what your experience has been.


It`s not so much a factor of how far they run, as how long they live after the shot. It all depends on how much ground they cover in 11-13 seconds after being shot.


----------



## Totemkopf (Oct 26, 2006)

I shot a buck that didn't make 10 yards, shot a small doe that went about 400 yards. A lot of factors play into how far the critter is going to go.


----------



## mxdkfreestyle13 (Sep 15, 2006)

I wouldn't have believed it if i didn't track the deer and gut it with my cousin but he made a higher double lung shot, the buck ran 275 yards. I would never have said before that day a deer wouldn't ever go over 150 yards with a double lung hit but it happens.


----------



## SplashOfPee (Aug 4, 2009)

hunting170 said:


> It`s not so much a factor of how far they run, as how long they live after the shot. It all depends on how much ground they cover in 11-13 seconds after being shot.


Shot a doe last night -- blew out the heart - it ran 100 yards in thick woods. But this was over maybe 8 -10 seconds...


----------



## gut pile ohio (Jul 15, 2012)

With a bow shot the deer will go about 35 - 50 yards with shotgun in Ohio / riffled barrel / sabots, the deer go about 15 yards max


----------



## cnelson120 (Aug 8, 2010)

Thanks for the reply's everyone. Next time I have to track a deer over a 100 yards, I will keep a positive attitude. I didn't think there would be that many deer that run that far with a double lung/heart shot. I guess it's a lot more common than I have seen. I'm always looking to learn something new about deer hunting and I definitely learned something with this thread. Thanks again.


----------



## hookedonbow (Jul 24, 2010)

bardman said:


> I agree with you 100%, have seen bigger bucks run a lot farther then I thought they ever would hit with good shots. Never over 200
> 
> I have seen most of the deer I hit fall when you hit um in the boiler.


I agree the bigger older deer always run further..


----------



## sawtoothscream (Apr 19, 2008)

the one I lunged went around 70 and the heart deer went around 60 with bow. my lung deer with shotgun went maybe 20yds and another died on impact


----------



## huntnFiend (Feb 17, 2009)

I saw a doe that had its heart blown out by a 12 guage slug run over 500 yards with pin drops of blood the entire way. If I would not have seen it I would not have believed it.


----------



## 50bowhunter (Aug 17, 2008)

My experience is that most people make up distances for their particular story. That 60 yard shot that went 20 yards more than likely was a 15 yard shot that ran 100 yards.


----------



## RunThemAll (Oct 5, 2009)

huntnFiend said:


> I saw a doe that had its heart blown out by a 12 guage slug run over 500 yards with pin drops of blood the entire way. If I would not have seen it I would not have believed it.


Are you sure it wasn't the liver?


----------



## bcfr501 (Aug 25, 2011)

Monday i shot one and it went three yards yes three yards a jump and fall right in the heart


----------

