kidney shot deer

[loco_cacahuate]

I killed a doe last night, hit her in the kidney area. Very good blood trail and she went 75 yards.
I'm thinking the BH cut the artery by evidence of the blood, it was dark by the time I was field dressing her so I didn't get to do much of a post mortum.
It got me to thinking of the effects of a kidney hit.
do they go down fast? or is it like a gut shot?

[S.C. Hunter]

A kidney shot will pretty much cause a quick result. The kidney has a shock effect when hit even with a blunt object. Blood pressure can bottom quickly as well. You have a large artery and vein coming off the kidney. I boxed in the Marines and practiced different martial arts and the kidney hit just like the liver produced immediate results.

[Bill Carlsen]

i shot a deer once that severed the artery going into the kidney. I was last shooting light and the arrow deflected off of an unseen twig and hit her high and back. She took two jumps and went down and there was a puddle of blood next to her I could not believe.  I also shot a doe directly thru the kidneys  many year ago. Very bloody situation and a quick kill. Neither shot was intended but the results were pretty impressive. If I could pick a "bad shot" I would take the kidney over a paunch or liver hit any day based on my two experiences.

[Kevin Dill]

Nothing much to add here. Keep in mind that a deer's kidneys are located and anchored near the spine and just forward of the hip. On an average deer the kidney is about the size of a biscuit...not much of a target considering size and location. Very vascular organ; a hit will usually be fatal.

[Mint]

The kidney hit is always a quick kill. It is like hitting the heart, major arteries go through the kidney. It is a bad hit like the femoral artery that can bring them down fast.

[Doc Nock]

Very bizarre situation similar to others here, Texas Heart Shot on a buck years ago... wired animal, small twig deflection, and he spun to go back the way he came when he heard the 'tick' of the shaft deflecting.

Heavy arrows + sharp heads... entered and with each bound, went side to side taking out both kidneys. He was down and dead in 50 yards!

There was not a mark on the hide anywhere, and the shaft was buried to the fletch.

Saw it and hit my knees 20' up in a stand and prayed for that deer's demise to be quick. It was!

[loco_cacahuate]

She had lost one of her legs from the joint down and when she walked, she would lurch. She had stopped broadside and when I released she did a lurch. She took off like a shot, I've never seen a deer so fast. I thought I had a muscle hit but when I started blood trailing, there was way too much blood for that. Great blood trail.

[Wary Buck]

Have had a couple kidney entries on quartering away deer.  Those deer died within 10 seconds each.  The second one was amazing.  When the arrow hit, blood visibly sprayed EVERYWHERE...even at 28 yards I could see a red mist!  It was like an explosion.  I saw the deer go down and out after a short run.  I followed the blood trail anyway, and there was blood sprayed 10-15' or more at the point of impact.  It was pretty unbelievable.  Friend of mine who teaches anatomy says there is extreme pressure inside the kidney (that would be my experience from several bouts with kidney stones!).  I'd prefer this "bad" hit to any other...and actually think it puts 'em down faster than a heart shot for sure.  Just not a real good place to be aiming.