Game animals that don’t know they are hit

[twitchstick]

I had a doe I shot that went back to feeding after the shot. When the arrow hit her she twitched like maybe a bug was bugging her. Then she started to feed again. I had just started bowhunting so I question if I had even hit her. By the time I had nocked a second arrow she had feed a couple of yards then bedded down behind a tree and it was over.

[scrub-buster]

I shot an 8 point buck with an osage selfbow and a stone point on a bamboo arrow.  It hit right behind the shoulder.  The buck looked around and then continued walking up the hill like nothing had happened.  I was confused because I could see the last 8" of the arrow sticking out from his chest.  He casually walked about 20 yards and then got wobbly.  He tried to run but didn't make it far.  

I think you have a better chance of them not reacting if you don't hit any bones.  If you bust a rib, they are going to know something is up.

[LongbowArchitect]

I shot a 4x4 bull elk this Fall- complete pass-thru both lungs with no bones hit. He walked off quartering away looking around like something happened but he didn't know what. My next arrow hit behind his front leg, through his heart and out the front of his chest. He toppled over within seconds of my second shot.

[LookMomNoSights]

I shot doe in NY on state land back in the mid 90's.....during a stint with the compound.  The doe came in slowly,  grazing as she went.  When she got about 20 yrds from the base of the tree,  I shot her.  She sunk a tad with one of those full body quivers like you see a horse do sometimes.  She was alert and looking in my direction,  but not up.   She keep chewing...I could see my arrow in the ground, could not make out any blood and didn't see any coming from her. I thought I may have missed!
She put her head down to eat some more.....and blood started pouring out of her nostrils like a faucet wide open and she coughed a loud raspy cough,  spraying blood from her mouth.  She took 3 or 4 steps forward while stumbling over to fall on her side and was dead.

[newhouse114]

The best example of this was on a dall sheep I shot years ago. Absolutely no reaction to the shot and no blood that I could see. I was certain I had missed. 15 seconds later it fell over dead. Had both moose and elk go less than 30 yards and stop. The elk bedded and the moose just dropped.

[Doug Treat]

I've had it happen with elk and deer but it's rare, I believe, because it's rare to not at least touch ribs. If you happen to miss ribs on entry and exit, it seems to just feel like a bee sting or something. You need a quiet bow, a complete pass through and a lucky shot that misses all bones.  It's pretty cool when it happens.

[fnshtr]

Yes, several over the past 50 years.

[Russ Clagett]

Shot a small cull buck last year with a woodsman and saw it go totally through, but a little farther back than I wanted. The deer took a step and looked around, but that was it.

I thought I had missed cause he had so little reaction, but I did remember tracking those yellow feathers right through him....

He took a step and then his back fell. Then he fell.

Only time I've ever had that happen.

[BAK]

Yes definitely.  Two year ago shot a ten point buck as it walked out of the woods into an old pasture.  Never even flinched.  Just kept walking and I actually thought I must have missed it even though I'd seen the arrow go through and stick in the ground.

The boy kept walking and browsing, went about 40 yards and just fell over.  Crazy stuff.

[Jerry Russell]

I have seen this a few times.  More commonly in herd animals like caribou.  It happens some when a buck is shot while working an overhead limb of a scrape.  Their preoccupation and the noise causes them to not hear the shot.  

My most classic instance was a buck in a scrape and a perfect pass through.  He stepped back a couple feet and realized something was amiss.  He blew at me two times with a red mist coming out.   Then just fell over.

[the rifleman]

I shot at a doe once and knew i hit her.  She went directly behind my tree and stood there stomping and looking up at me--- not the reaction of a hit deer, right?  When she moved into position for a second shot i put one through both lungs.  Typical reaction-- 80 yard run and pile up.  Later when i skinned her i found where my first arrow had went right through her backstraps.  Ive had other uncommon reactions too--- you shoot enough game and you learn each animal is different...

[madmaxthc]

I do not have any direct experience yet (new to bowhunting), but it makes sense. The way internal organs are innervated, you basically feel pain when they are stretched or there's an ischemic problem. I remember when spaying female dogs,  in the rare case the anesthesia was not deep enough, we would notice not when using the scalpel, but when pulling out the womb (before cutting it free), which would cause a stretch of the organ and ligaments.

As someone else said, you need a sharp broadhead and not to touch the ribs. And I would think that if the animal is busy after females, or sees its herd around not being spooked, is probably going to make it think there's no danger. Just my two cents.
Max

[Tedd]

Yes, well they did have some flinch or reaction but just didn't run away at all. My theory that it happens more with the arrows that slip through the cleanest. Like with super shaft 2 blades. I have seen minimal reaction with 3 blade VPA also.
Where you don't see it it with the expandables on TV. The "slappers, schwackers or what ever they name them scare the **** out of the deer and they run farther than any deer I ever shot. They run 100s of yard out of site!
Tedd

[mgf]

I shot a buck last year that slowly staggered toward me and went down right at the bottom of my tripod. The shot was a complete pass through at about 15 yards.

[Ulysseys]

Shot a doe that kept feeding and just fell over a few steps later, no kicking or anything, one of the better kills I ever experienced.  I also shot a cow moose at 15 yards that hopped and looked around then took a couple of steps and fell over.  I think she knew something was up but definitely didn't know she was being hunted.

[TDHunter]

Had a few take a quick jump, then just slowly start walking away like nothing happened, until they get out 40-60 yards and fall over.

[MCNSC]

I've had 2 that jumped but then showed no other reaction
( other than falling over) the last was a small buck at 20 yards
If knew the arrow was headed where it was supposed to go but lost sight of it before it actually got to the buck.  He jumped back a couple steps,stopped, turned around and was looking for what made the sound then just fell over. During these few seconds I was thinking "that shot looked perfect, how did it miss."

[89redtruck]

I shot a doe right through the heart without touching any bone.  She only took a about 10 slow steps while looking around and tipped over & died.  I have a picture of her heart shot through dead center, but I don't know how to post pictures.
Jim

[SL]

I shot a mountain muley in colorado that barely flinched. Just sniffed the arrow when it stuck in the bank after it passed through. Bedded down and expired shortly after. Shot some whitetails that jumped, but didn't do a lot after until they tipped over.

[SL]

I shot a mountain muley in colorado that barely flinched. Just sniffed the arrow when it stuck in the bank after it passed through. Bedded down and expired shortly after. Shot some whitetails that jumped, but didn't do a lot after until they tipped over.