What the hell went wrong?

[Ben Long]

I hate wounding loss and am pretty conservative with my shooting to avoid it. I had a bad hit this November I am still trying to make sense of. Wondering if you've had similar experience:
I was still hunting whitetails in a logged forest. I was sitting on a stump, rattling antlers. A mature buck came in and stood broadside at perhaps 100 yards, somewhat downhill but not a steep slope. It felt like a chip shot with elbows on my knees, crosshairs on the kill zone. I exhaled for the shot -- and damnit my breath fogged my glasses. I tossed them aside, resumed my aim and fired.
I was not surprised when the buck dropped like struck by Thor's hammer. "That's a dead deer," I thought. I didn't even cycle a round, just watched what I thought were a few death kicks through the scope.
To my dismay, the buck rolled over, rose to his feet and bounded away. I mean bounded, no problem moving at all. Long story short, two of us (both experienced trackers) searched for four hours. There was no snow and the ground was frozen. I found the spot where he hit the ground and two running tracks where he scraped the duff. That's it. Never saw the buck again. Neither of us found any sign of birds or other scavengers in that area over the rest of the season.

So what the hell happened? Rifle was a 308. Bullets were copper Barnes TXSS 165 grain. Scope was sighted 2 inches high at 100.
I'm trying to learn my lesson here. My guess is between operator error, the slope and the point of impact, I hit high, stunned his spine, but he shook it off and I did no more damage. Anyone experienced anything like this?

Another lesson: Send another round. And be quick about it.

 

[Southern Elk]

I think you’re right. High hit that didn’t break the spine, just stunned him.

 

[Addicting]

My guess is between operator error, the slope and the point of impact, I hit high, stunned his spine, but he shook it off and I did no more damage.

That has been my experience as well, especially with monos.

 

[recon6036]

I was with a friend when he shot a cow elk. What I observed, is extremely similar to what you described.
I also feel the shot was between the spine and vitals, which stunned the elk.

 

[Forkyfinder]

In between spine and vitals? Maybe didn't hit enough to expand/cause much damage.

 

[buckbull]

Agree with others, high hit.

 

[BuzzH]

I've seen that exact thing happen, high hit, momentarily down.

I don't like it when an animal drops on the spot like that...when it happens I'm ready to shoot again.

 

[Gellar]

I agree with all of the statements above. I’ve had it happen with muzzleloader and slugs.

 

[grizzly63]

I shot a deer a litle over a week ago. Crack, down he went. I kept my eye on the spot as I cycled another round and sat there for a couple of minutes in case he got back up. He had dropped behind some taller brush so I could not see him. After a few minutes, I gathered the minimal items I would need and proceeded directly too him. At about 15 yds, his head came up. I centered on his neck and put another one in him. I had failed to lower the power on the scope. At the shot he lunged forward about five yds and went down again. I put another one in his neck. This spurred him to stand up again and start making some progress. His speed was picking up rapidly and it was a " i better hit him right or he's gone thing". This one was centered on the rib cage and down he went, all the air escaping his lungs. Upon cleaning him, the first shot clipped the top of the spine above the shoulders but did not destroy the spinal cord. One of the neck shots sliced the bottom of the neck open, opening up the airway but not hitting the jugulars. God knows where the other neck shot went. I hate shooting the heck out of them, but not as much as losing one.

 

[B&CTom]

Similar thing happened to me this fall, in that I hit a bit higher than I wanted, and I saw what I thought was the buck drop in my scope. Just like a spine shot. I walked down there, and there he was. Cleaned him out, and saw I took the very top of the lungs off. Never hit any bone. Another 1/2” or so, and I believe I would have had the same result you did.

 

[CUElk]

I hate wounding loss and am pretty conservative with my shooting to avoid it. I had a bad hit this November I am still trying to make sense of. Wondering if you've had similar experience:
I was still hunting whitetails in a logged forest. I was sitting on a stump, rattling antlers. A mature buck came in and stood broadside at perhaps 100 yards, somewhat downhill but not a steep slope. It felt like a chip shot with elbows on my knees, crosshairs on the kill zone. I exhaled for the shot -- and damnit my breath fogged my glasses. I tossed them aside, resumed my aim and fired.
I was not surprised when the buck dropped like struck by Thor's hammer. "That's a dead deer," I thought. I didn't even cycle a round, just watched what I thought were a few death kicks through the scope.
To my dismay, the buck rolled over, rose to his feet and bounded away. I mean bounded, no problem moving at all. Long story short, two of us (both experienced trackers) searched for four hours. There was no snow and the ground was frozen. I found the spot where he hit the ground and two running tracks where he scraped the duff. That's it. Never saw the buck again. Neither of us found any sign of birds or other scavengers in that area over the rest of the season.

So what the hell happened? Rifle was a 308. Bullets were copper Barnes TXSS 165 grain. Scope was sighted 2 inches high at 100.
I'm trying to learn my lesson here. My guess is between operator error, the slope and the point of impact, I hit high, stunned his spine, but he shook it off and I did no more damage. Anyone experienced anything like this?

Another lesson: Send another round. And be quick about it.

You probably hit high on the shoulder. I did the exact same thing about 5 years ago. Above the spine, no bone damage, just muscle. Good news, buck lived. Had a nice scar. We got pics of him for 2 years until he vanished.

 

[Ben Long]

Also I had to spend an hour looking for my glasses. I finally found them by stepping on them and destroying a $400 pair of specs. Bad day overall.

 

[QuazyQuinton]

Upon cleaning him, the first shot clipped the top of the spine above the shoulders but did not destroy the spinal cord.

This seems most likely to me. Animals sometimes go down and just aren't that motivated to get back up right away, perhaps until you come into view.

As for the bullet passing between the vitals and the spine, it's physically impossible. The lungs are literally suctioned to the contour of the spine in the chest cavity.

OP, you didn't mention, did you find any blood?

QQ

 

[44hunter45]

@Ben Long I went through this a couple years ago on an elk cow. It scars your soul.

Lessons:
1) No more neck shots
2) Always send another, ammo is still cheaper than losing an animal.

 

[jwatts]

100% sounds like a high shoulder shot. We call them "back whacks". Look at this cutaway diagram of a deer. The spine dips low just above the shoulder, making it very easy to shoot over the spine and shock the system. Think of it like hitting your funny bone. Your arm just ain't gonna work momentarily. Sensation comes back slowly, and the deer is gone. One thing to look for on a back whack is the deer's tail. It will often twitch a lot, even when the deer appears dead. I cannot tell you how many of these I have turned my dog out on to track having the exact description of the shot and the deer's reaction. I have found a total of 3 of them. Each of those ended up being shot in the hindquarter, but exhibiting signs of a back whack.

 

[B&CTom]

Thanks for bringing this up, Ben, and QuazyQuinton & j watts for learning us all a thing or two. Never too far along to learn new things!

 

[jwatts]

Below is an example of this shot. This wound was about a week old. The deer was killed by another hunter while chasing a doe.

 

[Ben Long]

This seems most likely to me. Animals sometimes go down and just aren't that motivated to get back up right away, perhaps until you come into view.

As for the bullet passing between the vitals and the spine, it's physically impossible. The lungs are literally suctioned to the contour of the spine in the chest cavity.

OP, you didn't mention, did you find any blood?

QQ

Not a drop of blood. Not even clipped hair.

 

[jwatts]

Another example. The hunter shot this one not once, but twice above the spine (top, right spot in the upper photo). The deer was chasing a doe. He dropped it. 15min later the deer got up, so he dropped it again. As he was getting out of the stand the deer got up and ran off. In a strange stroke of luck (for the hunter, not the deer), the deer jumped and dislocated it's back leg while we we tracking it. We came up on it alive and dispatched it (the bullet hole in the shoulder) before we saw what actually happened to the deer.

 

[Straight Arrow]

One early Thanksgiving morning a nice four by four muley was encountered high up in the drainage. One shot and down he went, appearing done for. Gathered my gear and started up to dress him out, as much to my surprise he jumped up and took off across the ridge. I tracked blood drops over into the next drainage, even passing up on a buck rutting after does, then upon seeing blood drops realizing it was him! Followed him for four miles before getting a killing shot. Hiked five miles back to my pickup, drove back on country road to where I had dragged him down. It was dark when arriving home and missing turkey dinner time, my wife asked where the heck I'd been all day. I responded, "Don't even ask!"