Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting So, when you lung shoot a deer...

Have shot two doe through the lungs with a 444 Marlin, but both were with 200gr HP reloads. One dropped, the other made it a few yards and keeled. 200gr XTPs are my current favorite in that diameter, especially in the M629 Smiff.

Of the several deer shot through the lungs with the 25-06 and a 100gr bullet, none went anywhere once gravity got the best of 'em. Although one big doe did rare-up and go backwards a bit, before falling over.

Just my meager experiences with lungers.

The one time I did get to shoot again, I JO'd one in the "rear shoulder" and it was not pretty.

BTW, I understand that there are places where you must use dogs to be successful, but apparantly some don't know that, and the holier than thou come out of the woodwork, especially those that have hunted very little and are all warm and fuzzy about such things, and condem about every disapline of hunting imaginable other than their own style that probably works where they hunt and they have never hunted anywhere else. This always gives the anti's ammo IMO.

Well if the dogs are chasing the deer it won't do you any good to sit and wait for him to die..get after him and the dogs..

If no dogs then let him run a bit, give him a little time to die, then track him, lung hits usually give a good blood trail and you can tell lung blood from muscle or gut blood..If you don't have lung blood its time to eat lunch then go find him.

I, personally, would opt for a different caliber like a 30-06 and if you like a lever one of the nice Win. M-95 carbines comes to mind..I have been going to get one myself. I just don't like those old punkin rollers, they kill but they kill way to slow for me, and I have used them quite a bit in the past.

BTW, I understand that there are places where you must use dogs to be successful, but apparantly some don't know that, and the holier than thou come out of the woodwork, especially those that have hunted very little and are all warm and fuzzy about such things, and condem about every disapline of hunting imaginable other than their own style that probably works where they hunt and they have never hunted anywhere else. This always gives the anti's ammo IMO.

The double lung shot is my favorite shot, I prefer it to the heart shot simply because it kills quicker as a rule, especially if you place the bullet close to the heart. A heart shot animal will many times make a mad dash and can cover as much as 200 yards on ocassion..