Only one personal experience with VLD's.

On a quartering away shot the 140gr VLD knocked a bull right off his feet.
My spotter uttered something unprintable followed by, "He's back up".
After a several hour rodeo I killed him with a VLD on another quartering away shot (a little less angled/more broadside).
After removing the hide we found a large bruise where the first bullet had skipped off the ribs.