Had a new experience a couple of days ago. I needed more meat in the freezer and the bucks weren't cooperating so I shot a doe. I was using a 6.5 Grendel and aimed for the neck just in front of the shoulders. Instead, the bullet hit halfway between the shoulders and the head and obviously cut the jugular. The deer's reaction surprised me. It hit the ground and spun in two complete circles on its side while bleeding out. Took about 3 minutes or so to die.

Here's the question. If I only damaged the circulatory system, why didn't it run until bleeding out? If I also damaged the CNS so that it couldn't run away, how was it able to keep running in place on its side after hitting the ground and spin in circles?

After hunting for over 60 years, I still run into different reactions from these creatures. This is a new one to me. Anyone else experience something similar?

Different parts of the spine affect different parts of the body.

You didn't sever the spinal cord but were close enough to impact it. Years ago, I shot a spike buck in the neck with my .50 Hawken. Apparently missed the spine but cut the jugular vein. The deer went a couple hundred yards leaving a blood trail that Stevie Wonder could follow. Another time, I killed a doe that another hunter had shot through the jaw. She was standing broadside so I took the neck shot; she went right down but her head kept flopping. I had to shoot her a second time -- in the chest.

The physical shock from a moderately fast bullet expending in very close proximity to the spine "stunned" the central nervous system enough to disrupt and signals getting from her brain to her body. Ever play football and get a "stinger" in your shoulder? No permanent damage, but you can't move your arm for several minutes.

That artery sits right next to the spine. When you cut the artery the shot was close enough to the spine to shock the deer as if the spine was hit. An inch higher and that deer wouldn't have moved after hitting the ground.

Deer just act differently.
I've had em turn and run like the wind with
red pudding for heart and lungs after I shot em.
Shot em with arrows and they would just shudder
and start grazing with a red gusher out the sides
until they just toppled over empty.
They do whatever they want to do whenever they
get ready to.

As long as it was rendered to freezer bags,
I wouldn't give it a millisecond's worth of
thought. IMO we try to overthink everything
involved with killing a whitetail deer.
They're just an animal, just like any other,
only especially tasty.

Good Luck

Years ago I shot a buck and got a similar reaction. He was standing behind a big oak tree and some brush. All I could see in the clear was his upper neck and head. Shot him under the earhole with a 35 Whelen. He hit the ground and his legs were running for a few seconds. He wallowed out a big circle in the leaves and broke one of his antlers off. I was surprised he moved at all where he was shot.

Yup, I broke the neck on one at about 50 yards and it’s back legs were kicking when I got up to it. I asked an MD about how that was possible and was told that a body doesn’t all die at the same instant.

I've always called it the Curly shuffle.

That is why I usually shoot for center of the chest.

Perfect description of what she did!

I seen so many different reactions to differrent shots that little surprises me anymore. I was just curious about the disconnect between damaging the CNS but it still working to the point that, if she'd stayed upright, I'd have had a long blood trail to follow.

Thanks for the input, guys!

Good thing to get that meat. I got track soup this year! Be well Brother Hook. RZ.