As this is a thread on hydrostatic shock I will finally post my thoughts on the topic. Yes I derail, mixture of ADD and too many concussions I guess.
I don't now whether to call it Hydrostatic shock or not and I'm afraid t throw other terms out there. It may not be the right term, But the shock or wave that runs through the animal when the bullet strikes in my humble opinion does help. I've had the breath knocked out of me to the point doing anything at the time was out of the question. Plus had enough concussions that I've been to the wrong huddle once or twice. Something like that can aid in incapacitating or immobilizing briefly and give the animal time to bleed out before it runs far, or at all.
I primarily shoot high shoulder, neck to opposite shoulder, sometimes mid shoulder. High shoulder that shock drives through that shoulder bone and into the spinal column. Of course the bullet keeps going. Bone turns to shrapnel and physical damage can occur. Either way the deer immediately falls, takes a nap, and doesn't wake up. It gives the time to bleed out.
With mid shoulder shots I like to break bone. This increases the shock value and slows the deer down. Plowing is good. Meanwhile the heart and lungs are destroyed by bone fragments and the bullet damage itself. An animal does not go very far plowing with vital organ damage.
While I don't think that shock necessarily is what kills, though it can, regardless of what that shock is called. It can incapacitate long enough to let the bullet do its job. It's an important part of the equation.
I'm no physicist. Just my humble opinion after years of observation and lots of samples. As always, I could be completely wrong!
