A deer's reaction - Something to think about
- Thread starter Big_Holla
- Start date
Mickey Merrie
Junior Member
The pictures are a deer’s reaction to get away, perhaps due the sound of a bow going off.
Mickey Merrie
Junior Member
Ya I know. I was just foolin about... I actually have had them jump the string, that's why I won't shoot much beyond 20 yards any more.
Bowhunter57
Senior Member
Watching the deer's demeanor as the approach is always a good idea. 
If they're acting all nervous, watching their back trail, etc., it's best to just pass on shooting that deer. 
In any situation, I always shoot when their head is up. That whole "lever action" of them using their head/neck to dodge an arrow is notorious for missed shots or spine hits.
If they're acting all nervous, watching their back trail, etc., it's best to just pass on shooting that deer. In any situation, I always shoot when their head is up. That whole "lever action" of them using their head/neck to dodge an arrow is notorious for missed shots or spine hits.
Mickey Merrie
Junior Member
Coming home from camp this afternoon at just before 1pm a fawn jumped out in front of me. I was going about 40 mph. I barely had time to hit the brakes. She hit left center front bumper and skidded/spun up the road for 50 feet then into a ditch. I pulled over, got out and inspected my damage before going to see if I needed to finish it off. Paint cracks and hair, but little else showing. So I go back to the ditch to see if I need to finish it off. Gone! I look into the woods and it is walking off wagging it's tail like nothing ever happened!! Ah, must be the sibling...Nope there is the other one watching me. They get together and trot off into the woods without a hint of injury to either one!
Deer NEVER cease to amaze me.
Deer NEVER cease to amaze me.
This diagram needs to be studied by more people. I'd say 60% + of our shots (non recoveries) were high.
Another pretty good video on the effects of gravity and reaction to noise. Starts off slow but they get to the study part around 6:00 in.
Very interesting video, Chuck. Seems like the majority of the deer dropping in the videos were high or higher vital shots to begin with. I’ve always leaned towards the lower vitals and most of my shots were under 30 yards.
Bowhunter57
Senior Member
All or 90% of these type of videos mention bow speeds and higher poundage for more bow speed and flatter trajectory. What I feel they're doing a great injustice to the bow hunters is failing to mention that there isn't a bow or crossbow made with will shoot an arrow at or above the speed of sound....1125.8 fps.
I'd rather shoot a slower and much quieter bow, all the while watching the deer's behavior, before taking the shot. Shooting a deer with its' head up, increases the odds in the shooter's favor of the deer not dropping and/or not dropping enough to make a difference. None of the last 3 deer that I've shot with my Elite Ritual 30, reacted/dropped. I always aim for the "vital V" and it seems to work out for me. 
Actually, in this photo another 2" higher and to the left would work too.
I lowered my bow poundage, many years ago, to avoid all the surgeries that I was seeing other guys getting. Then, in recent years, I've increased my arrow weight and FOC, which I don't see me going away from for the amount of penetration I get. Not to mention how quiet my Elite Ritual 30 has become....real close to my ILF recurve. As quiet as my ILF recurve is, my ILF longbow is just ridiculous quiet. My tab is right by my ear, when I release, I can hear the tab "flap" off of the string, over the actual longbow's string noise....which is hardly noticeable.
What I feel they're doing a great injustice to the bow hunters is failing to mention that there isn't a bow or crossbow made with will shoot an arrow at or above the speed of sound....1125.8 fps. I'd rather shoot a slower and much quieter bow, all the while watching the deer's behavior, before taking the shot.
Shooting a deer with its' head up, increases the odds in the shooter's favor of the deer not dropping and/or not dropping enough to make a difference. None of the last 3 deer that I've shot with my Elite Ritual 30, reacted/dropped. I always aim for the "vital V" and it seems to work out for me. Actually, in this photo another 2" higher and to the left would work too. I lowered my bow poundage, many years ago, to avoid all the surgeries that I was seeing other guys getting. Then, in recent years, I've increased my arrow weight and FOC, which I don't see me going away from for the amount of penetration I get. Not to mention how quiet my Elite Ritual 30 has become....real close to my ILF recurve. As quiet as my ILF recurve is, my ILF longbow is just ridiculous quiet.
My tab is right by my ear, when I release, I can hear the tab "flap" off of the string, over the actual longbow's string noise....which is hardly noticeable.
The only hang-up I have on that advice is that, in my humble opinion, it's already asking hunters to have their "starting" aiming point too high. If you're aiming halfway up the deer's body, and the deer reacts to the shot, that arrow is almost certainly going to impact higher than ideal. If you're aiming lower, more like 1/4 up the animal's body and the deer reacts to the shot, the shot should still be fine. I shoot trad equipment and I try to heart shoot every deer I shoot at, expecting a response from the animal. I'm shooting a slower bow at close range, I expect deer to react some. I don't have the body count some trad guys here have because I switched to it recently, but I have only not shot through one deer since I switched. That was the first deer I killed with a recurve and the shot deflected off a branch striking the deer in the base of the neck. Long blood trail, but recovered. Every other deer I have shot with trad equipment, using a heavy arrow and cut on contact filthy sharp head, I have passed through. I impacted nearly all of them higher than I was aiming, striking deer above the heart, so I truly believe deer are reacting at least a little to nearly all of my shots.