aiming style......

[growalot]

So what style do you use when targeting a deer? ie...deer are moving toward or away from you...Do you pick up deer in sights and follow until you get an opening and shoot......... or seeing the deer and direction, calculate direction aim in that best opening and wait for deer to enter and shoot?

I personally...when deer are moving and I see them in advance will follow a line of sight and aim into an opening and wait for them to enter...this gives me time to "settle" .getting "steady" in both rest and mind... I have best success with that...then again I use bead sights...so I suppose it would make a difference....always prefer the looking up and there they are posing broad side like a statue shots though....lol

[irish_redneck]

If the deer is calm and not alert , I'll aim at deer and wait for opportunity (most common). If deer is running, I'll aim at an opening and time my shot for placement of vitals in said opening.

I'm trying to train myself to keep both eyes open, really helps in the latter case.

[Doc]

Usually, if the deer is running, I wait until he stops or slows almost to a stop. If he keeps on running, I just let him go. I'm not a big fan of running shots. If they are walking, I will look ahead for the nearest opening and find him in the scope there.

[zoschag08]

If they're running I'll look for the nearest opening and wait. If they're walking I'll swing with the deer until a good shot presents itself.

[wooly]

No running shots for me either.

If a deer is on a slow walk I'll follow along with the gun up and both eyes on the deer. When I see him about to step into a shooting lane or opening in the timber, I'll drop my cheek on the stock, acquire my target(both eyes still open), and try to stop him with a "mahhh". The rest is usually history. At no point do I ever lose sight of the deer by squinting or having my crosshairs "lose him" behind a tree or brush.

[JFB]

Add me to the no shots at running deer list.

Not trying to ruffle feathers or start a thing, but to try and time a bounding deer to any size opening is difficult itself. To then try and place a shot in the vitals at the moment the running deer is in the opening is low percentage. Not to mention the potential increased danger of trying to accomplish all that, and at the same time knowing your backdrop, etc.

Deer often stop on their own and you can also do things to get them to stop. If they don't stop, I don't shoot because I've just seen too many dangerous examples of what can happen. The other thing to mention is that if by chance the deer is running because you spooked it, it's probably running fairly straight away from you and that rarely offers you a sporting shot. A wounded deer or bullet that ruins meat just isn't worth it in my opinion.

[TreeGuy]

Both eyes always open. I keep the sights on them from the get go- when its time or clear, i shoot, i will take a reasonable running shot, reasonable means to me, within 60ish yards and a wide open shooting area, and the deer is broadside. Lots of practice in the off season/ clay birds/ crow hunting etc. Ive done it countless times with no issues. With the scope i wont do a running shot, even with both eyes open it is too difficult to maintain sight on deer and perfect scope picture. As far as scoped, i use more of the find a hole and wait tactic.

[growalot]

I'm glad the running deer issue was brought up and happy for the consensus I'm seeing...that said........

I did say moving deer..not running....just to clarify

[irish_redneck]

Probably more accurate wording and not running away, more following a hot doe, or trying to sneak along a ridge/hegerow

[arrow nocker]

both eyes open.I never shoot or even pull any thing up to aim with out both eyes open.Even a scoped weapon.If its a walking deer i put my sight on the target.i aim at the point of impact untill i have my shot.While my eyes are both open.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I find an opening, get the gun pointed at it and wait to put my head down on the gun until just before the deer gets there. If its an open field, then i put the deer in the scope and follow until it stops or slows way down.