Do they run up hill or down hill?

[the blur]

After being shot, in your experience, do deer run up hill, or down hill ?

 

I'm curious.

[ATbuckhunter]

I have always heard down hill but i also hear that they will run up hill sometimes. When an animal is wounded they don't always follow the norm.

[TeeBugg]

Ive noticed they run whereve. Ive seen uphill, downhill, back the way they came, right at me etc...they dont always follow the script to run to the back of the truck lol

[jjb4900]

in my experience, on a real good fatal shot, they just usually make a mad dash without giving it much thought until they just crash.........on other hits that they have some time to get their wits back, but are hurt bad, they will head downhill.

[NFA-ADK]

They run away...  Instinct takes over and usually if hit hard the path of least resistance is down...  That being said many times you will see them run uphill usually away from a gun or bow shot.  And when shot I don't think they care what way as long at it is away... 

 

If you are tracking a wounded deer and it goes uphill it could be a sign it was a flesh or non vital wound.  Otherwise deer hit hard and surviving tend to go down hill towards water sources and or thick cover.  Good luck!

[Paula]

The first deer I shot she ran down then up a ravine and closer to the truck

[bluecoupe]

No different than when they aren't shot. You never know what they'll do until they do it. And most times they'll leave you shaking your head.  Just like women - forget trying to figure them out.

 

Edit: My apologies to the Ladies, but you know it's true.

Edited October 22, 2013 by SteveC

[DROpTINE]

My dad taught me that deer tend to run downhill if shot towards the front of there body and uphill if towards the rear.

We've had 2 wounded deer over the past 15 years at my property. One buck was shot in the neck with an '06 and went downhill. Came back up the next day over a few hundred yds. Same guy who shot him finished the job. The second was a doe shot towards the hind and ran uphill. We jumped her 2x kept going higher . It was not a fatal hit. She was taken the next year, healed fine.

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[woodchuck]

I was standing at the top of a hill when 2 doe walked by. shot the lead doe. she tried to run uphill but fell over backwards and died. before that I thought they would run downhill when wounded because its easier

[rotorooter23]

generallly down hill.

[JFB]

Two more things to consider... I believe that if it's not an immediate fatal hit such as a double lung, their instinct sends them to bedding area's and where they feel secure. Over the years there have been a couple of deer on a property I hunt and typically they end up in two bedding area's. One of them is up a fairly steep hill and even single lung hit deer have not thought twice about going up the hill to get to their sanctuary.

 

I also believe there is truth to some wounded deer seeking out water such as ponds or swamps.

[Waldershrek]

Ive noticed they run whereve. Ive seen uphill, downhill, back the way they came, right at me etc...they dont always follow the script to run to the back of the truck lol

 

This is pretty much my experience also.

[beachpeaz]

they don't run!  My deer fall down

[DROpTINE]

The buck I mentioned before had a hole trough the neck. You could see through the other side. When he was shot the following day the hole was packed with ice on both sides. The buck was spotted at one point with his neck in wet snow. They're smart.

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[bubba]

What if you are hunting flat ground?  In my experience as they lose blood and fluid volume, they tend to run toward water to replace lost fluids.  I have shot deer on ridges, and they ran down hill off the ridge.  I guess it just depends on the deer.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Ive had them do both. Generally, Ive noticed they try to make it to thick cover.

[mmkay]

with a bow they run anywhere...usally thick stuff

 

with a gun (12 ga w/ lighfiield slugs) they just drop in their tracks...on a rare occasion they might go 10 yards...But I mostly only take close shots (within 50yrds)

Edited October 23, 2013 by mmkay

[nys-buckstalker]

Ive had them do both. Generally, Ive noticed they generally try to make it to thick cover.

About the same here. They head for the thick stuff, be it down hill or up hill.

[aqua750]

Ive had them do both. Generally, Ive noticed they try to make it to thick cover.

 

I have  been very lucky that ive only had a couple of hit deer  wiith a rifle  travel any  real distance, uphill or down hill  Ive always found that  they  ALWAYS head for the nearest  Im getting the hell outa  here trail no exceptions

 

[Doc]

I haven't found any consistent  rule regarding escape. I think their first thought is just to get the heck out of there. I would say that a majority of the time they turn and go back in the direction of where they came from. But even that I have seen exceptions to. As far as uphill or down, I have seen them do either. I tracked a wounded deer across the valley once. He started out going down hill, hit the valley floor and walked on level ground, got to other side and went straight up the hill. Uphill .... downhill .... across the hill .... on the flat ..... that one didn't seem to have any real preference.

[the blur]

My deer was a bang flop.  .243   Just fell over.  Done.  

He was flailing around on the ground, so I took 3 more shots just so he never got up again.   Especially after reading all the horror stories, I was not about to go tracking a deer.

 

I walk over,  finally find him, after I walked past him 3 times.  The brown blends in so well.    Only 1 entry and EXIT wound.  My 3 follow up shots missed.  My hands were shaking, my heart pounding.   At least the .243 did it's job.  The exit wound was 3 inches.  

 

I'm glad I put in range time.  I was concerned about 100gr ammo, and nothing special ammo.  No partitions, just cheap basic ammo, but I liked the grouping at 100 yards.  So I went with it.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

They pretty much just run lol. After being shot im sure direction is the last things on their mind lol.

[Five Seasons]

Both. There is no "tell" and that includes the myth that they seek water.

[Kludes]

Yea last one I shot ran uphill 45 yards and died outta site

[azhuntress]

No different than when they aren't shot. You never know what they'll do until they do it. And most times they'll leave you shaking your head.  Just like women - forget trying to figure them out.

 

Edit: My apologies to the Ladies, but you know it's true.

LOL!