Can you shoot running deer?

[JFB]

This question came to mind while reading the post about Deer Drives. Among the many problems I have with the way so many drive deer, is the fact that it appears far too many drivers shoot at any deer they see, no matter the size, gender, how fast the deer is running, what brush is in the way, or the direction the deer is running. 

Last month I read about many guys who report they've never wounded a deer in their career yet people speak of just "grazing a few" or "giving them haircuts". Come on, really? What are the real chances your bullet just happens to hit the very edges of a deer? Do you not realize how many of these deer just later die from their wound?

But back to my questions...

1) What is your acceptable percentage of time that when you pull the trigger, you end up standing over a dead deer? For me, I'm human, and make (not take) bad shots at times. But when I pull the trigger I expect and harvest that deer at least 85% and more like 95% of the time. An unseen twig, a misjudged yardage, buck fever... things happen. But what is your actual percentage?

2) More importantly, who here thinks they can shoot running deer and consistently harvest them cleanly? A clean kill is what we're after, right? Not swiss cheese. I see SO many guys just throw lead at deer and report a clean miss and then later claim they are some super sniper and somehow are able to hit 2'x2' vital area that is bouncing up and down at roughly 20mph (with brush and tree's in the way)... all the while being able to look over the deer to be sure it's a deer they want to harvest (other than it being brown). We all see guys shooting at runners... So for those of you who do, how many can say they get a clean kill even 60-70% of the time on runners?

There may be a rare situation where I might think about taking a moving deer... but it's rare if not extinct. And for me, one of the other big reasons not to shoot is because I'm particular of what I want to harvest. If I'm looking for meat, I'm looking for a good sized doe so I need to be able to size it up. If it's a buck, same thing. No way to study your prey when it's sprinting.

So for questions 1) and 2), what about you?

[Bballhunter11]

1. I can say that i shoot at running, standing, walking and laying deer and in the last 2 years every deer that i have had the opportunity to track is dead. I just shot a running doe yesterday with the muzzleloader came running by at 50 yards drew on her and fired and she went another 50 and dropped. I also killed two running deer last year on the same drive, one running one at 10 ft and another at 50 yards. So i agree my percentage is between 85-95 and less would not be acceptable to me.

2. I agree there are many people who just throw lead, you do have to know how to shoot running deer in saying that i do kill running deer there were also some running deer that i had under 60 yards i did not shoot at because i just didnt have the opportunity for a shot that i felt comfortable with in that 10 sec the  deer was in front of me. So i guess my percentage would be very close to 100. The people you see flinging lead at anything would be doing the same in a tree stand. Generalizations are dangerous to us all.

3. As far as what gender, size for muzzleloader i could care less. In regular season doing drives i have always had plenty of time to judge a deer and have let some deer pass and others not but i always knew what i was fireing at with few surprises. If you are using this as an anti drive idea i have killed 10X more standing and walking deer doing drives than i have even seen running.

[JFB]

Impressive and well said Bball. If you are honestly in those high percentages at running deer, I'm impressed. I just haven't witnessed that over the years so I wanted to see how many are out there who can honestly say what you said. My post is not aimed at anti driving, it's more focused on so many who are taking shots they have no business taking. I did some small pushes on Tuesday... for our small group, the agreed rule was no running deer because we did not want to risk a wound nor did we want to harvest a button buck or any of the nice 2.5 yr deer we've passed up. We harvested two doe that we got to stop or to a walk but passed many shots.

Bball, you mentioned the last 2 years... have you been equally efficient prior to that? Also curious how many years you've been hunting? I'm not attacking, just curious.

[Bballhunter11]

im 20 so this would be  my 5th year JFB not by any means a long time but i have alot of people older than me always asking my opinion so i feel i have earned my stripes in that short time. Only mentioned last two years because i couldnt remember the finer details before that right off my head. I know before that that i totally missed plenty of deer also but two years ago is also when i bought my own gun and felt more comfortable with it.

        I agree most should not be taking those shots, 3 of us went hunting tuesday also and killed two doe mine happened to be running by and didnt go far. While another guy with us with a scope shot a doe in thick stuff and ended up gut shooting it, so we had to circle it and shoot it again to kill it so i certainly think you are right most guys do not have the set up or skills to shoot running deer.

[Doc]

you are right most guys do not have the set up or skills to shoot running deer.

I sure don't. I don't practice with moving targets. I'm also aware that the speed of running deer varies, and with the target not only moving from side to side at a fast rate, but also bouncing up and down at the same time. It's not like shooting the ducks at the shooting gallery of a carnival.

I have never felt secure in taking a running shot at deer. How the heck would I ever concentrate on that exact spot on the kill-zone and have any confidence at all that I would actually hit it? I won't say that I could never do it, but it certainly would have a lot larger element of luck than I like to count on. So I simply take that Dirty Harry advice to heart. You know ..... "A man's gotta know his limitations" ..... lol. 

Doc

[bubba]

I habe shot at one running deer in my life.  I was fortunate enough to take him in the boiler room ad maybe 25 feet and he piled up right there with open sites. A nice 6 point.  It was on a drive.  I also had a dmp and the doe he was running with stopped to see what had happened, and I shot her also.  I have to say in all they ears we did drives in the swamp, this was the only time a running shot was presented.  We pushes deer very easliy.  If you takke yor time moving them, they seem to mve in front of you.  That being said, today, I would not attempt the running shot. My eyes are not what they used to be. I am strictly scope now, and I do not thnk I could  I could do as well on arunning shot as I could with open sites, and I have no desire to find out.

[phade]

I've shot at a fair shair of running deer. Some during drives, some while on stand, and some while walking in/out, and other times walking along a hedge row.

The big variable to success for the average shooter is going to be speed of deer, open (and *hopefully* safe) terrain, distance, and angle of run. People think the difficulty of a running deer shot is always going to be hard...not so.

Take for example, the last running deer I shot and was full out running away from me at a very slight angle. It ran past me in the stand, and I pulled the trigger at about 50 yards. It dropped like a box of rocks. The slight angle and relatively short distance made for an easy shot. It required very little lead, almost no swinging through, presents a good vital exposure (quartering away of sorts) etc. I like to think the large majority of hunters with any experience would be able to make such a shot. I've taken quite a few running deer in my years in this type of situation.

I've taken a few where the deer were running perpendicular, and I find that to be much more challenging and I pick my situations before pulling the trigger. I have missed, but in each time, I firmly believed I could make the shot and was not in fear of safety/ethics (confirming beyond target, etc.). I've also watched them do aerobatic moves when I lodge the projectile in the front shoulder/vitals. One deer I shot perfectly at about 35 yards running across from me, presented the lead, and she end over end three times and with the last time, she didn't even move. On the flip side, I've shot at a few deer that were close and clean missed them...no real explanation other than I did something wrond. I once missed a very close deer when I had only one shell in the gun (I can't think why I didn't have more in), and that darn doe stopped at 30 yards and looked back at me like I was stupid. I didn't even bother reaching for another shell, and did the walk of shame home...no excuse for missing that one.

My first deer ever was likely my most impressive shooting experience, and I'll likely never top that. It was trotting at a fair pace before pulling the trigger. Initial shot was a little high/back, but I followed up with a good lead and it paid off. 3 shots total (last one from stand for insurance), 3 hits. Not every chance plays out like that, but I'm only taking that shot if I believe I can make it, and can do it safely and ethically. Some people believe any deer that's not chained to the ground should not be shot...again, that's a personal decision. I doubt I'd have taken that shot now with more experience (I was 17), and would have let patience guide the situation, but at that time of my life, I was also sending my allowance/job money out the window by pulling the trigger several hours each weekend or after school. I doubt I'll ever be in that practice-shape again, and have adjusted accordingly.

Bottom line, only the hunter can safely make their determination...and we must rely on judgement. Be safe, first and foremost, and let your ethics guide you (hopefully you have good ethics!).

I had to pass on three separate does on the last day of the season in 2009 after they cleared my position towards a house. Not a tough call at all...safety first. I could have easily shot two fo the three. The third didn't look like it hit the ground once in the 200 yards it cleared across the field.

[Doewhacker]

We used to do alot of rabbit hunting and I firmly beleive that this practice helps when attempting to shoot running deer. Open sights are a must for me aswell.

[phade]

As teens, we would take old truck tires and make cutouts out of cardboard to fit...then roll them down the hill or across a field for practice.

Rabbits are good practice as well...but then ethics come into play again   Should you shoot at a running rabbit for practice at deer?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have shot at and shot running deer. One observation I will make on it.

I can't count the number of times deer have either stopped at the first shot...or turned and run right at me.

[troutman]

I can't count the number of times deer have either stopped at the first shot...or turned and run right at me.

Similar to a shot, if the deer haven't seen you, you can usually stop running deer with a short quick yell.  They usually won't continue until they have identified what made the noise.  They won't run into potential danger, and by yelling you can confuse them.  This once again only usually works if the deer haven't already identified you.

[fasteddie]

I can't count the number of times deer have either stopped at the first shot...or turned and run right at me.

Similar to a shot, if the deer haven't seen you, you can usually stop running deer with a short quick yell.  They usually won't continue until the have identified what made the noise.  They won't run into potential danger, and by yelling you can confuse them.  This once again only usually works if the deer haven't already identified you.

That works most of the time . I have done it before with a shotgun but not in several years . I douldn't even consider shooting at a runnig deer with a rifle .

[Santamour123]

I do shoot running deer.  If I feel that it is time to pull the trigger 90% of the time I have the deer.  However it is all practice.  I have hunted coyotes with hounds for years.  You do not get a standing shot.  I always hunted with a rifle or 22 mag.  My practice is more than most.  However Yes I do miss now and then.  Due to human error or a branch or such.

[outdoorstom]

I've never shot at a running deer. I wouldn't feel confident of a clean kill, so I don't do it.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Ive shot running deer plenty of times. Now I wont shoot at one running full out, but one trotting across a field, sure. Only one time have I ever shot at a running one and wounded it. I felt terrible and spent two days looking for the deer. It was not a wound that would have killed it and the deer survived. Every other time that it hasnt been a clean miss, the deer went down quickly. I shoot alot of skeet and clays, it is similar with less of a lead.

BTW, Culver is right, alot of the times they will stop and/or turn and run right toward you. I have had both happen many times.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

As a matter of fact I got one running last night....A group of 8....all in line....my lead was a little of and I got the second one in line even though I was aiming at the lead....took me two hours and 4 house roofs to track it though...wait til you guys see this mount...lol. Merry Christmas all

[WNYBuckHunter]

LMAO, that would make it Dasher then, right? Merry Christmas Bob.

[bubba]

ok so both daughters worked last evening, so I watched some vurses here all alone.  The bucks of tecomate had a show from iowa where they were doing deer drives.  Holy crap if we did it that way I would be scared. Shooting over and over at moving and standing still deer. All shotgun territory and they all had their obligatory (free) beretta guns for saying they had beretta guns.  Missing deer at point blank ranges.  it kind of scared me. 

[Brushbuster]

My favorite memory and one of my earliest bucks was a perpendicular running shot - iron sights and close distance helped.

When I hunt in  Jersey we often use buckshot which makes close running shots during drives a no brainer - but always from elevated stands shooting down.