Do you Stop deer before you shoot?

[Vince1]

Past two weekends I had a deer in front of me and blew the shots both ranged at twenty yards.

 

Mind you this is only my third season and the first two I hunted with a recurve shooting instinctively and harvested my first deer last year. was a small one but it was cool memory.

 

This year I moved to the compound to try and extend my range past 15 yards and be a bit more accurate. I feel like putting up the compound after this week as I blew two shots on deer. with the recurve I don't stop em. the minute they stopped I saw em and let the arrow fly. course I had the patience to let em get withing 15 yards, if not I wouldn't bother taking the chance. got tired of seein deer at 20 25 and 30 that I just wouldn't shoot.  

 

now with a compound after missing two deer in two weekends im thinking is it me or the bow am I over thinking it? should I attempt to stop the deer or not. at the range I practice out to 40 and both shots on the deer were at under 22 yards.

 

first they drop fast I mean WOW, I know aim low but my issue for these shots is that they never seem to stand still long enough for me to get on target (well these two) before I let my arrow fly.

 

watching you tube vids you see the guys stop em but with the recurve I didn't need to and since I didn't want to spook em I just waited like I would a recurve but my instinct vs there's is faster than my trying to hold steady.

 

appreciate the help.

 

 

[Five Seasons]

I tried once many years ago and it spooked the deer. If I just waited the slow moving deer would have given me a shot. Too much tv watching I think. I'd only try if it was my only hope

[BizCT]

I've stopped many deer, antelope, mule deer, fox, coyote, etc. for deer it's a "mehp" to stop them from running or trotting and then I shoot. A fox or coyote it's a quick "roof" high pitch.

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[grampy]

I will only stop them with a soft meeee, if they are moving faster than a normal walk. A normal walk at 20 yards is slow enough to hit the target. Of course if they are walking and stopping I'd rather have them stationary, and will wait for them to stop on their own.

[Nomad]

I don't think I've ever shot a moving deer with my compound. I draw, follow and if they don't stop i BAAA. Seems to stop most of them.

Many a time in my neighborhood I'll drive by deer stop and Baa out the window at them,

In fact if I were to do it right now my Beagle would jump off my lap and look out the window for the deer as he's seen my do to so much.

[turkeyfeathers]

Typically the deer stop after I shoot

[jjb4900]

I always try to stop them with a sound..if they run?....oh well, I'd rather no shot then a bad shot at a moving target.

[G-Man]

Depends if I can lead them, stopping a deer puts it in alert... at 18 to 22 yards they will duck your arrow ... can drop a body size in 1 /10 of a second

[Vince1]

I draw, follow and if they don't stop i BAAA. Seems to stop most of them.

 

 

 

That's what  I did this weekend. last week I THINK he was still moving but slowly but man I think I replayed it to many times in my head cause im just not sure anymore.

 

but this weekend I was at my anchor and following him till he stopped put the pin behind his shoulder and waited the split second for my sight to settle and watched as in that fraction of a second the view behind my arrow shifted from the bone of his shoulder.

 

what can you do, next week I think I will just stop em.

 

ive been spot on with locations these last two weekends. praying my luck holds out.

[Nomad]

The issue I've had a time or two is not taking a split second after they stop , to make sure my pin is where I want it to be. While following it as it moves it easy to be off target a bit, when it stops take the half second to make sure your pin has caught up and where it needs to be .

Well after rereading you did that. It's a hard game we're playing , to my thinking you're doing it right don't sweat it to much , you'll score.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Larry302

[Mike127]

Really depends on a lot of factors but if the deer is 20 yds+ I always try to stop them.

[Trial153]

Yes I stop them ...no issues at all. A quick whistle or mehp ..

[Buckmaster7600]

If they are running yes I stop them or at least try. If they are just walking I will shoot them, I would rather shoot an oblivious walking deer than an alert stopped deer.

[dbHunterNY]

sometimes you have to make noise to stop them, but they tense up and much of the time know something's up.  much of the time I use a scent wick or pocket size spray bottle and at times something in the trail that's not natural like the bottle itself if it's not deep in with little human presence like larry said it's important to take that last second or portion thereof to settle into a point of aim and follow through.  that's what I do.

[moog5050]

I will stop deer before shooting with a bow.  Its usually a soft meh, when I am already drawn and ready to shoot (don't want extra movement once I alert the deer).  Once the deer stops at the sound, I confirm that I am settled where I want and release.  I have never released at a moving deer with a bow.

[Larry]

bow I try to stop them gun if they are walking or even trotting i'll just shoot. a walking deer is moving about 3mph a trotting deer is going 6 to 10mph. on a walking deer a gun at say 50yds I don't even lead them the bullet out of my 444 is moving at 2300fps it will take less than .008 sec. to get there no lead is needed

[ApexerER]

I have never tried to stop a deer. I have never had the need too. They always seem to stop for me at a time when I can release an arrow or pull the trigger. I would try it if I had to but that hasn't happened yet....

[ATbuckhunter]

Usually ill draw when the deer is moving but ill make a bleat to stop the deer. Usually they stop on a dime but sometimes they don't care about it. 

[Hookhunter20]

Depending on the situation I've done both. I prefer to shoot while on a slow relaxed walk or a natural stop but sometimes you have no choice. It's a judgement call as many people said. If you do stop them you have a small window to play with and 9/10 I've had them drop on the shot.

[BigVal]

I stop them if they're moving at all

[Doc]

I always wonder if making noises and alerting them and drawing attention to myself and putting them into a spring loaded condition is really what I want to do. So, I have never tried it. It just seems so foreign to everything that I have ever learned about hunting. I know ..... I have seen it on TV. But I also have to wonder how many deer have they not shown that simply bolted out of the situation without ever offering a shot.

[Buckmaster7600]

I always wonder if making noises and alerting them and drawing attention to myself and putting them into a spring loaded condition is really what I want to do. So, I have never tried it. It just seems so foreign to everything that I have ever learned about hunting. I know ..... I have seen it on TV. But I also have to wonder how many deer have they not shown that simply bolted out of the situation without ever offering a shot.

I can't say that I'm worried about them bolting but I have never seen a relaxed deer jump string. That's why I only try to stop them if they are running.