Do deer jump the sound of the string or the sound of the arrow/broadhead?

[NYbuck50]

to answer your original question, the only way to be sure is to ask a deer

[Early]

Yep ask the first talking deer you find...and you can be sure the bastard will lie!

[jjb4900]

"Jumping the string"...Interesting term. The "jump" is actually a gathering motion in preparation for flight that lowers the deer's body. (Think the "squat before the jump.) This flinching type move by the deer can be caused by the sound of the string/arrow, or the movement of bow/arrow/hunter, or both. Whatever, it can often (I speak from experience) cause a high miss..."Shot right over his damn back!"

Additional comment: Deer are almost always on "high alert"...their lives depend on it!

exactly........

[Doc]

I am reminded of an experiment that I conducted years ago to settle an argument about the possibility that a deer can move out of the way of an arrow. You would be surprised how controversial that theory was among bow hunters. What I did was to prove that humans can "jump the string" and can do it quite effectively.  

 

I set up a large sliding cardboard target that had wire loops at the top that slid easily along a taught horizontal length of stretched wire. One of my sons volunteered to help with this test, so I set it all up with him standing way off to the side, behind a shed (for safety and also to ensure that he had no visual cues). A length of string connected him to the sliding target. I stood back at 20 yards with my tournament equipment and the instruction was that as soon as he heard the sound of the bow being released he was to take off and move as fast as he could. Interesting experiment ....eh?

 

Well guess what. We conducted the experiment 1 dozen times and he consistently moved the target approximately 12" each time. I figured that really wasn't too bad for a human. With sound being the only stimulus, and a slight delay due to a little slack in the string, I thought that was amazing.

 

Now, if you take an animal like a deer with their fly-like reflexes and their super-tuned ears and their skittish personalities, there was no longer any question in my mind about their ability to move significantly away from an arrow. It was quite a few years afterward that I saw the first slo-mo video evidence in Bowhunting October Whitetails that clearly showed a deer dropping down, loading up those legs for a full retreat, and the arrow flying harmlessly over its back. It was not a big surprise to me and my son, but was interesting to see the theory proved using a real deer.

[jjb4900]

even the human eye has the ability to see something coming and causes a reaction before the mind processes what the danger is..........gotta be tenfold with a deer.

[G-Man]

Bowhumting October whitetails has that in slow motion in their video back in the late 80's. Pretty conclusive proof on video. And I agree over 35 deeR don't react to the sound of the shot. Its why long didtance shots are possible at a feeding deer. (Not trying to say they should be done or not) but I almost prefer a longer shot than a 30yard if i have a chance in an open field. Just for that reason.

[josephmrtn]

I am reminded of an experiment that I conducted years ago to settle an argument about the possibility that a deer can move out of the way of an arrow. You would be surprised how controversial that theory was among bow hunters. What I did was to prove that humans can "jump the string" and can do it quite effectively.  

 

I set up a large sliding cardboard target that had wire loops at the top that slid easily along a taught horizontal length of stretched wire. One of my sons volunteered to help with this test, so I set it all up with him standing way off to the side, behind a shed (for safety and also to ensure that he had no visual cues). A length of string connected him to the sliding target. I stood back at 20 yards with my tournament equipment and the instruction was that as soon as he heard the sound of the bow being released he was to take off and move as fast as he could. Interesting experiment ....eh?

 

Well guess what. We conducted the experiment 1 dozen times and he consistently moved the target approximately 12" each time. I figured that really wasn't too bad for a human. With sound being the only stimulus, and a slight delay due to a little slack in the string, I thought that was amazing.

 

Now, if you take an animal like a deer with their fly-like reflexes and their super-tuned ears and their skittish personalities, there was no longer any question in my mind about their ability to move significantly away from an arrow. It was quite a few years afterward that I saw the first slo-mo video evidence in Bowhunting October Whitetails that clearly showed a deer dropping down, loading up those legs for a full retreat, and the arrow flying harmlessly over its back. It was not a big surprise to me and my son, but was interesting to see the theory proved using a real deer.

WOW thats interesting!!!

 

even the human eye has the ability to see something coming and causes a reaction before the mind processes what the danger is..........gotta be tenfold with a deer.

Im sure!!!

[Renegade Hunter]

Arrows make the same noise with field tips. The majority of what you are hearing is the friction of the air passing over the vanes. You can hear it when someone is shooting just down from you at the range. Deer have no idea what the noise is, but if they are on full alert, they will react the same to almost any noise.

 

I have found that with a rage broadhead I hear a more pronounced whistling noise that I dont normally hear with a field tip.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have found that with a rage broadhead I hear a more pronounced whistling noise that I dont normally hear with a field tip.

Ive shot Rage in the past, and its not just them. All broadheads make a little more noise than an arrow just with a field tip. Think about it, more surface area, more air friction, more noise, though it doesnt matter because its so slight. Deer are not reacting to the sound of the arrow IMO, its more the sound of the bow.

Its not that complicated, sound travels much faster than an arrow. At very short distances, the time between the sound and arrow is so short, their reaction isnt fast enough. At medium distances, they hear the bow and their reaction might be quick enough to move out of the way. At longer distances, the sound of the bow isnt loud enough to make them react unless they are already spooked.

The more quiet the bow, the less reaction. I would actually like to see some kind of experiment or stats on deer reactions at different distances with a quiet vertical bow vs a crossbow that shoots the same speed. That would tell the tale.

[Renegade Hunter]

Agreed lol. Just an observation

 

[OnHoPr]

Very interesting concept for debate and exploration in the OP. Jumping the string is a fact in bow hunting. Now the concept of arrow/head noise flight IMO is of deliberate ponderance to the noise coming from the shot to the target as well as bow noise. Bucks are generally not as jittery as wood wise does. They don't have fawns to look after in their lives and can be pretty non chalant within that 50 yard or so range. Like their radar notices things before the 50 yard mark or that is what they are concentrating their alert systems to beyond 50 yards. That would be interesting to see if highly acoustical equipment could be used to test the theory from bow noise to actual arrow flight noise. The best subjects would be does with fawns. There was a difference in sound of the different broadheads. I wonder if different fletching styles would make a difference, or arrow shafts like aluminum or carbon and the coatings or coverings like anodized or wraps. 

[CuseHunter]

Huntography, nice to see you in here as I stumbled across your blog recently because I too have a canon 7d from when I took photography in school and dabbled with weddings. I am inspired to to and film some hunts this year with it or my hand held cam. Just need to make a tree cam mount as I don't have the $150 for a lone wolf mount

[CuseHunter]

Awkward moment when I look at page one to see his post is over 2 years old

[josephmrtn]

He still stops in once in a while... prob will more twards deer season