Krisken are you hunting in the petting farm again?<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
For me the bottom line is this...I certainly believe that a deer can react faster than my arrow speed (and that's quite near 300fps), even at 15 yards. But if they DON'T KNOW YOUR THERE...they won't. Deer are used to hearing things in the woods...IE winds blowing branches to the ground, falling snow from a Pine tree on a sunny day. etc.The sound of my, properly dampened and silenced, bow will not raise an eyebrow unless they are already on alert.
Last year ( I'm not proud of this<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>) I had three does feeding within 15 yards. I had my 5 arrow quiver laying btw 2 branches just above my head and to the right.I aimed, drew and knocked the quiver to the ground and 2 spooked and ran 5-10 yards and the other just crouched and never moved. Had I taken the shot, the deer would have "Jumped the sting"...Guaranteed, but I didn't. I waited 20 minutes more and they came back to feed totally at ease. I'm certain they were laughing at themselves inside thinking.." only a dead branch falling." Although I only had one arrow to make it count!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Trushot }}------>