i dont poke it.. I look at its eyes and they are already changing color. If I shoot one.. Its F ' ed up.. No need to poke, kick, stick touch or whatever..

i havent seen a deer yet that was lying on one side with its head down get up and run..how about you guys

I remember seeing on a show once, where the guy, all in one motion, poked him with an arrow and as he was poking him he was on his way down to his knees. If that deer had been alive he would have been screwed.

Sorry for coming accoss as all defensive or whatever mobowhuntr, wasn't intending to, just trying to say that i see why a person would poke.

Neither have i, but there are many things i haven't seen, doesn't mean they don't or can't happen. nothing wrong with trying to prevent getting hurt.

I had a post on this very same thing a while back. I call it the Jackie Bushman courtesy poke. I've killed my share of deer and have yet to walk up on one playing possum. All of the deer that I've perosonally walked up on that were still alive either got up and ran before I got to them or were to close to death to get up. Bottom line is if the deer is still alive you're going to be able to tell long before you get to within poking distants. JMHO

seen a video where the deer jumped up got the hunters 300 mag caught in his antlers and took of running, they did get gun and deer back but i bet that got real interesting fast not knowing to chase or run .A deer is usually dead unless they have their eyes closed or blinking and see if they are breathing. No need to poke when i shoot.

My dad had a moose come awake on him. He didnt poke it, and him and the guide were standing at its feet when it picked its head up. Luckily my dad had his 300 wetherby mag locked and cocked. He put another round in the heart, and was real lucky the nerves didnt cause the legs to start kicking or they'd both been screwed. I always approach a downed animal with caution because of that story. Knife, rifle, bow or hand gun, im ready to fight back. I drop my guard after the poke. With deer its not much of a problem and i dont usually poke, but w/ anything that could really harm me, im careful.

Considering how long it typically takes for me to find my deer I think poking would be a waste of time.

POKE THE DEER! Had an incident several years ago where hunter from neighboring lease contacted game manager on place that I hunted then. Hunter told of huge buck that he had shot and trailed to property line.Manager took hunter and half grown lab that he was training to be a blood dog to find deer. When they found the deer, it was a puny 1.5 yr old basket rack that had been gut-shot and was still on his feet. Hunter took another shot and put deer down, but it was still kicking every once in a while. They put drag rope on deer and started out of woods with guns slung over shoulder. Lab pup would attack deer every time it kicked. Suddenly deer stood up and dog really attacked. Deer took of running in circles on the end of 12 foot rope. Dog was in full attack mode , and hunter hit the eject button leaving my friend to deal with the deer on the end of the rope.He finally got a tree between him and the deer with a wrap on the tree and took up slack till he had the deer snubbed off to the tree. Finished killing deer with knife. POKE THE DEER!

I have never had a problem with deer killed with a bow. I think it's due to to time I wait before I start tracking. Even if I see the deer fall from my stand I wait plenty of time before I go to it.

NOW..... gun hunting is quite another story Last year I shot a nice 8point with my trusty H&R single shot slug gun at about 40yrd slightly quartering toward me. The slug went through the front shoulder, boiler room and out the otherside through mid rib. The deer ran (stumbled) 15-20 feet and fell. I'm thinking....good shot BigJ. Give it about twenty minuets or soand go get him.

I ate a Snicker bar and drank a little water, sat back and basked in the glory of yet another sucessfull hunt. Now mind you, I can just see part of the deer the whole time and he ain't moving one bit! I get down from my stand and start walking to the deer, my trusty H&R in hand and it's single shotchamber reloaded with the potent Winchester Supreme Silver tips. As I get about oh.......two feet from the deerI can see that he is laying on his side with his head toward me looking VERY lifeless.I reach with my gun andpoke him. Just then, he jumps onto his feet!Ijump back startled as all get out and proceed to put another round into him killing him dead on the spot.

I never in a thousand years would have thought that deer was alive.

Moral of the story.....Allways pokeIf I didn't and just knelt down I may have been hurt. For me at least It dosen't hurt to extend out your arm and give a poke as you get to your deer. It only takes a second and it's a pretty surefire way to tell if the deeris dead.