Canuck_2

If I read this carefully enough, I believe there is only one slight reference to a factor that seems to be overlooked. Siskyou mentions the speed of light - in other words, could it not be that at least some deer being observed are reacting to movement by the hunter releasing the arrow rather than to sound. This would give the deer somewhat more available reaction time.

Beyond that, the more I read, the more itchy I became to do some calculations. I was glad to see Straightarrow supply them instead.

I realize there is a lot of experience and observation here, but contradictory in many cases. It's really easy to inadvertently make your observations fit your preconceived conclusions, which is an affliction that taints all kinds of events - not just whether a deer can duck an arrow.

The figures that Straightarrow quotes can't be dismissed without also dismissing the laws of physics. In order to accelerate, a deer must gather its muscles so they can be used to push it away from its standing position. To do this, it must first flex the legs by dropping a certain amount, then contracting the muscles in a leap. The first stage is totally controlled by the law of gravity and the acceleration caused by that is 100% predictable.

An arrow shot at 240 fps will take about .06 of a second to travel 5 yards. A deer can jump completely out of the way under those circumstances?? I may have been born at night, but it wasn't LAST night. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>