A small expansion on the posts by Trushot_archer and logs:

If a deer is 20 yards away (and, of course, they can be closer) and your bow shoots 300fps (like Trushot_archer's), the arrow will take approximately .2 of a second to get there. The sound of releasing the arrow only takes about .0545 seconds to travel the distance at 1100 ft per second. That leaves a reaction time of .2 - .0545 = .145 sec.

That's .145 of a second to BEGIN the reaction necessary to jump the string, not to actually get out of the way. Even if the deer has its muscles ready but is standing in a normal straight-legged position, it must rely, in part, on gravity to help it flex its legs so that a jump is possible. Knobby's post demonstrates some support for this.

Well, my bow only shoots 250 fps, so I'd be giving that deer an additonal 4/100 of a second to get its stot together.

Yes, deer can do what we commmonly refer to as 'jump the string'. It is important to be as close as possible and to choose shots when deer are at their most relaxed. If you take a shot that allows a significant movement by the deer before the arrow arrives, you WILL miss or, worse, wound it (cods pointed this out).

But I wholehweartedly agree with wolfen68; I think 'he jumped the string' is waaayy overused as a reason to explain poor shots.

Oh ya, I recall seeing a video of this very phenomenon on some hunting show one time. The deer did totally jump the string. But the arrow trajectory was like a dang rainbow. Either the shot that was taken was an enormous distance away or the arrow speed was pretty much like someone had thrown it instead of shot it.

Edited by - Canuck_2 on 02/07/2003 15:41:25

I agree with what you guys are saying....the excuse is way overused. Alot of folks don't want to admit they made a bad shot, but we all do at one time or another. However, deer can and do react to the sound of the shot. Do they always?.....nope. In fact, I've rarely seen it personally, but it does happen. Can they duck far enough, fast enough to avoid the shot completely???? Maybe...if it's a longer shot, a slower bow, and they are alert when you take the shot. At close range, it's definitely not a problem. I think it really only comes into play at longer ranges. More often than not, they will squat some, but still be hit. Like I said before...if you look at all the circumstances surrounding your shot opportunity, you should be able to make the shot count, even if the deer does jump the string.

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Krisken,

That's about the cleverest thing I've heard!

Arrow drop is roughly 1/2 g t squared.

So if you double the distance you have to quadruple the drop.

beprepn

Let's check the formula. 1/2 * 32 feet/sec squared * 30/237 * 30/237 = .256 feet = 3.1 inches. Hmmm, pretty close...I guess the fishing line adds some mass that needs to be accounted for???

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Let's check the formula. 1/2 * 32 feet/sec squared * 30/237 * 30/237 = .256 feet = 3.1 inches. Hmmm, pretty close...I guess the fishing line adds some mass that needs to be accounted for???
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

I have no clue how I ever hit a deer now! And, I am almost afraid to shoot at another one.

I think someone already mentioned something that I pay very close attention to....is the deer wired, excited, nervous?

NRA,UBP,BASS Member
New Stanton,PA

i don't think jumping the string is the issue.it's ducking the string that is.by the time that deer heres the noise and starts to duck that arrow is on its way. And once he gets his feet under him that arrow will hit high or go over then the deer jumps.so if you shoot low you plain just missed.There is another angle here that has happened to me deer just don't duck they turn at the same time 20 years ago i shot at a dor quartering away from me 7 YARDS this deer ducked and at the same time turned away from the noise i seen the arrow miss 235fps i seen it they can do it.There also are the unexplain entry and exit holes when your shooting down from a treestand one would think the hole on the side you shot would be higher than the exit hole. I have seen the opposite because the deer was ducking and turning away from the sound by turning i have seen deer almost laying on there side to get away from the noise

you can use your pepper spray my 12 gauge with 3 inch slugs works fine

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