If you hunt thick woods like I do you only have so many opportunities. Half the people who say dont stop them, theyll stop on their own, are the guys who can sit on the edge of a field and have them walk in the wide open. My woods you dont have that luxury, so when they come into a shooting LANE you need to stop them. Otherwise you might not be offered another shot.

Guys it is all about the body language, obviusly you would'nt maaa at him if he wasacting spooky but if he is just casually walking a trail and it looks like he might not stop a soft little maa would suffice just fine, if he's hauling assafter a doe during the rut do whatever you can whistle whatever to get a shot, odds are you might not ever see him again. you have to be able to judge body language.

I peffer not to stop them as well. I hunt in the thick woods up here and every once in a while I will let a small whistle out of me to get his attention. If it surprises him he will stop for a quick shot, if not he will keep on moving anyways..

X2 No way!! If I can't stop'em I'll spook'em trying if it comes to that[8D]

In Bowhunting Never and Always are words that Rarely exist.

Do I Always have to stop a deer for a shot? No!

Do I Never attempt to stop a Deer for fear of spooking it? No!

Bowhunters need to learn to be flexible, to be effecient in most situations.

Dan

To each his own opinion. Im not talking about a deer running balls to the wall like its being chased obviously, just a casual walk. Really its no different than the guys you watch on tv shooting a walking elk its just a smaller target. Regardless of the target size you have to be confident in your shooting abilities. There are alot of variables with shooting a deer thats walking but theres just as many as one thats feeding. The only shot that you can guarantee the deer wont duck/jump/spin or any other way affect your shot is to either 1) shoot it while its bedded or 2) hope for one the big boys thats lived even though hes blind and deaf.
Im not saying I never try to stop a deer thats walking, thats not the case. Isometimes attempt to stop themwith a soft doe grunt. Statistically my shots are at deer that are standing still. Of the 7 or 8 does I took this year only one was walking. I just placed my stand in the only oak along a thick hillside of pines and generally you get enough opportunities for a shot. We all know our personallimitations and I by no means tiptoe the line. If I have any doubt what-so-ever than I just dont shoot.

Many people feel completely comfortable shooting a walking deer with shotguns. Heres some figures. At 20 yds (comfortable forbowhunters)an arrow moving at 300 fps will hit the deer in 0.2 seconds. At 75 yds
(a comfortable range for many hunters) a shotgun slug moving 1000 fps will hit the deer in 0.225 seconds. At a walking deer the projectile reaches the deer with my bow in my comfort zone around the same as with a shotgun. My bow is just a tad quieter than my 12guage though. FPS isnt exact but around the same ballpark

And a deer walking at3 mphwill move 10.5" in the .2 seconds it takes for that arrow to make impact on thetarget.. Personally thats way to much movement for me..

wow 10.5" is alot no wonder all them guys on tv hit them far back when there walking

I haven't stopped a deer yet. I've shot a good share of deer walking with positive results.

Best answer so far ... I have had bucks coming at a steady pace ... and I am not talking slow ... the only way I got the shot was to make some sort of noise ....other times was just a waiting game ... Like Dan said, you need to be flexible ..