[align=left]I don't like to and rarely doI ever shoot at running deer, but yesterday I did and missed. I took the shot (4 of them to be exact)only because the buck was previously wounded byanother hunter and my Dad and I had picked up its trail,and itwas running broadside accross an openfield. The first shot was at about 50 yards and the last about 100. I have a fixed 4x scope on an 870. Any suggestions as to how much lead to giveor any other tips that might help me make a shot like that in the future?Have any of you ever missed a shot similar to that and couldn't believe you missed?!? (We ended up tracking the deer for another half mile until it went on posted land) Thanks guys![/align]

When shooting at a deer running like that I like to hold where the neck and the body meets this generally lets the deer run into the bullet in the vitals.

With a high powered rifle and the deer running broadside at 100 yards,I place the crosshairs at the front edge of the deer.The bullet usually strikes just behind the shoulder.Of course with a shotgun the velocity is only about half as much,and the bullet slows down even more,so the lead must be increased accordingly.

You's seem to have experience with running deer. I guess you gotta get that sight picture in your head and when you know what it looks like than it becomes easier. I consider myself to be apretty good shot and don't miss much. I always assume I hit what I shoot at, so when I don't Isometimes can't believe it. But I don't have much experience shooting at running deer, and I am always willing to listen to the more experienceand learn new stuff. Have you ever missed shots that were easy and couldn't believe you missed?

The "trick" to making running shots is to have a good idea of what the time of flight is foryour bullet to the target. This isn't something you consciously calculate, but rather know instinctively from lots of shooting at targets that "react" to the bullet hit. Once your brain knows the time of flight, it is just a matter of figuring out how far the running deer is going to travel, relative to your line of sight, before the bullet gets there - andkeep the gun swinging as you anticipate that spot.

Yeah I guess like anything practice makes perfect. Which brings me to ask this...How does one practice shooting at running game other than actual hunting situations?

From my experience shooting a slug (1 oz pumpkin) at a running deer at 100 yards lead the deer at least 1.5 lengths. You can join some ranges that have deer sillouhettes on tracks that move at a pretty good speed. That is my experience, you may think it is too far but it is not. Sabot slugs are a different story.

I have missed two bucks in the last week. The first one was running mach 2 broadside and i missed him twice. The second one was yesterday and he was running up hill across from me so i didn't have much of a shot. Didn't find any blood or no evidence that he was hit. It sux big ens

Thanks for the tips guys, that tire idea is a good one, i'll have to try that.

Took a shot at a doe 3 years ago, Thought it was 90 yds, Using a slug with a rifled barrel I lead it what I thought was about 3 1/2 ft. Well the end up was it was 110 yds, and the deer piled up 5' after the shot. As far as practice, shooting clays wouldn't hurt.

Lead all depends on how far the deer is, how fast it's running and as others have said what your shooting. Some where on line I read the amount of lead to allow for under different conditions, and the speed at which a bullit or slug will travel in relation to the deers speed,and distance. Now I'll have to search for it.