This question is for the more experienced hunters: What does it mean when a deer bucks like a horse on its hind legs and takes off after you shoot at it?

Last year I took one shot at a rather large doe and it did just that. When I got back to camp I told one of the guides that I had missed the shot and explained the doe's reaction, and his response was not what I had expected. What made it moreinteresting was that the second guide that I told this to a couple of minutes later told me the exact same thing and she was nowhere near the first guide when I mentioned it to him.

Being a novice at the sport I want to see if I can verify their responses without revealing it.

When they mule kick they're hit hard. deffinately a dead deer.

I had a deer do that to my cousin when it was gut-shot chased it for a day straight.

I have never had one kick like that but it sure does sound like a hit to me..I have had them jump straight up before running though and that proved to be a hit...

I have never needed to give chase like that, but we have very little hunting pressure in most places here. We can let them run off and wait for an hour or longer before looking for it..

Usually whena deer kicks like that, its usually a killing shot, if they hunch their back, its deffinatley, liver or gut.

That deer was probably hit hard. i have hit them with my bow and rifle and seen them do this. Mostly happens with a gunshot, must be the shock of the kinetic energy(??)

Thanks guys. You basically confirmed what I was told, except that they both said it was a heart shot. Unfortunately, when we went looking for the doe she was nowhere to be found.

Being the last day ofthe hunt and having to drive back to Miami from SC I was unable to stick around much longer than the 45 minutes we searched with the dogs. Since the property is not fenced and I was near the edge of the property, she may have left the area. The guides were also packed and ready to go soI had to leave it at that.

I got a nice 8 pointer that I hit in the guts. He kicked out his back legs when I hit him. Luckily, he only ran about 10 yards and got another arrow through the lungs.

I'm glad to see you added to your post that the guides and you went back out looking. You left us hanging and I knew what they were going to have told you. Too bad you didn't get her, better luck next time.

Its usually associated with a heart shot.