Do you shoot at running deer?
01-16-2011, 12:54 PM
#31
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,894
For any shot, on still OR moving targets, if I am confident I can "make the shot", then I will usually take the shot. By "make the shot", I don't mean "hit the deer", I mean make a center shot on the vital area (i.e. hit a 4-6" target).
Every situation is different, so many factors must be considered. Speed of target, path stability (straight path vs random), range, direction of movement (straight away, towards, straight across, etc), number of game animals, stability of shooter, etc etc all come into play. Picking out a trophy buck out of a herd of deer bounding away over a wheat field is much more stable than making a shot on lone buck over rough terrain through woods. For stable-path targets, the "lead" is a quick calculation, but for a randomly moving target, the shooter should either wait for the target to reach a pre-determined position (i.e. a clearing, or gap between trees), or wait until the target has slowed down or the path has become stable.
Counter-intuitively, moving shots at 200yrds are often more simple than a moving shot at 20yrds. A deer running perpendicular (straight across) at 10mph at 20yrds is 880MOA per second. So basically, you "follow" a 10mph deer at 20yrds you would have to turn your body/rifle at a rate of about 2rpm. (10mph = 14 2/3fps = 176 Inches per second, @ 20yrds, 0.2" = 1MOA, so 176"/s = 880MOA/s = 25sec per revolution) At 200yrds, however, the turn is 1/4rpm.
I've taken shots on running deer, coyotes, and hogs. With practice it can be a high percentage shot, but an off handed shot on a randomly moving target is something I'm happy to pass on.
I practice on rolling targets. I cut 12 and 14" plywood disks then glued 2" rims for added momentum (14" solid plate with a 2" wide, 14" diameter "doughnut" glued to the back of the rim). I used an angle iron track to guide the rims down onto a carpeted track. A stop pin tied to a string holds the target in place until the shooter is ready. Bowling pins or plates swinging like a pendulum from a tree also work.
Every situation is different, so many factors must be considered. Speed of target, path stability (straight path vs random), range, direction of movement (straight away, towards, straight across, etc), number of game animals, stability of shooter, etc etc all come into play. Picking out a trophy buck out of a herd of deer bounding away over a wheat field is much more stable than making a shot on lone buck over rough terrain through woods. For stable-path targets, the "lead" is a quick calculation, but for a randomly moving target, the shooter should either wait for the target to reach a pre-determined position (i.e. a clearing, or gap between trees), or wait until the target has slowed down or the path has become stable.
Counter-intuitively, moving shots at 200yrds are often more simple than a moving shot at 20yrds. A deer running perpendicular (straight across) at 10mph at 20yrds is 880MOA per second. So basically, you "follow" a 10mph deer at 20yrds you would have to turn your body/rifle at a rate of about 2rpm. (10mph = 14 2/3fps = 176 Inches per second, @ 20yrds, 0.2" = 1MOA, so 176"/s = 880MOA/s = 25sec per revolution) At 200yrds, however, the turn is 1/4rpm.
I've taken shots on running deer, coyotes, and hogs. With practice it can be a high percentage shot, but an off handed shot on a randomly moving target is something I'm happy to pass on.
I practice on rolling targets. I cut 12 and 14" plywood disks then glued 2" rims for added momentum (14" solid plate with a 2" wide, 14" diameter "doughnut" glued to the back of the rim). I used an angle iron track to guide the rims down onto a carpeted track. A stop pin tied to a string holds the target in place until the shooter is ready. Bowling pins or plates swinging like a pendulum from a tree also work.
01-16-2011, 02:47 PM
#32
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 75
Its not my preferred method thats for sure. I however, have shot a doe on the run. It was a good hit and she tumbled right over after about 8 yds. Even so, I like shooting at standing deer and being absolutely sure of whats behind it over anything else. This is just my opinion though. What is good for some does not apply to others.
01-16-2011, 05:51 PM
#33
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 585
As stated by others - with a rifle.... no. With a shotgun.... yes.
The last day of every deer season we execute man drives on our hunting club in an attempt to thin out the deer / hog population, which always results in running shots. The following photo is the last day of our 2010 season.
We shot three hogs and three bucks (one not in the photo). I did not get a shot this year. Past years I shot multiple deer during the last day.
Good times!
The last day of every deer season we execute man drives on our hunting club in an attempt to thin out the deer / hog population, which always results in running shots. The following photo is the last day of our 2010 season.
We shot three hogs and three bucks (one not in the photo). I did not get a shot this year. Past years I shot multiple deer during the last day.
Good times!
01-16-2011, 06:16 PM
#35
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 386
We can't use buck shot.
As stated by others - with a rifle.... no. With a shotgun.... yes.
The last day of every deer season we execute man drives on our hunting club in an attempt to thin out the deer / hog population, which always results in running shots. The following photo is the last day of our 2010 season.
We shot three hogs and three bucks (one not in the photo). I did not get a shot this year. Past years I shot multiple deer during the last day.
Good times!
The last day of every deer season we execute man drives on our hunting club in an attempt to thin out the deer / hog population, which always results in running shots. The following photo is the last day of our 2010 season.
We shot three hogs and three bucks (one not in the photo). I did not get a shot this year. Past years I shot multiple deer during the last day.
Good times!
01-17-2011, 01:42 AM
#38
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Danville Va. U.S.A.
Posts: 2,324
[quote=okieshooter;3757694 I know guys who can probably hit a deer running better than one standing cause they have hunted with dogs or making drives their entire life.[/quote]
X2 Hunted with dogs most of my younger days.Pretty much if you saw a deer it was turning about mach 1..........LOL.Like okieshooter said I can usually hit one on the run anywhere from point blank to about 200 yards.Have been known to miss one standing there at 50.Then wonder what is wrong with my rifle.THEN shoot a crow out of the top of a tree @about 200 .Go figure.
X2 Hunted with dogs most of my younger days.Pretty much if you saw a deer it was turning about mach 1..........LOL.Like okieshooter said I can usually hit one on the run anywhere from point blank to about 200 yards.Have been known to miss one standing there at 50.Then wonder what is wrong with my rifle.THEN shoot a crow out of the top of a tree @about 200 .Go figure.
01-17-2011, 08:42 AM
#40
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,726
With a bow or flintlock - no. Rifle definatley. In fact the majority of the deer I have taken with the rifle were moving to some extent. Either walking, trotting or on a flat out run. Now this is not at 100+ yds either but probably at 50 yds or less. My friend and I have been hunting over 40 years each and we have to laugh at these hunting shows on TV where the hunter never shoots at a deer unless it is standing broadside and perfectly still. If these guys ever hunted in the nasty stuff we hunt they would never shoot a deer.
