I've wondered this same question for quite a while. Yes, it dose happen but I agree that probably 50% of "string jumpers" were just poor shots. In 12 years of bow hunting I've yet to have a deer jump the string. I have however, when I was younger (and I'm sure it'll happen again) misjudged yardage and over shot on an animal.

Excellent point Bob

Good point. Let's see here.....
* Old trusty, rugged ol' mule, 1996 PSE Edge 1000C (round wheel dual cam).
* 65# draw weight, 30" draw length
* rubber string silencers along with limb savers
* Easton #2315 XX75's with 125gr Thunderhead
* Tru-Fire Magnum wrist release (clips right on string)

My setup is basic, common, and ultra simple. Ain't nothing fancy... When I had that nice 8 pointer in the sights, I was sweating no bad and shaking so bad, that when I did hit the release, I punched it instead of calmly, gently, hitting the release. With a combination of me almost having a heart attack with "Buck Fever", and the bow making a loud "TWANG-G-G-G-G", it was no wonder the 8 pointer ducked down then took off at Mach IV thru the woods! [&o][:-]

Butch A.

Others gave good explanations of jumping the string,
one way to minimize it besides a quieter setup, is to keep your shots at closer range,
as a new bow hunter you should be starting out at closer range.
while i may be able to hit my target consistenly at 40 yds while practicing, i wouldnt take a 40 yd shot while hunting.

Just be sure to aim at the bottom 1/3 of the deers vitals. Deer, more often than not, react when you release that arrow. Wether its the muffled sound of the string or the arrow in flight.

Deer can definitely jump the string. When they do, they are not ducking so much as coiling to leap away. It is a terrible (but amazing) sight to behold.

Nervous deer are string jumpers. Deer that are looking at you when you shoot can jump the string. I'm sure that loud bows amplify the problem, but even quiet bows can cause jumpers if a nervous deer is looking at you when you shoot. Deer are amazing athletes.

All is not lost, however. As others have stated, aiming a little low is a huge help. Top of the heart is a great hold, since a jumper drops into a lung shot and no drop is still a great shot. I've found that deer that are walking don't jump the string. Super close shots (less than 15 yards) can't jump the string. I've even heard (but wouldn't test or condone) that very long shots don't cause deer to jump.

I've found that a calm deer walking slowly at 7 yards and looking away won't jump the string. Good luck with that!

True, a very close shot won't give the deer enough time to jump the string. A 10 yard shot can be covered in about a 10th of a second. Most people can't even blink that fast.
A very long shot from a quiet bow might not be even heard by the deer so it won't even know that the arrow is on it's way until it hits.

I would say that jumping the string is when a deer hears you release and bends down to jump making the arrow miss. I believe that you can reduce it by quieting your bow down. I have cat whiskers and those thunderblox thingies that NAP came out with. My bow is alot quieter and i think the deer has a less chance of hearing the bow.

Thanks guys.