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Stopping?

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loneranger

Well-Known Member
All the deer hunting shows now blat to stop the deer for a shot. A well known video hunt show personality told me they do this for the camera. They want a good kill shot on camera. I know lots of variables,,distance,alertness of deer,pace of walk. But how many do or dont stop the deer? I used to but question it. Dont want to alert deer. My bow is loud.
 
I'm not going to shoot at a walking or running deer. I did not have to stop any of the deer I shot this year...but had to stop all last year
 
Sure I do it all the time in fact just grunted one to stop Wednesday night for my son to shoot a deer. Best to wait for a stopped shot with a bow in my opinion. Every situation is different and use your best judgement and figure out what works for you with your equipment and abilities. I have killed plenty on the move when the situation is right and my confidence is high but would prefer stopped every time.
 
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I felt I wasn't aggressive enough on a shot this fall on 11/19. Walking buck at 25 yrds - I have always shot at standing deer with my bow. I am confident if I had held on the shoulder at that distance, I would have hit lungs. HOWEVER, I had never taken that shot and passed on the opportunity that day also. IF I had practiced more on this type of shot, maybe I would have felt confident taking it, but without that type of practice and experience - it just didn't feel right and the deer walked.

The next day - 26 yrds and the deer reacted/stopped to my mouth grunt. Dead deer within 125 yrds - that's the results I like to have when an arrow is released so I guess in my case my choice on the 19th was correct.

A good topic for conversation no doubt. For those who do shoot moving deer - range is one piece of info. I would be interested in hearing about. How far yes versus no.
 
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Unless the deer is trotting pretty fast I don't make a noise. Only time I do is to get it to slow down if its moving fast. I don't want to alert them. The buck I shot this year was walking normally and I drilled him in the heart and kept walking and never knew I was there.
 
If they are going slow and stopping to browse on their own etc I don't stop them. If they are coming through fairly quickly and not looking like they are going to stop I have stopped them.

I have never shot a deer past 21/22 yards, so really have never needed to stop one. Even if walking I have/will shoot them at that range and feel confident doing so. Of course, if they were 30 yards etc I think I would need to stop them.
 
I stop them. I'd be okay with shooting at a walking deer but would prefer not to. Speaking of stopping the deer for a show, I saw one once where the deer was stopped, wasn't looking like it was going to be moving anytime soon and the guy still gave him a big old "maaaa". Haha, a little unnecessary.
 
A lot of it depends on the deer's demeanor also. If it is really skittish you are best to shoot when it stops on its own in my opinion. Bleating at a nervous deer can go south in a hurry. Personally I stop most of the deer I shoot with a bow. There are two reasons - my shooting lanes are usually limited in size and I need them in the right spot, and because I am just not comfortable taking a walking shot with a bow at more than 15 yards. I did shoot a doe this year out of a ground blind at 5 yards while she was walking. Everyone's abilities are different. These are just my personal preferences. Good question.
 
This year I didn't have time or the brain didn't think of it. I will try to stop them if the situation calls for it.
 
I've done both. Lately I try not to give them any reason to jump the string or get suspicious. I learned this year that even at 15 yds on the move you need to lead them though. When I do stop deer my shot follows very quickly with the deer coming to a haunt.
 
I also agree that this is a good question, there are many variables to consider on this topic IMO. (One thing that I happen to know is that Loneranger often, and maybe always, hunts from the ground. Being on the ground with the quarry v. being above them in a tree stand could influence the impact and effectiveness of a "MAAAHH" too.)

I have shot at three deer walking in my life and in all cases I ended up with a hit that was further back than what I wanted. Two of these were nice bucks responding to a decoy and I could not stop them with the normal "MAAAHH", they were too dialed in to the deke to listen IMO. Both shots were about 12-14 yards, so fairly close range...but still the slowly moving target at close range resulted in a hit that was "back".

I do think though that if you practiced leading them say 6" you would be OK at close(10-15 yards) range, but for me, that apparently is too much to remember at the moment. :D

I almost always will stop a deer prior to the shot and I have had even had to yell "hey" at the top of my lungs a time or two. But...if the deer looks tense...aim low, because they will drop. And the further they are away, the more that drop will impact where the shot hits...or does not hit. BTW, there is nothing like having the shot on video tape to see later how much that a given deer can drop at the shot. What could have been a solid double lunger, can end up as a whiff over the back in the right situation.
 
I've shot three walking. First came running in after a doe. He slowed up and I gave him a "baat". He stopped behind some brush. Then walked slowly into my shooting lane where I took the shot. Second came out of a draw and walked past my brush blind. Never went faster than a walk. Came into my shooting lane and I took a shot. Third came trotting up an old fence line after working a scrape. Slowed to a walk as he went by my brush blind and into my shooting lane where I took the shot. Didn't try to stop the last two. All three were within 15 yards and I let all three walk into my pin but took the shot a little in front of where I'd normally aim. All three were found within 100 yards. Most others that I have shot at (and missed) had stopped on their own.
 
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Have never shot a moving deer. Prefer they stop on their own, but will bleat them to a stop if needed.
 
I have had them jump a ways at the softest bah, startled them and then they pin point ya. but most times it works fine for me.
 
Just as I figured,, lots of opinions. No one knows for sure if it is a good idea or not. Lots of factors involved.
 
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