Running deer

[Gunplummer]

Occasionally, when talking about deer hunting, taking a shot at running deer comes up. I just noticed in another thread that someone thinks it is wrong to shoot at running deer, but not at coyotes. Most of the people that will not shoot at a running deer will shoot at a running rabbit, squirrel, or turkey. I don't get the difference. What is that all about?

 

[Nathan]

Deer are generally shot with bullets and under the guise of making a good shot to protect the meat.

Squirrels and rabbits are generally shot with like #5 shot and it spreads enough to allow hits on moving game.

Coyotes and other pests are shot to be killed only, so shot placement is considered less critical.

 

[Guv]

I think deer shooting is more calculated and in some cases requires more money up front. A lot of use do try to place the shot in a certain spot for various reasons and if the deer were running this would be much more difficult.

 

[jmr40]

Most people consider coyote pests no different than a roach or rat. Very little concern over wounding an animal and letting it suffer. Many people consider deer a more noble animal that deserves a quick painless death. Thus only a carefully placed shot should be taken.

I don't consider a running shot on either unethical.

 

[Boogershooter]

Deer meat is one of the most expensive free meats there is. The price of gun, ammo, camo, stand, lease dues, fuel, other transportation such as 4wheeler or golf cart and a longoing list of whatnots. If I'm hunting from a stand I will not shoot at a running trophy buck unless it's a easy close shot. Does or "skillet heads" should deserve the same respect but they are the best eating therefore I usually take any shot given. I also have a very good tracking dog that puts the odds back in my favor even with a poor hit.

 

[Pahoo]

All depends

When "party-hunting", we all shoot at running deer. Whenever I hunt from a stand, I don't have to or refrain from doing so. Understand that party-hunting can be very dangerous if you don't set it up right. .....

No, in our Midwest hunting, during slug season, I don't have a problem with shooting, running deer. .....

Be Safe !!!

 

[Blindstitch]

I side with Nathan. If I feel confident with the running deer shot then I guess I would but I have never felt comfortable.

If I was shooting Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel and upland game birds with a rifle it would be different but since i'm using a shotgun I hardly ever destroy meat. Except for squirrels which even aiming 1 foot to the right I seem to decimate.

 

[MikeRussell]

I grew up hunting rabbit and squirrels and for the longest never saw an animal sit still to be shot. When I transitioned into deer hunting, I found it much easier to shoot a moving deer with a centerfire rifle and scope than it was to shoot a moving squirrel with a .22LR and open sights.

A good shot is a good shot, regardless of if the animal is moving or stationary. The key is marksmanship and taking shots that you know you will make, regardless of the game and/or tool used to hunt them.

As far as yotes, they have their place in the food chain and shouldn't be made to suffer for just doing what they were made to do...I take care with shots on yotes just as much as I would the deer I'm planning to eat.

 

[Boogershooter]

Mike I almost agree wit you. We should respect the life of all of God's creatures but here coyotes are a real nuisance. If you lived on a farm and seen them take your livestock you would understand my thoughts. One calf is worth a pretty penny this day and time. I only wish coyotes were good to eat.

 

[Erno86]

If I thought I wounded a deer with my firearm...I would try {if I had the chance} a follow-up shot on the wounded deer --- that is --- if I had an open fire lane. In a timbered forest...you can't swing shoot on the deer --- You'll have to pick an open spot in the timber, where you think the running deer is going to arrive. Take the proper lead {somewhere in front of his chest} an crack-off a shot.

If a tail shot is required on the wounded deer...proper bullet construction is paramount.

 

[MikeRussell]

oh, I know first hand what a nuisance they are and their impact on livestock and pets, but I just shoot to kill rather than shoot at them and not care if they're wounded or not (I want to confirm that kill to ensure the threat is gone or at least lessened). Now, if it's a jump and I got off a bad first shot, the second will finish it off pretty quickly (advantages to using AR15s to hunt them). Hell, I'll even "ruin my deer hunt" if I see a yote, cause they're getting put down.

BTW, some people buy the pelts. We just stack em up, douse em with diesel, and burn them in the fields.

 

[MikeRussell]

If a tail shot is required on the wounded deer...proper bullet construction is paramount.

around here, we call those "Texas Heart Shots"

 

[tahunua001]

deer are considered by most hunters to be a commodity, a resource that is one of the most heavily regulated among the animals that are hunted in the US from state to state. it is also easy for deer who are improperly hit to get away and die in agony several hours or even days later, reducing the population, but without putting meat on the table or antlers on the wall. if too many animals die in this fashion, the number of available tags may be reduced and hunters will have to start entering lotteries for a simple deer tag so it is generally frowned upon to take anything less than a "sure thing" shot at deer. coyotes however are considered pests and most who hunt them do it for the simple sport or to reduce the population and don't really care if it gets away, so long as it dies in the long run. rabbits will usually die with any body shot and turkeys are often shot with shotguns so all it takes is a few pellets in the right place to take one of them down so likely the running matter of that is moot.

I had to talk myself out of taking running shots at deer this year because I was making a mess of things. I decided to only shoot at stationary deer because I shot one and know I hit it, but was unable to recover it. left a bad feeling.

 

[wizrd]

Again, PRACTICE. -- It's easy to simulate a running deer target, an old tire with a cardboard center rolling down a hill. And go back and read Erno's post on swinging on a deer running through the woods. Good advice there.

 

[Mobuck]

Most of the time, a "running" deer is going "boingy, bonigy, bouncy, bouncy" while a running coyote is generally moving on a single track.

In comparison to small game being shot on the move with a shotgun, using a rifle requires a "closer" hold due to the single projectile. I used to shoot running rabbits with a 22 rifle but far more misses than hits.

 

[camper4lyfe]

I don't like shooting anything with a single projectile while it's running. I very much prefer the "one shot one kill" mentality when hunting. On top of that, shooting at s running target causes you to lose sight of "your target and what's behind it," as is taught in all gun safety courses.

With a scatter gun, shots tend to be closer, any missed shot doesn't go as far, and the odds of hitting your target with a single shot are greatly increased.

 

[Boogershooter]

When we were kids dad would take us back in the pasture and let us shoot at armadillos with our 22's. Another thing we did was roll bowling balls down a slight hill. Another thing we often did was shoot at squirrels running down the power lines with our bb guns. We used to throw the plastic wuffle balls in the air and shoot at them. I guess doing all that as a kid I find it easier than some but definitely not difficult. It's kind of like aiming at a knot on the barn with a bb gun. The bb is gona come out with a curve to the right. After a while of doing it, it just comes natural to know where to aim.

 

[Scorch]

I don't know about the other hunters on here, but I was taught not to shoot running animals because they were scared or excited and the adrenaline in the meat would make them taste bad. So sure enough, I shot whatever I saw, and I noticed the animals I shot while they were running tasted "gamey". So now I only shoot animals that are not spooked or running.

 

[David R]

I was taught it's poor sport to shoot a sitting duck.

I practiced on a running deer target we made at the club with a bycycle and some rope. 85 yards out, going as fast as the target person pedaled the target. At times I wold run it out and STOP the target. Some missed the still target. after a couple years they stopped that setup. few years later I shot a deer quartering away at 135 yards. One shot through the lungs with a peep sight on my 222/20 ga.

You do as you wish. I would do that shot again.

David

 

[Boogershooter]

Ammo is expensive these days. I much prefer to sit in my comfortable box stand with heater and good prop. Those are always one shot kills but that's not the only way to hunt. Often times walking out to check cows I see deer around the edges of the pasture. Reason for walking is the hope of seeing a deer. If I happen to jump a deer and it runs across a 400 yard pasture I'm going to shoot it. If the deer makes it out of the pasture a simple phonecall to the house and reinforcements arrive. I've trained a Lil black fur ball teacup poodle to track blood. A few minutes in she barks and I go get my deer. I've grown up making running shots my whole life and very confident in my abilities. People who havnt had the opportunity or experience to try these shots probably won't feel comfortable therefore they probably won't attempt them. It's no different than people attempting long range shots that don't practice or have the right set up. The feeling in the pit of your stomach after wounding and losing a deer is not pleasant but I bet most would agree they slept ok if it was a doe but didn't sleep a wink if it was a big buck. Running or still one has to be confident and sure of his/her shot. Buck fever can make a fool out of anybody and cause many of us the need for a second shot which is often a running deer.