Deer direction --after shot.

Skeeter · Post by **Skeeter** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:08 pm

Bow Life wrote:Just a question, whats "dodge"? Thanks in advance.

Isn't that a BEAUTIFUL "Dodge" in your avatar???

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:35 am

wabi wrote:BTW - I believe the "get out of Dodge" expression is linked to the old wild west days in the USA when Dodge City was a wild frontier town with no safe place to hide if you made someone mad.

Still the same in Glasgow, Scotland.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:25 am

That's easy.

They definitely go toward water, every single time.

Most every deer I've killed has gone down within 100 yards of water and pointed towards it ... swamps, rivers, creeks, ponds, v-ditches, feeder-ditches, canals, lagoons ...

'Course, 'ol Grizz does live in a land of liquid ... can't say about those of you who live in dry, arid places ... like Dodge.

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:46 am

I hunt in a swamp, so water is everywhere. Out of the three I have taken with a bow, two have doubled back on their trail and one kept heading the way it was going. I don't think they really think about it, but it makes sense to me that they will head back to where they just came from, thinking "it was safe back there". When I get busted by deer, they usually head back the same way they came in, then circle around to try to pinpoint what and where you are.

nchunter · Post by **nchunter** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:15 am

I've gotten about twenty deer with my Exocet over the years. My experience has been that more often than not they run hard in whatever direction they happen to be facing at the time of the shot. Even if it's uphill or into an open field. Occasionally I'll have one double-back and go the way it came. A few times (when using Rocket "Hammerhead" mechanicals with a 2" cutting diameter) I've had them drop on the spot and bleed out in a few seconds right there. That's nice when it happens (no tracking)!

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:18 pm

groundpounder wrote:I believe they really don't know what they are doing, just trying to get the hell out of Dodge so to speak

I'd say the same thing.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:40 pm

TYE wrote:
groundpounder wrote:I believe they really don't know what they are doing, just trying to get the hell out of Dodge so to speak
I'd say the same thing.

Yup. Just like TYE's ex-girlfriends.

groundpounder · Post by **groundpounder** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:57 pm

[quote]Yup. Just like TYE's ex-girlfriends.

OUCH

Who would have thought one little phrase would have gone so far.

. I'm not saying I'm an old timer but its funny how you can say phrases or talk about famous people or famous events in time that the newer generations had never heard of. I know I can be guilty of the same thing.

As far as staying on the original topic I believe we agree on the deers unpredictability.

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:20 pm

A.W wrote:
TYE wrote:
groundpounder wrote:I believe they really don't know what they are doing, just trying to get the hell out of Dodge so to speak
I'd say the same thing.
Yup. Just like TYE's ex-girlfriends.

Ouch.

frisky · Post by **frisky** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:24 pm

Some that I have taken, seemed to circle or do a letter "J". Others seemed to go forward.

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:17 pm

Seems like initially, the deer I have shot (that didn't drop in their tracks) have done about everything. Head up hill, down hill, to water , away from water . . .however, after the first few yards, they head to a "safe place".

One doe I gut shot with my rifle in fall '05, went deep in the thicket and laid down. She went over 300 yards, but didn't go to water. I think of the few "long" tracking jobs I have done and every one of them went deep into the thick stuff . . .whatever the local cover included. Which in a lot of cases, is where they bed down.

GREY OWL · Post by **GREY OWL** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:35 am

Water??? What water??? Most of my hunting is done when its -20 Celsius.

The reason they do go to water is........... Don't try this at home, but if you ever shot yourself in the guts, wait about half an hour, and wait to see what happens. Your guts would start burning something terrible. Deer go to water to cool off, because they feel their burning up.

When a deer is first shot, he's pre- programed before hand where he wants to go. Instantly when he's first hit, his reaction is to go to the direction he always intended. Kind of like a knee-jerk reaction. But I also definetly believe once he gathers his or her senses, they'll go to their escape routes with the thickest terrain to hide in, usually high up a hill for a vantage point.

Now that's your professional tip of the day.

Payments can be made to Paypal in my name.

Grey Owl

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:54 am

Gray Owl . . .if it's -20, seems like the deer would just lay down on the ground and cool off.

From what I've been told, a rip in the stomach will immediately lead to infection. We all know what happens then, we get hot all over and once our body temp. rises enough, we get extremely weak. The kind of weak that keeps you in bed. In the deer's case, it will stay in bed until it's dead.

A buddy of mine got a rip in his intestine and nearly died because he thought he had the flu.

I've had deer do about everything, immediately following the initial hit. In the long run, they get weak and lay down. Normally this is a spot of safety . . .however, if they don't make it to their safe spot, they just find the nearest cover and lay down.

I shot a doe last year with my .270 from a little over 300 yards away. Once hit, she took off running in the direction she was headed. After about 30 yards she tried to turn into a small thicket in an otherwise open field. She barely make it to the edge of the thicket and died. She was hit hard, not sure how she make it 10 feet, much less 30 yards. However, her last thought was to hide. She left the path she was traveling and headed for cover as her body was running out of energy.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:28 pm

I have only killed one and she kept going the way she was heading but not for long.

Bow Life · Post by **Bow Life** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:39 pm

Yes Skeeter it is a beautiful dodge, i can only dream.

As far as the direction after the shot the ones i have shot all headed in the direction they were going.

I understand that this topic is probably well expired but go to Youtube.com and search deer hunting or bow hunting or anything along those lines, and most of the deer shot head in the direction they were orginally heading.

Also get some great videos and shots on there.