Shot distance for deer hunting

[janesy]

I find that if you yell out "He's got a knife!" Just before you shoot, They kind of look all confused like... Is he talking about me?? Wait what?

That way they have no freaking clue whats about to happen.


In all serious tho, a couple years back I had a massive buck sidestep a load of buckshot at about 25-30 yards. Straight up, he moved and I missed. No other explanation.
Taught me one thing, that all experience in the world can not account for what a live animal decides it wants to do next when you aren't doing what you should be doing. Anything else is making excuses. They aren't super hero's, in fact they are pretty dumb... You probably missed.

[vixenmaster]

Deer tend to have a knee jerk reaction to close noises. Deer tend to freeze and look for the source of the noise at farther ranges. I’ve never had a deer move when shot at beyond 40 yards, and I’ve given them plenty of chances.

Were any of them looking right at you when you shot?

Yup sure was n Booger ate her lunch
http://youtu.be/z__q5zLzWcM

[longbow joe]

Last year l took my longest shot ever on a whitetail. But a train was going by and l knew l had the noise in my favor.lt was 41 yards l aimed at the throat down into the body and the bolt went thru the whole length of the buck. That is basically my self imposed limit for me.(40 yards )

[SEW]

Deer tend to have a knee jerk reaction to close noises. Deer tend to freeze and look for the source of the noise at farther ranges. I’ve never had a deer move when shot at beyond 40 yards, and I’ve given them plenty of chances.

Were any of them looking right at you when you shot?

Only 1. A doe standing broadside. Shot it with my M405. 60 yards. Froze at the sound. Heart shot. I was kneeling in the field.
I believe deer need the following to immediately react:
1) Smell human scent
2) clearly makeout a human by sight
3) See the bow go off and hear it
4) Loud or unusual noise that is close
5) See other deer take off, or snort, or both

They will freeze and look for the sound of:
1) A noise that is somewhat distant but they’re not sure of the source. Great example: a crossbow being shot at 40-50 + yrds .

I’ve read, non-stop, about all the time a deer has to move at farther shots or to “duck” an arrow. This has never happened to me. 50 yards is rarely over 1/2 second. That’s not long. Anyone who has really studied deer behavior at all should be able to predict potential movement. When they’re facing away, head going down to eat, and if you’re “worried” that it is going to move in the next 1/2 second maybe you’d be better off worrying about an earthquake occurring and being swallowed up in a #10 Richter scale caused crevice.

[nchunterkw]

Deer tend to have a knee jerk reaction to close noises. Deer tend to freeze and look for the source of the noise at farther ranges. I’ve never had a deer move when shot at beyond 40 yards, and I’ve given them plenty of chances.

Were any of them looking right at you when you shot?

Only 1. A doe standing broadside. Shot it with my M405. 60 yards. Froze at the sound. Heart shot. I was kneeling in the field.
I believe deer need the following to immediately react:
1) Smell human scent
2) clearly makeout a human by sight
3) See the bow go off and hear it
4) Loud or unusual noise that is close
5) See other deer take off, or snort, or both

They will freeze and look for the sound of:
1) A noise that is somewhat distant but they’re not sure of the source. Great example: a crossbow being shot at 40-50 + yrds .

I’ve read, non-stop, about all the time a deer has to move at farther shots or to “duck” an arrow. This has never happened to me. 50 yards is rarely over 1/2 second. That’s not long. Anyone who has really studied deer behavior at all should be able to predict potential movement. When they’re facing away, head going down to eat, and if you’re “worried” that it is going to move in the next 1/2 second maybe you’d be better off worrying about an earthquake occurring and being swallowed up in a #10 Richter scale caused crevice.

I agree with this. They have a "freak out" zone of about 25-30 yds. Noise inside of that and they go berserk. Outside of that zone, the freeze and look for the source..... = dead deer.

[sproulman]

Never shoot over 40 yds !usually at 30 yds!!
Friends buying bows now that hit target at 100 yds
They drive for bear and take over 50 yd shots
1 year they got 26 bear,last year only 4 !
These new fast bows are over $2,000 dollars and only 8 inchs wide on limbs!