Stopping game for a shot vs. letting them stop on their own

longbow fanatic 1 · August 15, 2016, 04:27:00 PM

When you're hunting big game animals, do you stop them while they're walking to get a shot or do you allow them to stop on a natural pause? I realize that deer, for example, will be on high alert when grunted at. I also realize all the potential problems associated with stopping deer prior to shooting at them; things such as string jumping, wounding animals, hurrying a shot causing a poor hit, educating local deer populations in your hunting area...

If you're a hunter who always wait for their natural pause, do you then set, within your personal hunting limitations, the possibility of letting the animal walk by, and that the deer may not stop until out of range?

I'm just curious what others do when facing with that decision. I have stopped deer to take a shot before. I've also made poor shots as a result of rushing to shoot after stopping the deer. I've also killed some nice deer by grunting at them prior to the shot. Personally, I'm at the point where I'm going to let the deer stop on their natural pause. If they don't stop within bow range, so be it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying one way is right and the other is wrong. Each hunter has to make their own decision on what's best.

MnFn · August 15, 2016, 04:51:00 PM

A walking deer within my range, I will take the shot. No noise used.

Rob W. · August 15, 2016, 04:53:00 PM

I either let them stop on their own or shot them on a slow walk. My experiences stopping an animal haven't really turned out good. They either stop in the wrong place,jump the string, or I hurry the shot when I stop them. Looking back I have probably shot more animals on a slow walk than any other way.

Gordon Jabben · August 15, 2016, 05:14:00 PM

I prefer a walking shot unless there is a lot of brush. They don't hear the bow and I feel I can make as good a shot as on one standing still.

MCNSC · August 15, 2016, 05:29:00 PM

I have only tried to stop one deer, he was at a trot. He stopped behind a cedar tree. I shot him as he started to walk again. I much prefer them to be either feeding or at a slow walk. Have let a lot go because they were walking a little too fast.

MCNSC · August 15, 2016, 05:34:00 PM

One thing, where I hunt and how I set up most of my shots are really close. If the shots were longer, I may want them to stop.

Shadowhnter · August 15, 2016, 05:35:00 PM

The key to stopping them effectively without adverse events following, is the ability to read the animals state and personality. A person needs a bit of a range of different frequencys, types, and volumes of sounds to be most effective. Its best done with natural sounds you can make, not calls.
If a deer that is sensitive and wary comes through and you bellow a loud grunt, bad things are going to happen. Where as just a light short whistle would have gotten a good result.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the only thing that stopped the buck I killed last year was me hollering to the top of my lungs the word "HEY". He was in such a rut stooper, with mouth open and rack and head tilted slightly back, he no more knew what was going on around him then a man in the moon. When he stopped he looked confused but relaxed, and WAY off course of where the loud sound came from. He never so much as flinched when I let go at 17 yards away.

The reason you rush the shot from stopping them is from either using the wrong type sound alerting the deer and making you nervous, or you just haven't done it enough to realize there is nothing to worry about and you can indeed take your time. Unless a deer stops of their own right, and where I want them, I will stop every deer I need to, and have for years.

K.S.TRAPPER · August 15, 2016, 05:37:00 PM

It all works if done right but every situation is different. I even had to yell twice at the big buck I shot last year to get him to stop while chasing a doe. I drew the bow as he was stoping and was anchored by the time he stopped.

I never try to use a grunt call drop the call grab the string then try and pull back because he's got you nailed by then. It's all automatic and done with my voice if I do anything. Most of the time nothing is needed and most of my shots are 15yds or less.

This kind of stuff I never worry about or think about while I'm hunting it's just natural. Can't predict what's going to happen so I don't need to worry myself about it. IMHO

Tracy

Michael Arnette · August 15, 2016, 05:44:00 PM

I do sometimes but not always, here are a few things I've learned along the way:

1: older deer sometimes will bolt if they here that sound...do it at your own risk
2: whitetails will almost always duck the string of you grunt. I use this to my advantage because at least now I know what the reaction will be after the shot. I aim lower 1/3 if I grunt between 15-25 yards. Right at if 25-35. 30ishbis my effective range so I really don't shoot past that distance.
3: deer don't always keep walking when you shoot them on the trot/walk

So ultimately I now make a quick judgement depending on the situations such as terrain, wind, age of the deer, alertness ect. Then I aim differently depending on the animals reaction after the grunt

Michael Arnette · August 15, 2016, 05:48:00 PM

Btw you guys in Kansas aren't hunting the average whitetail lol deer in Kansas don't react quite the way they do in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma etc ...southern deer can be even more skittish

Orion · August 15, 2016, 05:48:00 PM

Rutting bucks often don't stop, or stop where you want them to. As others, if I have a very close walking shot, I take it. If not, I'll sometimes grunt with my voice. More often than not, I take the moving shot because I'm so intent on getting the shot I forget to grunt.

A feeding deer in a quiet woods may become instantly alert if grunted, but moving bucks usually just stop moving (if they even hear it) and try to locate the sound, providing a few seconds to make the shot before they figure out what's up. I've very rarely had them jump the string after I've voice grunted them.

Re rushing the shot. That can happen whether you stop the animal with a grunt or other noise, or not.

Shadowhnter · August 15, 2016, 05:55:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Michael Arnette:
Btw you guys in Kansas aren't hunting the average whitetail lol deer in Kansas don't react quite the way they do in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma etc ...southern deer can be even more skittish

Yes... its because we take the time to tame them down good before we kill them, plus there is hardly ANY hunters chasing them around year after year....

tradrookie93 · August 15, 2016, 06:28:00 PM

An easy whistle doesn't seem to spook them like a grunt or a bleat will, if at all.

longbow fanatic 1 · August 15, 2016, 06:29:00 PM

Interesting stuff here! Thanks!

August 15, 2016, 06:39:00 PM

99% of the time I let them stop on there own. If I don't get a shot because they did not stop in range, then I come back later and try again.

Bisch

imbowhunt10 · August 15, 2016, 06:41:00 PM

I have never tried to stop'em.....shot quite a few on the walk.

two4hooking · August 15, 2016, 06:52:00 PM

Yup, shoot them on the move.

Pine · August 15, 2016, 07:03:00 PM

Shoot on the walk , but not if the are running .

frank bullitt · August 15, 2016, 07:03:00 PM

On the move, too!

How many times I have heard the Pros say its unethical.

K.S.TRAPPER · August 15, 2016, 07:18:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Michael Arnette:
Btw you guys in Kansas aren't hunting the average whitetail lol deer in Kansas don't react quite the way they do in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma etc ...southern deer can be even more skittish

Sorry Mike, I don't by that for a minute. I've hunted all those states you just mentioned and down to Texas and see no difference in our deer. Never hunted public land deer in those states though but here the same story's here as I do down there.

Maybe the difference is the deer are a lot smaller then our deer makin them quicker

I've seen some videos of ranch deer though that were very impressive reaction times but those deer are hunted incredibly hard and at feeders and know what's going on.

Tracy