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deer on the trot..

JRudd

JRudd

Aim small miss small.
Important: not a debate! If you don't agree, DONT POST! Let's use this to help other hunters who have trouble with this shot, connect. SHARE your tactics.

It inevitable, many of us will be taking shots on deer that are not standing still.

I have killed countless deer on the trot with both a scoped and open site shotgun and muzzleloader- mainly because I am usually doing the drives for my party. Of course this is all situational. I shoot a sabot going at 1900fps.

My basic rules of thumb I use:
-125-150 slow trot=OK.. 100 for run=ok( for me) -in timber, less than 50 unless there's a clearing-(varies by shooter)
-Start w/ scope on low power dial up if needed
-Do not lead much if any out to 30yds- in the fur for a trot at <30.. just in front for faster. extend as needed out to 50 and so forth
- I always use my cross hair (l/r side) as a referance and put that through the body of the deer as im ready to squeeze
-Squeeze- on any shot.. don't pull
-Keep your barrel moving! Stop it, you'll miss! Everytime

Practice this shot! Take your time. Replay constantly as you walk. Know where your posters/drivers are for a safe shot. DO NOT risk any shot if questionable! Don't shoot if your not sure you can make the shot. Sure there will be misses, but confidence has to be there to make it.
 
All good stuff. In addition, I think that shooting clays (a LOT of clays) and birds definitely helps my ability to score on a moving deer or coyote. The swing, an instinctive lead, trigger SQUEEZE and follow through are all extremely important aspects of success in either venue. Also, it's a lot more fun than a few thousand practice shots with slugs!!! :rolleyes:
 
The math is pretty crazy if you figure it for a running shot. Per my calculations if you shoot a slug at 1900 fps and the deer is running 25mph at a 100yds, you need to lead the deer 6'!
 
Dont use 10 different kinds of slugs. When I used to take people slug hunting I used sst's for posting and a short barrelled smooth bore slug gun with brenneke rifled slugs for pushing. Never ventured outside of that and i got pretty consistent. Best to use the wind to your advantage on drives so deer dont run until shots are fired. Do your best to slow push so that long running shot isnt all you are offered.

I dont like long shots at running deer. Trotting maybe, but it is just too much for the average shooter (like me) to account for when you figure in speed, terrain, distance, and lateral movement of running or bounding deer. Average hunter is probably using a slower slug as well, compensating for drop makes it even harder.

I dont slug hunt anymore but best of luck to those who do. Be safe, be ethical, and have fun!
 
I've shot one running deer (nearly dead run). It was my very first and I shot it at about ten yards. Hit it in the back leg.
I can only think of two others that I have shot while moving and both were running nearly straight at me. No leading necessary.
Given the right circumstances, I won't hesitate to shoot at a moving deer (I'm confident in my ability), but I will do everything I possibly can to make it stop first.
Keep in mind, my gun hunting (late season muzzy) is generally sitting and letting the deer move naturally or doing slow drives with a group. Deer moving on their own, not a problem to stop them, just like archery. The deer we see during drives are generally moving slow enough that you can get them to stop as well.
So I guess I'm not really helping with the "how to" of shooting at a moving deer since I haven't done much of it. My suggestion is try to make it stop first. If it doesn't and you are confident, then go for the shot.

Here's a post from a couple years ago about this very subject. Just referring to the original post not the arguments that took off after.... http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40811
 
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I've shot a lot of deer running, mostly with a rifle back when I lived in MO and we used dogs to hunt in AR. A pack of beagles on a deer, your not going to get a stopped, walking, trotting shot, most are running.

With my ML, I have taken a few bucks on the go, but with the ML, I seldom take the shot if they are laid back covering some ground. Trotting, bouncing, anything but a full out run, I can generally put on in the boiler room. Just know your gun and know where to lead on what distance, and you can make the shot. If you shoot a ML like me, you only have one chance, so you better make it count! :grin:
 
I haven't done deer pushes for ages but is there a way to do "lighter pushes" or something so the deer aren't going full bore when they come outta the timber? Or possibly ways for them to stop for a shot from a whistle or yell or something if they are not running for their lives at full tilt? My 2 cents on the debate-free thread - I just really hope folks take the time to do everything they can in the recovery. I've seen it way too often when a group is in a hurry, more ground to push and searches for 5 minutes & if no luck, they leave and I've often found the bucks later on that with extra effort they could have found. Good luck, be safe and good shooting this weekend.
 
I don't agree with a trotting shot not because people can't do it with success and accuracy but more of the how do you know what's behind your target the whole time you are trying to aim at the target. You focus more at the animal than anything that is behind it. Especially on public ground when there can be other hunters in the general area. One of the reasons I don't hunt shotgun is guys were trying to shoot a running deer and we had two slugs go through our wall. Just remember to look beyond your target before you pull the trigger

I don't have a problem with shotgunners except for the ones that do not abide by laws and the poachers that shoot everything than take what they want(have a couple of these in our area). Good luck luck to every one this weekend. Be aware of your surroundings, be safe, have fun.
 
Sligh1 said:
I haven't done deer pushes for ages but is there a way to do "lighter pushes" or something so the deer aren't going full bore when they come outta the timber? Or possibly ways for them to stop for a shot from a whistle or yell or something if they are not running for their lives at full tilt? My 2 cents on the debate-free thread - I just really hope folks take the time to do everything they can in the recovery. I've seen it way too often when a group is in a hurry, more ground to push and searches for 5 minutes & if no luck, they leave and I've often found the bucks later on that with extra effort they could have found. Good luck, be safe and good shooting this weekend.
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Your answer is yes. I hunt with a small group, 4-6, that hunt this way. Most shots are at slow moving or stopped deer, but some will run anyway. When they do bolt they usually hang up at the end of cover then bolt when they have no choice. If you set up in the spots they hold up, or the spots they tend to run to, you can get some easy shots.
 
Sligh1 said:
I haven't done deer pushes for ages but is there a way to do "lighter pushes" or something so the deer aren't going full bore when they come outta the timber? Or possibly ways for them to stop for a shot from a whistle or yell or something if they are not running for their lives at full tilt? My 2 cents on the debate-free thread - I just really hope folks take the time to do everything they can in the recovery. I've seen it way too often when a group is in a hurry, more ground to push and searches for 5 minutes & if no luck, they leave and I've often found the bucks later on that with extra effort they could have found. Good luck, be safe and good shooting this weekend.
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Yes it is very easy to do also. Instead of storming through the brush and making enough noise to chase deer into the next county, we almost tend to still hunt our way through the timber. The deer react like most do when they are kicked out of their beds. They run until they feel they are safe and then stop to see what kicked them up. Sometimes you will get a shot at them when they stop, sometimes you won't. Often times we will bump the same deer a couple of times and by the time it gets to our posters it isn't running for the hills, but slow moving and trying to stay just out of sight of the walker. We set up our posters (typically the younger ones with adult supervision) in the same travel corridors and areas that we bowhunt. They typically have the same "escape" routes year after year.
 
I have killed a pile of deer running. I think years of rabbit hunting with a 22 helped me. Killed piles of rabbits on a dead run with a 22 and a scope and just is kind of natural for me. Most people miss because they don't follow through they just stop.
 
I was always taught bow or gun hunting, if you can't take an responsible/ethical shot, then you owe it to the animal, and the people you are hunting with to Not Take the Shot. Now you can be the judge as to if shooting at a moving target with single projectile not knowing where it is going to hit is ethical or not.
 
Sorry I do not want to start a debate, so my tip is, wait for the deer to stop moving before you shot, so you can make the best shot possible.
 
Highstepper76 said:
I was always taught bow or gun hunting, if you can't take an responsible/ethical shot, then you owe it to the animal, and the people you are hunting with to Not Take the Shot.
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I will say, this alone is great advice!

Although, the shot hunter A can't make, and hunter B can (ethically)with consistancy, differ greatly.:way:
 
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just going to throw in my 2 cents, this year will make my 19th year of going 1st season shotgun, outside of my 1 archery buck, I wouldn't have any of the deer on my walls if I didn't shoot at a deer that wasn't standing, every deer I have shot was on the move, some trotting some running and some wandering, and in those 19yrs I can only think of 3 that were hit and not recovered, and yes we track as far as possible. I will add that as I get older I find myself waiting for a better shot or end up not taking a shot if its questionable. the best advice I can give is to know your gun and its capabilities with you behind the trigger.
 
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