Deer Hunting with Archery.

[jim]

I've asked this of others and gotten a variety of answers.

If hit properly, how far does a deer usually travel before stopping to die. I know that there is a great variation, so I just want to know your experiences.

jim

[DM]

I don't hunt deer with a bow, but most of my family does and they do get quite a few deer. I'd say from what they keep telling me, 40 to 80 yards is about average...

That's "assumeing" the deer are hit "properly" with a good broadhead...

DM

[jim]

Thanks!

[1lifetolive]

I have had "double lung" hit deer go from 30 to 100+ yards

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

The most amazing thing I ever saw happened about 10 yrs ago. A buddy and I were stand-hunting the edge of a pasture one morning where we knew that deer grazed. We were in trees about 50 yards apart. A few deer wandered in and he loosed an arrow at a 4 point from 20 yards.
The buck looked up and around, then shook as if a bug was bothering him and went back to grazing. Less than 2 minutes later, he just laid down. The arrow had passed through his heart and completely exited.
First time I didn't have to track at all. I know he died easily and humanely.

[wy0mn]

My longest archery blood trail was about 40yd. A friend who shoots mechanicals (compound) had a deer spot him due to the noise and ran 100+ yds! So maybe the old saying about adrenalin is correct.

I think cutting surface on broadheads has a lot to do with dying times, the quicker the lungs get flooded affects how long they can stay erect. Longer, wider broadheads should allow them to bleed out quicker.

I like Snuffers but am trying the Ribteks this year.

[PK.]

I think a lot depends on what you do after the shot. Assuming a lethal, but not immediately lethal hit, I think that the 30-100 yards is about right. If, and this is the big if, you can sit still and let the deer go lay down and die. I think more deer get lost because a hunter jumps up and immediately chases after them. In my experience, a deer that's shot, with a bullet or arrow, will run a ways and then lay down. If he's mortally wounded, he'll probably stay there if nothing else spooks him.

[RangerRick]

Hi ya Jimbo,

For the most part I use a Golden Eagle compound set to 53 or so lbs with an overdraw, 27" carbon shafts and 3 blade 100 grain Rocky Mountion broadheads. When the shoulder gives me problems the crossbow does the work.

As averages go my average shot over the past 40+ years and 100's of deer harvested has probably been from 15 to 20 yards rather ground or tree. Closest was probably 5 yards and I won't shoot at over 40 yards as accuracy really deminishes. Of course shots can be made from farther distances but accuracy goes down and your tracking time of wounded/crippled game goes up considerably and not finding a wonded deer will ruin a hunt for me. Consequently, I personally consider extreme shoots poor sportsmanship. It's called hunting because that is were the joy comes from. Once you release the string the fun is done and the work remains so why ruin the fun with a potentially poor shot?

With a good solid lung shot I've had em fall over in their tracks, seen deer run 20-30 yards and I've also seen em run a half mile. Naturally, heart shots work better but I've seen deer do some crazy things. My experience tells me that if I'm scene or heard by the deer after the shot they will usually run more. Stay in the blind for 20-30 minutes, don't push em and give your target time to expire as they deserve their last few minutes of peace on earth.

I prefer to do my hunting between 0900 and 1500. I get to sleep a little more, don't stumble around in the dark and through the years most deer I've taken were between the hours of 1000 and 1300. If I get a runner I like to have a couple hours available for trackin if necessary or to just get em dressed and back to the house so I don't have to be butcherin in the dark. Plus, trackin by Coleman lantern really sucks! Remember, when archery deer hunting bring plenty of engineers orange ribbon for trackin.


;D
Rick

[wy0mn]

I use toilet paper for marking faint blood trails, its easily seen by flashlight, every hunter carries it, and it's bio-degradable. That way I don't have to backtrack to remove my trash.

[jim]

Thanks for the info. I will be getting in a lot of practice for next year. I may event try the crossbow out on some of the local feral hogs (smaller ones of course).

Would a two edged broadhead be any more accurate than the thre or four bladed one, or the other way around? Accuracy and penetration is what I'm looking for.

jim

[RangerRick]

Broadheads kill by cutting blood vessels and critical tissue. There is no, nada, zero shock value whatsoever so don't get too hung up on fast/powerful bows. Accuracy means everything so practice practice practice from every position you can come up with, the more uncomfortable and difficult the better. Three blades cut more than two and make em sharp as hell and keep em that way. Learn how to tune your broadheads to your shalfs and bow.

Rick

[wy0mn]

Don't get a bow thats too wussy however, that broadhead still has to pierce the rib cage possibly thru a rib. Besides, most states have a minimum requirement for hunting bow weights (measured in pounds of pull).
A stronger bow shoots flatter over a slightly greater distance than a weaker bow. I shoot #50 longbow, sometimes in a treestand I have to pass up shots that require more of an arc, due to overhead obstructions, things in my arrows flightpath that a flatter shooting bow wouldn't have to compensate for.
Archery is an obsession, its addictive. Large game, small game, fishing even! Bows with reels attached.
But the biggest "ten foot tall & bullet proof" feeling I've ever had with a bow was snap shooting an airborne quail with flu-flu, with a witness.