To clarify. When I say I’d shoot a walking animal inside 15 yards. I’m meaning that animal is walking like I do on thanksgiving after I’ve loaded up on turkey day food! Or the day after when I’ve eaten a whole tray of my homemade enchiladas! Takes me about 45 seconds to make it from the kitchen to the living room!
Nope. I'd rather watch a deer run away safely than deal with the agony of tracking a wounded animal for 12 hours.
Nope. Maybe if I had made a less than ideal shot on one already. If I felt I had a chance to get another arrow in it then I might. But I'd rather just not make a bad shot in the first place!
No! too easy to have a really bad hit, and lose the deer completely. Rifle, is a different story, but archery - definitely not.
No way. I’m not that confident in my ability to take a shot at a running deer with a bow. Too many consequences if the shot goes south.
Had a 209" buck in 2005 come by at 15yds at a fast trot chasing a doe. Was at full draw and couldn't get him stopped. When he did stop he was out of my range behind some brush. Watched the biggest buck I've ever seen in the wild slowly walk away. He was killed two weeks later during our gun season by a friend that also leased the same ground. I still wouldn't take that shot to this day.
I would not! No telling where ya catch him and if you can’t guarantee a well placed shot don’t attempt it! Or at least to attempt a well place shot!! Hope he sticks around and ya get another chance!! Good luck !
I only take head shots on running deer, this way it’s either a kill or clean miss. Mechanical heads are the ticket too, and light weight fast arrows....you can lead them less. I do limit myself to closer shoots when the deer are running. 60 or less.
I was at full draw on two giants last season. Both on a hot doe (different stands and different hunts) and I could not get them stopped. I let them pass and never saw either again. My answer is definitely not.
The first two deer I killed with my bow were running shots. Granted, they were 10-12 yard shots and I was on the ground not in a tree stand. I was also 12 and 13 years old shooting a 35 pound recurve bow. At that time I about lived with that bow in my hands and was very proficient with it. The big difference for me was that I was shooting instinctive at the time. Years later, during my tournament shooting days, I witnessed quite a few shooters at an instinctive bow club that could nail the bullseye on their running deer target. I never saw a sight shooter that could compete with them. I have seen video's of the Wentzel bros. shooting running deer as well. They were very good shots. Ever since I became a sight shooter I would not even think about shooting at a running deer. Who am I to say no one should ever do this?
