Stopping Deer before the shot

[JMG]

I been paying attention to this thread. I guess it has it's pros and cons. I have whistled at a buck when he was chasing does trying to get him to briefly stop. I have also taken shots on deer when walking. I asked my elderly father about this very same topic some time ago and his response was, "I don't pull over and tell the police that I was speeding, I make him do his home work". It took me a few minutes to figure out how my question had anything to do with his answer. But as usual, my father has a unique way of putting his 50 odd years of bowhunting experience into perspective for me.

[Altiman94]

I would only try to stop a deer that is running.  If the deer is walking slowly I can usually sneak a shot in.  I would rather shoot a slowly walking, un-alerted deer than a standing still really alert deer.  That's just how I do it, not saying it's right.  I see a lot of the TV hunters stop the deer and I think part of it just makes for good TV.

[goldflinger]

I agree on the good TV part    :p   I am not opposed to attempting to stop a deer if I am not going to get a shot otherwise and it is within my range, but some of these so called pro's were stopping every deer even as some were casually feeding very slowly. I guess like everything else, to each his own!! Thanks for your thoughts guys!

[akaboomer]

I have on occasion stopped them, but only when I knew that was my only viable option. I try not to alert them. If they are moving to fast or out past 15 yards and still in my comfortable shooting range I will if they don't show sings of stopping.  I have had missed opportunities from hoping they woukd stop to. So not a one size fits all situation.

Chris

[Jerry Russell]

To each his own but I stop every deer that is walking. It is difficult for me to pick a single hair to split while the deer is moving.  I am at full draw before I stop them and have never had an issue with it costing me a deer. I use a very quiet grunt and it get progressively louder until the deer reacts by the rotation of an ear. They rarely if ever pinpoint this sound. I aim low on the deer and if he drops down at the shot, he still will take the arrow through the vitals. If not, he still is hit in the vitals.

[Dawn Patrol]

I stop them with an arrow.

[CRS]

I tried it once and the deer came unglued.  No  more for me.

I know every deer will react as an individual, but no sense giving them a heads up.

[Overspined]

Only if I think it's necessary, which is rare. If I hunted with target form I would.

[woodchucker]

Personaly, I think they do it, because they HAVE to!!!!!

They have to pull the bow up over their head,just to draw it back. Then they have to figure out which pin to use. Then they have to check the level on their bowsight & make sure it's right on the bubble. Then they have to make sure their safty is off on their release. Then they have to look through that tiny peep sight, and AGAIN figure out which pin to use..... This is just simply too much for them to do and then at the same time follow a buck that is slowly ambling by & totaly unaware!!!

We users of the simple Stick & String, just do not understand how difficult it is for these guys to kill a deer!!!!! I'm suprized they kill anything at all.....

[Bonebuster]

Heavily hunted public land in Michigan produce extremely spooky deer. If you shoot at these deer when they are alerted, you WILL be disappointed with the results!

[Terry Green]

If they are just walking....I just shoot....trotting I gunt.

[LB_hntr]

I don't stop them. I think its a better tactic for compound shooters that can hold longer and bleat to stop the deer, then wait for them to relax a second before shooting. Trad shooters dontbhave that luxury and end up shooting as soon as the deer stops and is alert. Just my opinion but I don't stop them anymore. I just shoot them walking. But I also practice shooting walking targets to make sure I can do it correctly and efficiently.

[katie]

I have done both.  I use to stop them 100% of the time.  Then I managed to freak a buck out and he took off instead of stopping.  I meant to give a soft bleat but after being in a cold stand for hours my bleat sounded a bit squeaky.  He was moving pretty good so not sure if I would have taken the moving shot.  The next deer I shot that season was a slow walking doe.  I took the moving shot with no problem.  Guess it will just depend on the situation at hand.

[jonsimoneau]

I don't stop them unless I have too. However, a week ago I opened up mock scrapes in front of my rut stands. Kinda like what Gene Wensel is doing with his Wicked Wicks, I am hoping the buck will stop to check out my scrape as he is cruising through the funnel, giving me an easy standing shot.  I don't like to grunt at them to stop them. Also, alot of times, if a deer stops, I'll wait for it to begin walking again before drawing and shooting.

[LimBender]

Don't do it, but can't say I'd never.  Always seemed like too much risk, too little reward, but I haven't deer hunted as long as some of the guys that do.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Good answer Chuck, made me Chuckle.

[Tedd]

I like em walking, I feel really confident then. It seems to increase my focus.  I would think it would be harder for the deer to hear the string if he is making noise while walking and also possibly harder to react to to  depending on where the deer happened to be in his stride.  
Tedd