Moving animals

[5deer]

Do you take shots on moving animals or wait for them to stop

[Trenton G.]

I take moving shots on small game, but I'm not confident enough to try a deer yet.

[kevsuperg]

Depends on how fast they are moving

I will if they are moving very slowly. But shoot them when they are still 99% of the time.

Bisch

[OkKeith]

Tough call on that question.

If they are close (10-15 yards) a slow stroll might be OK depending on the angle. Would have to be full broadside or barely quartering away.

Past fifteen yards... nope. Too much can happen between the release and the hit.

A moving shot would have to be timed just right to catch the on-side leg coming forward to avoid a full-on shoulder shot.

It's hard to wait for a deer to stop! I don't like using the bleat noise to try and get them to stop either. As soon as you do that they are on alert and know exactly where you are.

OkKeith

[KSdan]

Shoot whitetail slowly moving most often.  0-25 yards. Hate to stop them as they become alert. Shot a bear quartering away at 18 walking last year.

I hate to create a debate- but the shoulder blade moves up and out of the way as the leg comes BACK.  I like to hit them right at or above the "elbow" as the leg comes back.

My 2C
Dan in KS

I have shot a couple of deer on a stiff legged trot or canter and few walking.  Such things need practice.  If I have not been doing the proper practice, they need to be pretty close before I shoot them on the move.  The first pheasant I shot at this year I missed by two or three feet.  The third one was dead and down.

[two4hooking]

Depends.....If the shot feels right I take it.

[Zradix]

Originally posted by KSdan:
..............I hate to create a debate- but the shoulder blade moves up and out of the way as the leg comes BACK.  I like to hit them right at or above the "elbow" as the leg comes back.

My 2C
Dan in KS

No debating that. I try to keep that in mind even on still deer.

[Mint]

I only do that on deer if they are under 15 yards. As for hogs around the feeder, they never stop moving but I will wait until they are settled in for sure.

[Orion]

Bucks are notorious for their nose to the ground relatively fast walk during the rut.  If I have the presence of mind, I'll often stop them with a grunt.  But if it they're close enough, I just shoot them on the move.  Probably shoot more moving than standing.  During the rut, they seldom stop on their own, at least not in front of me.

A few years back i was working a partially wooded slope with a friend.  A small buck jumped to his feet about 10 yards from me. I passed and did not shoot.  The buck went loping across a wide clearing passed my friend, maybe 25 yards.  To my amazement, he shot.  it was a terrible looking shot placement, way back and high, I thought.  The arrow flew through the deer from his 47 pound bow like it was not there.   He put his hand to his head and I thought, 'oh crap'.   We both watched the deer hit the open field 80 hards from the hit and remarkably the deer folded and went down.  He hit the spleen.  Walking is one thing loping or bounding is another.  He had no explanation, he said, "I couldn't stop myself."

[hawkeye n pa]

"Depends.....If the shot feels right I take it"  X2   Although I'm not "fluid" enough any more for the most part..

[KodaChuck]

I put a 3D foam deer on wheels in an empty warehouse and rigged it up with pulleys. It would move broadside and the speed could be controlled to an EXTREMELY SLOW speed at 15 to 20 yards. Sometimes the deer would stop for a second then continue. Bag targets were set up to simulate trees so there were shot windows. Really good trad archers who could shoot stationary targets lights out struggled to hit the vitals consistently. That emphasized to me that hitting a moving deer is probably about 3x as hard as making a controlled shot on a non-moving deer.

Some are good at static targets with static form.  Some, through years of diligent work and consistent practice can shoot good on static targets with fluid form and with proper practice can do well at moving targets as well.   At times the philosophies are very much opposite.  It is very difficult to explain to a static shooter how it is possible to  get more consistent on moving targets, it is simply too far out of their wheel house.

[Sam McMichael]

If an animal is very relaxed, walking slowly, and is very close I might. Generally, though I will not.

[MnFn]

I have tried it twice.  One buck was  already wounded so I didn’t have anything to lose. I got him.

On the second buck I was standing on a little ridge when all of a sudden a good sized buck came running up the trail directly at me.

It really was a split second decision.  As he ran within a few feet of me I leaned back and drew, all in one motion.  I hit him but I hit all bone. The three blade broadhead collapsed on one edge and the arrow bounced back at me.  I literally took one step and picked up the arrow,

So I would say it depends on the circumstances, but  my inclination now would be to pass on the shot.