Author Topic: How to stop deer? (Read 1389 times)

anweis · « **on:** September 18, 2009, 02:34:25 AM »

Ok, i can shoot very well, but not at moving targets. I am practicing that, but in the mean time i need know how to stop deer for a shot? I will be hunting from a tree stand, and i know that there are deer calls out there. Which call should i try? Any advice? Thanks.

T/Chmr · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2009, 02:47:19 AM »

If stopping one for a shot is all you are after....a loud whistle, quick shout, hey!!! or even a loud baahhh!!! sound will stop them most of the time. The key is one quick sound just to get their attention. Save the money for the mount. Happy hunting

ctrout · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2009, 06:20:56 AM »

I'll add that shooting at a moving animal is a controversial ethical topic so I'll put in my two cents now. If the animal is moving slowly as in walking/grazing, the animal is within easy range, and you have practiced as you are doing, then I don't see a problem taking the shot. For an experienced shotgunner, jumpshooting deer with buckshot at close range is also acceptable. In MY OPINION, rifle shooters who have not practiced, are shooting at long ranges, or shooting at any running animal, have no business taking a shot at the moving animal. The ONE general exception would be an animal that has already been hit and you need to put him down with a follow-up shot. There may be other case by case exceptions but I think that my opinion is pretty common across the hunting fraternity.

mannyrock · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2009, 04:07:00 PM »

Yes, I agree, it is very easy to stop a deer. Either give one loud whistle, or make one loud low-pitched "uuuuhg" sound from your throat, and they will stop dead in their tracks. Don't fumble around with a deer call to stop them. You don't need it.

But, you will only have about 5 to 8 seconds to shoot, so be sure that your rifle is up, and secure, with the safety off, and the deer in the scope or sights before you make the sound. Remember, even though they will have stopped, they will be totally jumpy and alert, trying to locate the predator.

The closer they are, then the less loud your noise should be. If they are really close (under 50 yards), and you make it too loud, then they will be startled and jump away. What you want to do is to make it loud enough for them to hear it and be curious, but not to scare them, and then they will stop to look and investigate. They are very curious animals.

And, very importantly, if the deer should throw up its tail and run away at the sound, then don't panic and don't shoot. 9 times out of 10, the deer will stop and look back within 50 yards, to see if anything is chasing him. Just relax and be ready to shoot when he stops and looks back.

Regards,

Mannyrock

wareagleguy · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2009, 03:24:56 PM »

If you are hunting with a gun any noise will stop it.

NEVER do it bowhunting unless you are a full draw first. 9 times out of 10 the deer will stop during the draw.

It would not be a bad idea to only make a noise to stop the animal AFTER you are on it with whatever weapon of choice.

anweis · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2009, 02:34:09 AM »

Thank you for your replies.
About ethics: that is why i am here and asking.

ccoker · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2009, 03:37:59 AM »

I have done the whistle thing a bunch
if they are in a flat out run (startled) it usually doesn't work, but if they are just trotting along...
whistle, WHACK!

sitting in a truck last year I saw some does trotting along with 2 bucks in chase
got ready and was just about to whistle and I hear "HONK"
my dad tapped the horn and the bigger buck stopped and looked right at us
270 to the chest at about 150 yards and it was game over

fr3db3ar · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2009, 04:00:49 AM »

I'm sorry.....did you just say you shot one from a truck?? Is that legal where you come from?

yooper77 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2009, 05:13:28 AM »

Quote from: ccoker on September 23, 2009, 03:37:59 AM

I have done the whistle thing a bunch
if they are in a flat out run (startled) it usually doesn't work, but if they are just trotting along...
whistle, WHACK!

sitting in a truck last year I saw some does trotting along with 2 bucks in chase
got ready and was just about to whistle and I hear "HONK"
my dad tapped the horn and the bigger buck stopped and looked right at us
270 to the chest at about 150 yards and it was game over

Quote from: fr3db3ar on September 23, 2009, 04:00:49 AM

I'm sorry.....did you just say you shot one from a truck?? Is that legal where you come from?

I don’t know of any state that would legally allow this type of hunting, unless a handicap permit is issued.

yooper77

snapcrackpop · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2009, 07:33:46 AM »

You can sit in a truck (say at lunch time), just can't shoot from a truck (and the gun stays outside if loaded).
Also can't shoot down or across a road.

Graybeard · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2009, 11:10:21 AM »

Legal here in Bama so long as you follow all the restrictions. It's not for paved highways obviously but woods roads even on public road it's OK. You must be off the road proper and must not shoot at deer in the road or on the other side of the road from you. You can't shoot onto or across the road but shooting from your truck is OK as I said with limitations.

BTW an anvil dropped on a deer's head from above is an excellent way to stop a deer.

Gun Runner · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2009, 01:37:44 PM »

Last one I stopped was with my P/U

Gun Runner

billy_56081 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2009, 01:50:38 PM »

If the deer is walking slowly and off guard I shoot em as they walk. I only try to stop a fast mover. Once stopped they are on high alert and are more likely to jump the string.

Ranger J · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2009, 01:55:43 PM »

It all depends on the deer. Last year a doe went trotting by my stand at about 100 yds and I did my best 'deer bleat' and she just kept going. A short time later I learned why as a medium size buck was in pursuit and evidently she was less than interested in his advances. He on the other hand stopped dead still at my call and I gave him a ride home in my truck.

RJ

hillbill · « **Reply #14 on:** September 23, 2009, 02:38:20 PM »

do not over estimate a deers hearing ability. ive experimented with this with a grunt call. if there is much wind they are lucky to hear yu at much over 75 yrds at all.we have a lot of wind here dureing deer season and it sometimes is hard to make one hear yu.

mannyrock · « **Reply #15 on:** September 23, 2009, 04:32:21 PM »

That's why I suggest the loud whistle. It is higher pitched than a grunt call, will easily carry 200 yards, and the deer will stop.

Mannyrock

ccoker · « **Reply #16 on:** September 23, 2009, 04:41:42 PM »

legal in TX on private property
not driving around and shooting off a road!

Savage .250 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 25, 2009, 02:18:01 AM »

Dog whistle...silent type.

jhm · « **Reply #18 on:** September 25, 2009, 03:21:42 AM »

It is LEGAL in Arkansas on private property also, many a time I have deer hunter in bad weather in a $30,000 deer stand, but dont like to make it a practice of doing in the early part of the season. Jim

Halwg · « **Reply #19 on:** September 25, 2009, 04:23:46 AM »

Quote from: ccoker on September 23, 2009, 03:37:59 AM

I have done the whistle thing a bunch
if they are in a flat out run (startled) it usually doesn't work, but if they are just trotting along...
whistle, WHACK!

sitting in a truck last year I saw some does trotting along with 2 bucks in chase
got ready and was just about to whistle and I hear "HONK"
my dad tapped the horn and the bigger buck stopped and looked right at us
270 to the chest at about 150 yards and it was game over

In WV that will get you a fine and some time in the local lock-up. Plus lose your hunting license, gun, and possibly the truck.

charles p · « **Reply #20 on:** September 25, 2009, 09:52:41 AM »

Whenever you have a jam, they will always stop. Same occurs when fire your last round or are reloading the weapon.

mannyrock · « **Reply #21 on:** September 25, 2009, 02:42:20 PM »

I don't like the idea at all, but in Mississippi in the late fall, it was standard for farmers to cruise out into their 200 acre bean fields in their pick up trucks about 45 minutes before sun down, (the muddy roads that go around the edges of the field), and sit in those roads in the truck, smoking a cigarette, with the window rolled down, and with their rifle in hand, waiting for a buck to step into the field from the opposite side of the field (from the edge of the woods), and shoot through the window. Very productive "hunting."

Mannyrock

hillbill · « **Reply #22 on:** September 28, 2009, 02:27:30 PM »

they jus mite be sik of the deer chowing down on their crops. the profit margin in farming is not that great anymore let me tell yu.if yu got 10 deer in your 200 acre soybean patch every night and they eat even what wud amount to 1 bushel of beans per nite thats anywhere from 4 to 10 buks out of your pocket per day.i think they paid the dues.mind yu now ,they are eatin my alfalfa rite now, im watchin them as we speak and i do nothing.if times were a lil tighter i mite tho.

mannyrock · « **Reply #23 on:** September 29, 2009, 08:42:11 AM »

Hillbill,

Yes, they caused major crop damage, but not so much from eating the fully developed bean pods off of the mature plants. Worse, they liked to go into the fields just after the plant sprouts were about 4 inches high, and just walk down the rows and snip those sprouts off one, by one, by one, destroying hundreds of plants every night, before they ever had a chance to get started.

Interestingly, if there was a good acorn crop in the Fall, and they were all falling to the ground, then the deer left the mature bean pods alone. They much preferred acorns to soybeans (which was bad for hunting, because it mean't that they wouldn't come out of the woods and stand in the fields.) They also preferred acorns to standing corn.

In the summers when we had droughts, then we knew that hunting in the bean and corn fields would be really good, because there would be little or no acorns that Fall. All I had to do was to plant about 1/4 acre of corn in late June in the field, about 50 yard from my stand (by just tilling the ground real well with a tiller, and then broadcasting the seed by hand), and the deer would come in there every afternoon to get the ears of corn.

Mannyrock

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #24 on:** September 29, 2009, 09:23:45 AM »

We shoot deer on the run with rifles , we hunt with dogs and they don't just poke by more often than not they run like their tail is on fire and their head is catching .
If you want to learn to shoot moving deer get an old tire , cut some card board to fill the hole .get a friend to roll it down a hill from a safe place . When your friend is clear shoot at the rolling tire until you can hit it on demand near the center . You can do almost as well with a tire set up the same swinging from a tree . Make sure of a safe back stop .
if you want to stop a deer then give it a reason to stop , give it a reason to come in the first place . Plant a food plot where you can , use scent and if legal bait might work .
Hunting is alot more than going to a class , getting a lic. then a trip to wallyworld for hunting stuff . You need to scout new areas ( many hunt the same stands for years and know what to expect ) , place stands in good areas and pratice with your weapon year round . Know where the deer eat , drink and rest . Know how they get from place to place . Deer don't just run they do so for a reason ( like dogs ) be aware of why and get in a position that would cause them to slow or stop . Alot od deer will check up or stop before crossing a field . Some stop after crossing one . Others will stop before crossing a creek or river . Know where these places are and set up there if possible .

Calls work / don't work . depends on the type and level of the noise the deer are used to . If the deer seldom hear strange noise one might cause them to take off . If they live in high noise areas they may stop and try to locate the cause .
good luck