Author Topic: Do deer do the "jump and kick" when you miss? (Read 3136 times)

jpuke · « **on:** January 04, 2011, 01:51:23 AM »

I was humbled by the gods of marksmanship last night for the first time in my deer hunting career. I started hunting back in 2004 and got my first deer in 2006 so I'm still fairly inexperienced, and up until last night I hadn't missed a deer. (8 rounds fired, 6 deer taken) I decided to use my Blackhawk 45 colt last night because my stand location limits shots to about 40-50 yards and just after the sun went down two does walked by. I let the first one pass because it was smaller and took a shot at the second from 35 yards away but I think I missed clean. She did the jump and kick like I'd hit her but she then casually walked 30 yards behind some cover where all I could see was her head so I couldn't take another shot. She stood there for about 5 minutes looking around and then slowly walked off to the north. I got out of the stand and check the spot where I should have hit her and couldn't find any blood, not a drop there or in the direction she traveled or at the spot she stood.

I've replayed it in my mind and I think I missed her because I must have jerked the trigger and shot under her. I saw snow kick up and at the time figured that it was a pass through shot but now I'm convinced I missed her cleanly.

Will deer kick even when you miss?

Should I change stand locations tonight? I did my best to not spook the deer after the shot and from the way they casually walked away I think I might be able to go back tonight - any advice or knowledge shared would be appreciated.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2011, 05:22:29 AM »

Apparently so. I "shot" a doe, mid-body and behind the shoulders, with a 270 rifle, 150 grain Nosler Partition, within 30 yards, off of a steady rest. She kicked and took off like a scalded dog. I followed her until she disappeared into the trees and moguls of ravines. I went to the spot where she stood and found nothing. No hair, no blood, no meat, no bone. I searched for three (3) hours until after DARK and found NOTHING. Days later I went back expecting to find a carcass. Instead I found NOTHING once again.

So, from a statistically insignificant population of one, and yours makes two, I would say YES, they kick even when NOT SHOT.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2011, 07:12:47 AM »

Deer do different things when shot at . With my 7X30 waters they all seem to flinch every shot standing walking or running . I seldom notice this with other rounds. Deer often duck down then spring as they take off. Its not always easy to see but many times an animal will look at where they are hit , I guess to see what is biting them bears bite at it. Most deer that have been shot don't stand like a healthy deer they look different , It can be hard to detect if you don't have a good view.
Also I would suggest you shoot at the time of the shot to see if your sights were the same , if you were using iron sights. When using iron sights light changes can change sights as you see them .

dukkillr · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2011, 07:44:29 AM »

I would say no.

chefjeff · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2011, 07:56:29 AM »

Probably not about 98% of the time.But then anything is possible in the deer woods.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2011, 09:21:39 AM »

Never say never regarding what a deer will or won't do.

But so far I've never seen one do the "jump and kick" that wasn't mortally wounded. I'd be inclined to say it's out there somewhere dead you've just not found it yet. If you make a high shot as opposed to a lower heart or lung shot it can take quite awhile for blood to show up on the ground.

It "should" be visible at the point the animal was standing IF the bullet exits but you might not always find it there.

If it runs off like a scalded dog with it's white flag waving goodbye at you most likely ya missed. Otherwise I'd go on the assumption you hit the deer and act accordingly. Not all hits are fatal and not all fatal hits are immediately so.

Most all double lung or heart shot deer I've killed have fallen inside 100 yards of the spot it stood when hit as do liver hit deer. Single lung hits they can go a lot further as my first even bow killed buck proved to me by running 300-400 yards before falling still alive but unable to rise.

Still once I am sure I double lunged a buck with an arrow once and the amount of blood I found told me it couldn't possibly have enough left to continue but I never found it regardless. The buck fell three or four times and struggle to rise as was obvious from the sign at the spots. There looked to be almost a pint of blood at each of those falls and it bled profusely of lung blood from start to last fall spot.

After that last fall there was no clear evidence it struggled to its feet and the blood trail from there was spotty at best. I lost the trail completel almost a half mile away and it was going up a rather steep hill side. There is no way a deer that lost that much blood should be going uphill.

My thoughts are that someone else was in the woods along the path it took and saw it fall that last time and knowing someone would be along shortly tracking it got it and headed out of there as fast as they could. I waited about 30 minutes to begin tracking which would have given them time to get a good head start on me and once dead the deer would have bled little as it was being taken away. That's a theory but is what to me best fits the facts as I know them.

yukondog · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2011, 12:30:53 PM »

If the deer were not spooked and you sliped out I would hunt it again, as far as the deer goes they can do amazing things sometimes when hit, I seen them go right down from a bad shot and seen them go 100 yrds. from a very good shot. After your hunt when its light you might follow the trail she took and find her at least if you find it you can look at your shot placement. I'v never seen one jump at a miss, but you never know.

jpuke · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2011, 02:03:03 PM »

I feel really terrible now. I went back to my stand today and along the trail there I found a freshly chewed deer leg. It was near enough to the scene from last night that I think I did make a good (maybe only good enough) hit. I still had no luck finding what remained of the deer, I'm pretty sure the coyotes found it.

I convinced myself that I'd missed but I still have a mental picture of when I fired and seeing hair move on the deer right behind the should where I was aiming, and then snow kicking up behind it. Not sure if my memory is getting worse or better as I keep playing it out in my mind.

The property owner has about 25 acres of 6' tall grass to the east of my stand and I think the deer might be out there. What does anyone know about coyotes? Will they drag parts away from the carcass and do you think I'll find the deer close to where I found the leg?

dukkillr · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2011, 04:36:05 PM »

Unless it's a trophy buck I'd think you're done looking. There won't be any meat fit for human consumption by now. There are lots of deer in the woods and a lost one will happen to any hunter eventually.

One tip about tall grass: With a rifle, when the deer goes out of sight walk to that spot. Don't look where you shot, often there won't be anything. Go to the last place you could see it. Mark it like a dove or a duck, down to the foot, and walk straight there without taking your eyes off the spot.

243dave · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2011, 07:26:13 PM »

If you found no blood that 45cal slug did not exit more than likely. Jacketed bullets in the colt don't always exit unless they are stoutly constructed. Use a 300gr bullet, I love the 300gr XTP mags but they may be a bit too stout at 45colt pistol velocities and not expand but they will definately exit regardless of angle. The regular 300gr XTP would be a good one at pistol velocities. By the way, what bullet did you use?? Dave

jpuke · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2011, 11:57:53 PM »

The bullet was from RCBS mold 45-270-SAA, casts at 280 grains for me. (This bullet is a slightly heavier, Keith-type semi-wadcutter) Chronographed velocity was 900 fps. I'll be bumping the velocity up for next year.

DANNY-L · « **Reply #11 on:** January 05, 2011, 12:43:33 AM »

I've seen it also and I took it that it was one of those cases"close but no cigar" I've also seen them take a good hit and give no reaction. Ya really never know what they'll do. This also applies to bow hunting.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2011, 01:59:33 AM »

Yes they do do the jump kick when you miss at times. I had a client that had oned do that when he shot under it. I have also had 2 different does do that when I shot under them with my ow.

yukondog · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2011, 02:29:32 PM »

Dont beat your-self up about it, you at least tried to find it, I dont think there is a '' real'' hunter out here that has not missed, lost or made a bad shot. You gave it your best, now get out there and try again.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 05, 2011, 04:44:07 PM »

Yep, we all miss.

Matt3357 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 05, 2011, 05:08:52 PM »

Yeah they do jump sometimes. I shot at one three years ago at about 50 yards in broad daylight with my slug gun at the time. I got a bit of buck fever and missed it. The buck jumped and headed right towards me, I shot again and it jumped again and took off. We looked forever and never found anything. I checked my scope and was shooting about 2 inches high at 50 yards so it was all me. Fortunately for me, I got a second chance the next morning and took him at 162 yards and now his rack is hanging on my wall. (I know 162 yards is far, but it sure doesn't seem that far from a 20 foot tripod)

Matt

montveil · « **Reply #16 on:** January 08, 2011, 05:32:05 AM »

Could it be, when a miss occurs and a deer jumps, could the bullet impact with the ground etc cause the deer to react by jumping? Also the shockwave and report from the bullet may also cause a startled reaction. The crack from a supersonic bullet near one can be quite a surprise.

buck460XVR · « **Reply #17 on:** January 08, 2011, 05:53:14 AM »

Quote from: jpuke on January 04, 2011, 01:51:23 AM

She did the jump and kick like I'd hit her but she then casually walked 30 yards behind some cover where all I could see was her head so I couldn't take another shot. She stood there for about 5 minutes looking around and then slowly walked off to the north. I got out of the stand and check the spot where I should have hit her and couldn't find any blood, not a drop there or in the direction she traveled or at the spot she stood.

I've had deer jump when missed with gun and bow. I never had a deer once shot, mortality wounded or not, casually walk away, stand somewhere for 5 minutes without leaving one drop of blood and then walk away into the sunset as if nuttin' happened. You didn't hit her, nor did you even give her a good scare.

bja105 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 02, 2011, 04:03:51 PM »

Deer and horses are both hooved prey animals with powerful hind legs and sharp hooves as their primary defense. Both will blindly kick if startled at close range. Sneak up behind a horse with your rifle and shoot, if you doubt me! Wear a helmet.

I had a doe I missed with my bow at close range do the kick, even though the arrow never touched her.

bigbird09 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 02, 2011, 04:42:21 PM »

While my experience is extremely limited, especially compared to most here, I will say that I have seen it once. The round stuck a couple feet behind where the deer was standing, you could have drove a car under the deer it jumped so high. Also want to put up that a friend shoot a buck in a field with a .50cal frontstuffer and had the deer run about 150 or so yard before piling up, the only reason he found it was because it never left the field and he watched it drop, never did find any blood.

gstewart44 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 15, 2011, 05:45:52 AM »

Quote from: jpuke on January 04, 2011, 02:03:03 PM

What does anyone know about coyotes? Will they drag parts away from the carcass and do you think I'll find the deer close to where I found the leg?

I can tell you my experience with hungry and aggressive coyotes in Jawja....Thanksgiving morning 2009 I was out hunting, and walking down a trail about a mile from my truck. I came upon an area of tall grass that had been pushed down and saw fresh blood on it. I walked about 10 more feet and saw a huge, old 8 pt buck laying in the grass, just expired. He had the front of his chest blown open by what appeared to be a highpower rifle shot. Mind you it did not hit any deep vitals, basically nicked the lungs and took out part of the front of the ribcage.....there was just a fist size hole just below the neck and shoulder. I figured it had come from the club on the other side of the creek from our lease, and that was 3/4 mile away.

I took a picture of the deer, then walked back to get my truck. It was about 30 minutes before I was able to get back to the deer and in that half hour coyotes had disembowelled the deer - the intestines were drug out and pulled away from the body, the internal organs were already eaten, one rear leg was almost detatched and half the ham was missing. Still fresh uncoagulated blood was all around. At this point I cut off the head to take backe to camp and noticed the tongue had been chewed off.
I went back to the spot 24 hours later and the only thing left was a pile of fur. Between the coyotes and buzzards everthing else was gone. Amazing disposal.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #21 on:** March 16, 2011, 11:18:05 AM »

You, Sir, have a coyote problem. If you are not too far away, I am working on a lead slinging 223 caliber disposal method for yotes and volunteer to help your cause, if you will have me in Predator Elimination mode.