The 2024-25 Bambi Whacking Thread

[RRomig]

Stopping deer is a mixed bag. I used to always try and do that when bow hunting. Now, I rarely do. The further away the deer is, the less you want to stop them. Especially when Xbow hunting. Why? Because the further away it is, the more time it gets to react to the sound of your bow going off. You've just stopped the deer by making a noise. Now he is on edge.

I don't stop close deer either, if I can help it. I prefer to just give it a little lead. He won't have much time to react to my shot inside 15 yards.

Ultimately, I want to watch the deer and wait for him to stop on its own. Before a deer begins to move again, he will flick his tail. That its tell.

When bow hunting, always aim at the bottom third of its chest. Basically, the heart. That way, if it does react to the sound of your shot, you will still likely score a double lung hit as it drops down to load its legs to escape the danger.
Think of a sprinter in his starter blocks. You don't start a sprint standing straight up. Same with deer.

I will stop deer while gun hunting sometimes. That's an all together different situation. I will still wait to see if the deer will stop on its own, but if not, a little grunt will often do the trick.

Yep
I never stop deer. Get a feel for their gate and plan the shot. If your too focused on the vitals on a moving deer and haven’t planned your shot you may pivot right into cover.

 

[wilcam47]

Stopping deer is a mixed bag. I used to always try and do that when bow hunting. Now, I rarely do. The further away the deer is, the less you want to stop them. Especially when Xbow hunting. Why? Because the further away it is, the more time it gets to react to the sound of your bow going off. You've just stopped the deer by making a noise. Now he is on edge.

I don't stop close deer either, if I can help it. I prefer to just give it a little lead. He won't have much time to react to my shot inside 15 yards.

Ultimately, I want to watch the deer and wait for him to stop on its own. Before a deer begins to move again, he will flick his tail. That its tell.

When bow hunting, always aim at the bottom third of its chest. Basically, the heart. That way, if it does react to the sound of your shot, you will still likely score a double lung hit as it drops down to load its legs to escape the danger.
Think of a sprinter in his starter blocks. You don't start a sprint standing straight up. Same with deer.

I will stop deer while gun hunting sometimes. That's an all together different situation. I will still wait to see if the deer will stop on its own, but if not, a little grunt will often do the trick.

Sage advice^^

Ive stopped one once...but only because i spooked him from his bedding spot. But it was during rifle season

 

[lazarus]

Stopping deer is a mixed bag. I used to always try and do that when bow hunting. Now, I rarely do. The further away the deer is, the less you want to stop them. Especially when Xbow hunting. Why? Because the further away it is, the more time it gets to react to the sound of your bow going off. You've just stopped the deer by making a noise. Now he is on edge.

I don't stop close deer either, if I can help it. I prefer to just give it a little lead. He won't have much time to react to my shot inside 15 yards.

Ultimately, I want to watch the deer and wait for him to stop on its own. Before a deer begins to move again, he will flick his tail. That its tell.

When bow hunting, always aim at the bottom third of its chest. Basically, the heart. That way, if it does react to the sound of your shot, you will still likely score a double lung hit as it drops down to load its legs to escape the danger.
Think of a sprinter in his starter blocks. You don't start a sprint standing straight up. Same with deer.

I will stop deer while gun hunting sometimes. That's an all together different situation. I will still wait to see if the deer will stop on its own, but if not, a little grunt will often do the trick.

Exactly what I do.

Not like I got the suggestions from you or anything...



But it for the most part works for me. The only time I try to stop a deer now bow hunting (and yes, I still only have an xbow) is if they are in some sort of cover and my only option is to shoot them through a gap so I need them stopped in the gap. Either I give a little lead, or I don't shoot unless or until they stop on their own. I only give a little lead if they are close. If they aren't pretty close, then I let them walk if they aren't going to stop on their own.

Rifle/ML I'll certainly try to stop the there if I think there isn't any chance it'll stop on its own.

 

[Jerry M]

Not exactly Bambi, but a quick trip to Spain. Free ranging Fallow deer and wild boar.

 

[BigCountry14]

Not exactly Bambi, but a quick trip to Spain. Free ranging Fallow deer and wild boar.

Very nice!

 

[outrider58]

Not exactly Bambi, but a quick trip to Spain. Free ranging Fallow deer and wild boar.

Very nice Fallow deer Jerry!

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Not exactly Bambi, but a quick trip to Spain. Free ranging Fallow deer and wild boar.

Like a ginormous mutant Bambi fawn.

Great pics.

 

[RRomig]

Not exactly Bambi, but a quick trip to Spain. Free ranging Fallow deer and wild boar.

Great hunt. I imagine that smile will last for days

 

[AlBeight]

Not exactly Bambi, but a quick trip to Spain. Free ranging Fallow deer and wild boar.

Sweet! You’ll need to see a doctor about having that smile removed. Definitely think you enjoyed that, thanks for sharing.

 

[MeatGrinder]

NM
GMU 42
160 yard

 

[308Scout]

NM
GMU 42
160 yard

Nice! Pronghorns are on my eventual hunt list. How's the meat?

 

[outrider58]

NM
GMU 42
160 yard

Congrats Mac!

 

[MeatGrinder]

Nice! Pronghorns are on my eventual hunt list. How's the meat?

Other antelope have tasted fine, no big deal. This was a young one. I was targeting any legal buck and that's what I got. The ranch that I am on is only a few thousand acres, so being picky would not be wise. Of course, I did see bigger ones later.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Why aren't you in your stand, gwchem? I came to see you...

View attachment 489037

HAHA bro gwchem

 

[CaptainAwesome]

Urban visitor

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

You should be able to shoot well past legal light with that scope!

(relax everybody, it was an old joke...)

I got it right off.

 

[wilcam47]

Deer vanished here...guess theres acorns elswhere...threw some throw and grow out in the meantime

 

[AlBeight]

Urban visitorView attachment 492498

Cool picture

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

I admit having made that mistake myself. Not that I didn't search for sign. If I've tracked a deer I shot at for a couple hundred yards without any sign of blood, I'll write it off to a miss, only to find a dead deer a week later 400 yards away. It happens.

I sadly lost one deer about 10 years ago despite a good blood trail. It was late afternoon and I was able to trace the trail in the leaves until the worst case happened, the blood trail stopped. I even called in a friend to help me track it. We were out there several hours and no luck even when we looked in the field of the farm next to my hunting property.

I went back 1st thing the next morning as well and more of the same.

Another time, my buddy and I were hunting this same property but as we mostly did, hunted in the woods.
We struck out, but on our way back up the field, we found a dead deer lying in the middle of the field, shot in the azz.
He tells me he thinks this was the same deer he and his youth son saw days before. He figured that someone on one of the neighboring properties shot it and lost it over on our side.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Urban visitorView attachment 492498

Nice lookin!!!!!

Also, when I have hunted Bow. MY broadheads are Thunderheads. I never tried any mechanicals like the Rage ones mentioned previously.