I was told once that a deer missed would turn and run back in the general direction it came from. A deer hit would continue on in the direction it was traveling. I would say, as I think about the deer I've killed, probably 75 percent of those I killed ended up continuing on in their direction of travel after the shot. What has been the gang's experience?
Myth or truth
- Thread starter huvrman
- Start date
I've had them do everything under the sun, from run back, keep going straight, jump in rivers or ponds, and had one even run almost ten feet up a leaning tree during its death run. No telling what they'll do.
60% of the time….. works every time…..
I've had 2 run towards me and die right below my tree.
Plateau Hunter
Well-Known Member
They almost never improve their position as far as the drag out goes…lolol…in my deep holler country they tend to run down into the deepest, steepest holler…lol
Over the years I've had 3 run out of my life lol
But I can't say there is a specific pattern of deer I've killed.
But I can't say there is a specific pattern of deer I've killed.
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fairchaser
Well-Known Member
Usually they run toward the thickest nastiest cover they can find. If that cover is near a ditch or water, even better. I think that's a natural survival tendency to hide until they can decide their next move. I've seen them run out in the open too but I think they are just running dead and aren't really thinking. I've had them run straight at me. I believe that's from the echo of the rifle's report. They rarely run toward the truck unfortunately!
Buck I killed 2 years ago did a 180 and headed back the way he came. The buck I killed last year took off the same way he was headed. No rhyme or reason that I know of.
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
Myth. I've seen them do anything and everything. Some tendencies when hit Is all but mainly how they act not where they run.
My experience every time!
Both in my experience. But, another "myth" that I've seen busted time and time again is that a hit deer will run downhill every time. The biggest buck I've ever killed was with a ML, and after the shot, he not only turned back the way he came, he turned upward, and straight up the steepest incline on my property, all the way to the top. He stood there looking around for a few seconds, then began stiff legging it on over the ridge. I thought I had clean missed him. If it weren't for the last couple of seconds I saw him before he went out of sight I would have sworn that I had missed, but his tail began twitching fast from side to side as he disappeared, and I thought I saw him a little unsteady. He made it another 60 yards or so on over the ridge before laying down like a dog and dying. I had to start the tracking where I shot him at, and no sign to start with, other than a small white tuft of hair. I only found blood 20-30 yards on up the hill, as I followed the ground tracks that he had torn up so badly. It was a good day. 
But the drag out nearly kilt me.
But the drag out nearly kilt me.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Myth.....
How and where they run may depend some on the hit though. I have shot coyotes with deer in my field, only to have the deer jerk their heads up, then go right back to what they were doing. Have also shot deer with other deer in the field and the deer that were not shot did not take off, which might indicate the deer that were "missed" did not react to the shot by running in any direction. Have shot several deer that mule kicked and took off hard in the direction they were going, but probably have had half as many change directions and go back the direction they came from.
Last several I have shot would lend no data to the theory/myth, they dropped in their tracks.
How and where they run may depend some on the hit though. I have shot coyotes with deer in my field, only to have the deer jerk their heads up, then go right back to what they were doing. Have also shot deer with other deer in the field and the deer that were not shot did not take off, which might indicate the deer that were "missed" did not react to the shot by running in any direction. Have shot several deer that mule kicked and took off hard in the direction they were going, but probably have had half as many change directions and go back the direction they came from.
Last several I have shot would lend no data to the theory/myth, they dropped in their tracks.
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Dennis
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2019
- Messages
- 832
Definitely a myth. A lot of dead unrecovered deer are from shots where the shooter assumed he missed.
Plateau Hunter
Well-Known Member
Shot this doe several years ago about 30 yards from waterfall/bluff rim with a muzzle loader…good chest shot, she stumbled, fell, slid in the leaves right to the very edge…laying on her side a final kick pushed her right over followed by a big splash…oh hell…
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Winchester
Well-Known Member
Myth as for being 100% but sure both happen on occasion.
Looks like a very familiar spot
TNCharlie
Well-Known Member
I've had them run back, the way they were headed, run straight at me - you just never know. This morning I had one do something I had never witnessed before.
A buck eased out of some thick stuff into a shooting lane I cleared in the late summer. He was walking at a medium pace and I knew that I could get a shot if I didn't hesitate. I took the shot and he bolted straight ahead into more thick stuff. I felt like that I had hit him and thought that I would wait a bit and go check for blood. Took my time, reloaded, and just sat for a couple of minutes. All of a sudden the buck came crashing out of the brush to the spot where I had shot at him, ran headlong back into the thick stuff where I had first seen him, jumped behind a tree and fell over and started kicking up leaves and dirt, and then all was still and quiet.
I guess that you could say he went in both directions.
I have no idea why he suddenly ran back after initially running forward. I followed the blood trail to see how far he went before turning back - about 20-30 yards. I found a spot where he had apparently stopped because there was lots of blood and nothing beyond. I suppose he was just hurt and dying and did the instinctive thing for a deer to do - run like heck.
A buck eased out of some thick stuff into a shooting lane I cleared in the late summer. He was walking at a medium pace and I knew that I could get a shot if I didn't hesitate. I took the shot and he bolted straight ahead into more thick stuff. I felt like that I had hit him and thought that I would wait a bit and go check for blood. Took my time, reloaded, and just sat for a couple of minutes. All of a sudden the buck came crashing out of the brush to the spot where I had shot at him, ran headlong back into the thick stuff where I had first seen him, jumped behind a tree and fell over and started kicking up leaves and dirt, and then all was still and quiet.
I guess that you could say he went in both directions.
I have no idea why he suddenly ran back after initially running forward. I followed the blood trail to see how far he went before turning back - about 20-30 yards. I found a spot where he had apparently stopped because there was lots of blood and nothing beyond. I suppose he was just hurt and dying and did the instinctive thing for a deer to do - run like heck.
Myth , no ryhm no reason a lot of times . Heard deer shot won't run up hill , wrong see MUP's response I shot a spike with a bow clean through the heart once and he not only ran up hill he walked in hill , tail down you know their hit , wrong I've had them act like they wasn't hurt at all, most will run in the direction they are headed but not always . I've even waited until the deer is on the position I wanted him in before I shot only to turn 180 especially when hunting in steep terrain. All myths 
Shot at a big 6 down in the bottom of a hollow, not good light yet due to the depth and killed something beside a deer with the first shot, it jumped forward and revered coarse, came back towards me where I sealed the deal, I suspect it couldn't tell where the shot came from.
That moment when you are saying "don't,don't,don't, oh, you did!"
