Just How Twitchy Are Texas Deer?

[Trumpkin]

Alright, let me preface this by saying I'm an elk hunter. I've never fired an arrow at a deer, or come close to doing so.

I've heard you have to aim low on whitetail deer, especially here in Texas, most especially with a longbow. True or False? And if so, how low is low? What if I'm in a ground blind versus a tree stand? And assume this is public land deer hunting.

Stories and pictures would be great.

[dbpredator]

In for replies.

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[Grady_jones]

aim and the very base of there shoulder and when he ducks you have a lung shot

[DRT]

It really depends. The hill country lease I was in they never twitched until the arrow smacked them. In Young county they would juno the string. Depends on pressure and sometimes an individual deer.

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[huntingarcher]

In East Tx I have had them turn inside out,and some not move till the arrow hit them.I hunted a place in Uvalde that you had to aim where you thought they where going upon the shot.At my currant lease in Kimble county (hill country) they will stand stone still till arrow hits them.So I agree depends on the hunting pressure.

[speck1]

It all depends on the deer. Inside 15 yards it hasn't been a problem for me. I aim for the point of the elbow. I film every shot and watch it in slow motion. Axis deer drop and back up like the Matrix. I am still trying to perfect my shot on them. I aimed 2 inches below the first WT I ever shot at and that is exactly where I missed him. He didn't drop at all. I shot at a WT spike last season at 25 yards just to see what would happen. He dropped and rolled out of the way. Lesson learned for me. I won't shoot past 16-17 yards unless it is a pig. I am sure some of the guys on here are successful at much further distances. It all really comes down to how calm the deer are. I have never hunted public land WT so I can't give an opinion. My set up slings an arrow about 190-200fps.

[Bisch]

Just How Twitchy Are Texas Deer?

I too don't know squat about public land hunting, but I have killed a few deer in TX with a longbow. Bottom line is you just can't predict exactly when, or how much a deer is going to jump the string. Obviously, deer that are highly pressured or on full alert (read: he knows your there) are probably going to react more than calm or unpressured deer.

I aim a couple inches above the bottom of the deer. If I hit there, it's a heart shot. If he ducks, it's usually right thru the middle of both lungs.

Bisch


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[DWA]

All I know is that a deer can only drop as fast as gravity will take them. The heavier the animal. Faster the they drop. A nervous deer will almost always pull its feet up faster then a deer that's feeding

[Randy Madden]

I do what Bisch said, I aim at the heart. No drop no problem, if they do you'll still most likely get a double lung. Either way dead is dead. Now if I just plain miss or make a bad shot I always find something to blame it on!

[SwampRabbit]

They are cool and calm until the thought rolls into your mind that you are going to kill them. They have an uncanny way of matching your heart rate and anxiety.

[Dry Bones]

I aimed low last season on a spike with my longbow. Fortunately I did get the bottom of the heart and he did not go far. But he never moved until the arrow had passed through.
Point is, I always shoot where I want to hit, lower third, and never take a shot much over 15 with my longbow on deer. I missed a buck twice last season that was about 20 yards, which is why I quit trying at that distance. Shot under the first time, he came back, then got nervous and shanked one well over his back. Was not hunting a feeder, just had a lot of hot doe's close.

[Hunter Todd]

I aimed low last season on a spike with my longbow. Fortunately I did get the bottom of the heart and he did not go far. But he never moved until the arrow had passed through.
Point is, I always shoot where I want to hit, lower third, and never take a shot much over 15 with my longbow on deer. I missed a buck twice last season that was about 20 yards, which is why I quit trying at that distance. Shot under the first time, he came back, then got nervous and shanked one well over his back. Was not hunting a feeder, just had a lot of hot doe's close.

This ^^^

[Trumpkin]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Sounds like I'm gonna be just fine. I like aiming right above the elbow on elk, so there's nothing new to remember!

[smokin feathers]

Every deer acts different!!

[M.E.B.]

The main problem with deer jumping the string is that they do not only drop THEY TURN.