Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting How many have you killed with a running shot?

I have lost count. Some were moving slowly, some were at a fast walk, a few were at a dead run, and the only one I missed completely was bounding. The fact that I had a factured wrist may have had something to do with the fact that I missed him.
I shot one last year that I'm sure I hit, but never found. Since he wasn't pushed and kept walking for 2-3 miles, I suspect he wasn't hit that badly. I'll know when I draw another tag for the area. He leaves tracks that I can recognize.
I'd far rather have a standing shot at a buck 400 plus yards out than one running at 100-200 yds. Unfortunately, the bucks I hunt don't stand around in the open and let people shoot at them.
In my prefered deer hunting area, I have to track them. Which means they are sitting in their beds, chewing their cuds and watching their back trail. While I have caught a couple in their beds unaware of me, most them are up and running before I know they are there.
So you either take a running shot, or get no shooting at all. E

6 that I can remember in 41 years of deer hunting.

Perry

Luck and shooting at animals don't mix in my world.

I"ve shot a the same running deer 4 times, hit her all 4 times. This in I cna't recall how many deer.

She was wounded is the ONLY reason I considered it, and she was close, as the shots were all with a 3 inch 45 acp in heavy brush as we trailed her.

If you practice moving though and get good I've no issues.

My issues are folks shooting at big bucks especially and on the move, and if you asked... would you attempt the same shot on a doe, the answer is heck no... that bothers me..

Nothign I can do about it though. As long as you are legal, thats all one can push really.

Only one or two in the thickets with 12ga buckshot, don't like it, and wont shoot at running deer with a rifle.

Have shot a couple that was trotting not really in a full run. One hit the ground and slid to a stop was DRT using a 7mm WSM was only about 15yds from me.

The other was using a 300 WSM a big doe was trotting away from me on the edge of a field and she was about to go down a heavily used trail to the right when she started to turn I shot, she went about 25yds and did a nose dive. Bullet entered about six inches behind her right shoulder and exited at the point of her left shoulder.

Me also... I've always been standing still... works a lot better...

I've taken several while they were running directly away from me...neck shots, just aimed over the tail at the seesawing head..
don't recommend it, if you plan on mounting the head...

after a summer of shooting sage rats, which run like a bat outta hell, stop, turn direction... skid to a halt, stand up and look around...BANG....4 or 5000 of those over the summer....taking down a running deer is actually pretty much childs play...

at 300 yds, a standing deer looks like a dump truck thru a 4 power scope...

varmint shooting a lot helps make shooting a running deer a lot easier in life...

One on a dead run. Missed with the first shot, got him the second time. He plowed snow for a good 8 feet. Never even twitched. Another one running, but it was wounded, so not making much speed. Several moving slow or trotting.

In almost 50 years of deer hunting I have shot 1 that was running. It was a close, straight away shot and I got lucky with what could be called a bull's eye. The deer was landing on its front legs and the angle of the shot caused the bullet to immediately enter the spine. It dropped the deer in its tracks, the deer wasn't gut shot and there was no external or internal evidence of a gun shot wound. It was the weirdest experience I've had while field dressing a deer.

That one shot, which was my second deer, convinced me that too much can happen, between the time I decide to pull the trigger and the bullet gets to the deer, for me to be taking a chance shooting at a running deer. I had to admit to myself that the "bulls eye" wasn't what I was aiming at. A couple of inches in nearly any direction could have resulted in a wounded and lost deer. I just don't want to kill a deer bad enough to risk that happening by doing something on purpose that has a high potential of failure.

I've killed a few running with a ML and rifle. There is something about swinging through a deer running by stretched out and having it tumble at the shot that is more fun than shooting one standing still. We used to hunt with hounds and still do a few deer drives.

I called it luck because i did not want to sound like i was bragging but luck is when preparation and opportunity meet.

Not sure how many I have shot running but never had a problem with it. I have shot a lot of skeet and I would say that helps.

Nothing running over 150 yards but plenty between there and about 30 yards.

I prefer a broadside standing shot but wouldn't turn down a running shot as long as I feel comfortable about it.

To answer the original question, lots. Samples:

All-out run @ ~150yds:



Rutting/trotting behind doe @ 300yds:



Full-run, 125yds:



Flushed from cattails, full run, 200yds:



Full-run pard had missed him twice, 275yds:



Full-run going almost dead away @ 100yds. Looks gut-shot, it was't. In behind the "knee" out just inside of it, back into the chest just behind the last rib and I found the slug under the hide on the off-side shoulder.



There are a bunch of does, at least one more bull elk, and a truckload of coyotes as well.

I often hunt with 6 other guys and we drive hollows and thickets for deer. Running and walking shots are typical. The common rifle for this group is the Remington slide action but I've had very good luck with my Marlin 35.

Sherwood

I don't really know how many but quite a few.

A couple but won't do it anymore. Here in this part of Maryland, we can't use a rifle, we have to use a shotgun with a slug. A 12ga slug will do an incredible amount of damage.

Back in day, when I was young and dumb, I used to use my Rem 1100 and would load up the magazine with 4 rounds and 1 in the chamber. My problem with that gun is when I'd start pulling the trigger, I always kept pulling it. One morning, I had a nice 8 point walking towards me but couldn't get a shot, there was too much stuff in between me and him. I had one last chance at him before he disappeared into the thicket. So I shot him. He ran under and past me full tilt. As he did, I started pulling the trigger...duka, duka, duka, duka. Hit him 4 more times.

Needless to say, there wasn't much left meat wise. Basically turned him into swizz cheese. That was the last time I did that. Not a good move.

After that, I bought an Encore. That way I have to think before I pull it a second time.

A better question would be how many have you missed or crippled. miles

For me none!

Fair question.

Missed clean on first shot 3 times. Two of those bucks offered follow up shots and were killed on second shots.Another i swung squarely into an out cropping half way to him.

One buck hit slightly behind diaphragm. Did not get a second shot. He was finished in his bed.

I was asked to assist on a running buck fired on by a companion,and thought to be hit. I hit him high on the back. He was recovered an hour later.

All the rest were quickly killed,first shot.Only two I recall got out of sight,maybe 40-50 yards(?)

Crippled/unrecovered? None.

These are bucks that were running, not walking/moving slowly. They are about as difficult as one that's standing.

You know what they say it's better to be pissed off than pissed on!