Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game What is the appeal of DRT?

I've been seeing this a lot lately. For those of you not in the know, DRT = Dead Right There. Maybe some people are using the term to mean one shot and the critter didn't go very far. However, to me, it means the animal dropped in its tracks. To accomplish a true DRT one either needs to do a head shot, a spine shot, or, a shoulder shot. I'm not saying that animals have never dropped on the spot from a heart shot or a lung shot; but, I've never seen it. I've seen where they haven't traveled very far; but, then we're possibly talking a subjective interpretation of the term DRT.

My question is, why is this desirable to some of you on non-dangerous game? Don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning anybody's choice and am not claiming it is in any way unethical. I'm also not claiming that my desire to attain a heart shot or a double lung shot is in any way superior. I do however believe (my opinion) that a heart shot or a double lung shot to be more desirable.

First, a spine or head shot is much more difficult with less room for error. Second, a shoulder shot destroys an awful lot of meat unnecessarily so. In over 35 years of shooting game animals I've only had two "DRT" shots and both were what I consider bad shots or at least significant misses of my aim point. Both occured while I was aiming for the heart or lungs. Both resulted in loss of meat that I regretted.

I'm not a total idiot (my wife may disagree). I can envision scenarios where a DRT shot would be desirable; but, some people "appear" to believe/assert it to be the desired means of obtaining their quarry regularly. Please enlighten me.

Thomas

For others it's the inability to track, laziness because it's shot closer to a road, Cool Factor, Big Ego, Youtube generation, Magnumitis, instant gratification and reward given small penile size...

Oh, then there's the slightly practical factor of not having to do any tracking, not having the game run off the property, fall off a cliff or get tangled in the high-fence

Next question!

Obviously you've never hunted in the east where any animal shot on public property that's not DRT will have someone elses tag on it before you get to it.

I've taken 35+ whitetails. 75% never went more than a few feet, and the majority of those (probably around 14 animals) never left the tracks they were standing in. The only time I've hit one in the spine was when I muffed the shot.

Besides, tracking out animals wastes time better spent on dragging them out of the woods.

Never hunted on public that bad. Do in E Texas, but I get away from the crowds and have never seen another hunter in the haunts I frequent.

I don't do DRT except cull hunts that are meat only, and those are all head shots generally. If I have the right situation. Makes for a nice deer to clean.

Past that its lungs. Let em run and bleed out.

I think the big thing now is all the videos showing them so folks think thats how it has to be.

And I've hunted in some thick S Texas brush, of course you have to trail a bit, but I've stated before, I love the puzzle of after the shot. Its part of the hunt to me. Maybe because I started mostly as a bowhunter.

Most people can't track these days anyway. Maybe a big blood trail but given a trail where doubles over itself a few times and not much blood if any, where you are following tracks, scuff marks and so on. Its taken us the full part of the rest of the day to find a deer now and then, the satisfaction level at the end of the day is so much more than a bang flop.

Jeff

Dude!! I've never had any animal that travelled over 85yards after being shot right. I've never ever heard of a deer or any other animal travelling more than 150 yards after being shot right. If you're within 150yards of another hunter, you're not hunting far enough in the eastern bush! Get away from the crowds of pumkin heads

There are 1 million Deer hunters in Pa. Rather crowded IMHO

I don't know what you mean by "right" but I have had several run from 100-150 yds with a double lung shot. There would be enough blood that a blind man could track them. miles

One million, most of whom are generally lazy: I read an article that said that most of them hunt within 1.5 miles of a road on public land. If you get access to private land or go further than 1.5 miles in the bush, I bet you'd hardly see a soul- or at least be more than 150 yards from another hunter!!

Yes, and at 100-150 yards with that kind of trail, or even just drops of blood, you'd find your deer. If you're hunting the way I described, you shouldn't have to worry about another hunter following your blood trail and claiming your deer- heck, if you're that close to other hunters it's got to be downright dangerous!

Dakotan,

I'm surprised that you have not seen DRT's; I get them fairly routinely. Though our definition of DRT might differ. If the animal falls down and dies, that's a DRT in my book... even if it flops around a little or whatever.

I've seen them from my 30-06 on both deer I killed with it, a couple with my 7-08, several with .358, none of which were central nervous system hits.

Of course, I use "real" deer bullets... not those all-copper thingies <big grin! Put down the sharp knives!>

Where I hunt, deer anyway, DRT is highly desirable. It's not that another hunter will tag your buck, that's not really heard of much in Oregon, it's that we are hunting blacktails in a temperate rain forest, it's often raining, and if they go 100 yards, they've gone a LONG ways if you are trying to track blood, in the rain... BTDT, and it's a sick feeling.

I won't shoot shoulders on purpose. It's not necessary if you choose a proper deer bullet, and it's wasteful in my opinion.

Sometimes the dang things just run. Brooksrange, I'd say this one was hit "right" and he went about 200 yards! Go figure.

Isn't that the same bullet hole that was on the coyote from the thread on Accubond failures?

Go figure is right! 200 yards is 600 feet. If a deer consistently jumps 15 feet per second (an average) that means that it lives for over 40 seconds with two holes in it's lungs and/or heart and keeps on jumping at that pace. Incredible. Maybe you should shoot them with Accubombs in the lungs or TSXs in the shoulders

It beats DOW.

DOW: Dead On Water...yes that's really bad:



Or DOW: Dead On Washroom:


Or DOW: Dead On Wheel:

Not really sure I want to hear the story about the deer in the shower...grin

Dober

I added the last photo for good measure...the result looks tragic for deer and driver...

I was thinking Dead Over Where?

So who fired the first generation Ballistic Tip in the car?

Ahhh, you mean the first, second and third generation Accubombs, don't you?

Hey guys, don't get me wrong. I do see situations where it would be desirable: moose on the edge of a lake or the alders, mountain goat/big horn sheep near a cliff, gian whitetail/mule deer next to property line/fence, etc. Hell, a DRT from a heart shot or lung shot is clearly preferable to a tracking job. But, to listen to some people talk, read what they post or watch them on T.V. there appears to be a lot of desire for shoulder shot to attain a DRT rather than heart shot or lung shot that may entail some trailing. That's all I'm talking about. And we're seeing a lot more of it. I'm not being judgmental I'm only inquiring as I would prefer a short tracking job with more meat recovery than otherwise. As for you who hunt in the east where your competition entails "hunters" in track shoes and starting blocks with a knife clenched in their teeth, you have both my sympathy and understanding.

JeffO, I didn't say I've never seen any DRTs. Heck, broadening the term to include dropping within a specific distance of impact I've probably seen several. If I'm honest with myself and think back I could probably come up with several more instances I've witnessed than I am able to disclose/remember at this time.

It just seems to me that in the past couple of years the shoulder shot on non-dangerous game has become more in vogue. Once again, I'm not judging, just inquiring. Good input so far guys.

DpmRT is OK with me, but on the lease it's pretty doggone thick in some spots. I'm not a real experienced tracker, but do you understand what I mean when I say I'm not anxious to become one either?

Sometimes they go 1/4 mile. Sometimes they drop. Head shots are always two feet straight down. Where I hunt a deer that makes it into a swamp 100 yards can be tough to find. With a still target 100 feet or less, I will head shoot them. Beyond that get's into "depends" territory. Beyond 100 yards I usually put one low just behind the leg and take out the heart and lungs. Normal response to that is a few seconds before they are done. Might run 50 yards might drop right there. for me, DRT = not more than 20 feet of travel since a jump can take most of that.