Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Moving shots…..

c.

That includes those that were walking to or from, those that were trying to find the source of my grunt call (much faster) or those that I jumped and highballed it out of there.

So far I only hunt from the ground by the way. Both still hunting and from cover that makes a good stand. The older I get I am considering building a couple or so ground blinds as a backup plan.

Disagree

Been shooting chit here for over 40 years,

Two moose of 21 killed, 3 caribou of over 60 killed. None of other species, sheep, goat, black bear, wolf, elk, deer...

I don't count walking game unaware of me.

0-5%, Mark. Not counting walking animals unaware of me.

I ain't that good a shot..... If I can "wing-shoot" 'em at under 100 yards, I'm a go..... start behind, swing through and pull the trigger as the sights pass the boiler room. Do not stop the swing/follow through.

B. Way less than 25% actually. Mostly pigs who never stop, seemingly.

One antelope and zero deer.

I've yet to shoot a big game animal that was still.

High side of B, at least, higher especially when I was younger.

I can not describe my situation better.
Jim

Hunting deer in front of hounds I'd guess I've killed over a hundred of our skillet sized whitetails running. I guess 80 percent of those were taken with a shotgun, the others with a scoped rifle. There's no telling how many I've missed. It's been fun! I enjoy shooting them standing too while still hunting.

I've also been able to go rabbit hunting with beagles and that is just as fun.

Very rarely but I have so B

Sam, i would like to know at what angle the 350 yarder was traveling in regards to your position and how far you led him. Also, were you holding steady in front or maintaing a constant lead.

Also, on walking at 400 how much do you lead?

This, especially at close range with deer leaping and bounding through woods on a leasurely 3/4 speed while well ahead of hounds. Many have been missed by normally good shots, even with shotguns, when deer have dodged sharply on seeing a hunter move to take the shot. Its best not to move until it starts going up as it cant change direction, but you best be quick as on rising quail and take the shot before it hits the ground.

Nice rifle there for sure Fire and nice deer too. I didnt know you were such a young whippersnapper. Seems you speak beyond your years.

RH, it would be interesting to know what you are shooting those deer with.

Seems to me a flat, dead run can often be an easier shot with a rifle than an animal bounding or stotting.

b

eyeball,

That's my experience.

When I was in my early 20's, the older guys I mostly hunted with in eastern Montana were after whitetails, which they jumped out of brushy coulees on the plains and shot on the run. I practiced a lot on running jackrabbits in the winter with the same rifles I used for hunting deer, and got pretty good. Have killed a lot of moving game over the years, and not just deer including a bunch of coyotes and wild pigs, a few pronghorns, one elk, two kudu and a Cape buffalo.

The ones that run flat-out are easiest to hit, but it is possible to time the bounces of mule deer, especially if they're headed more-or-less away.

Like any other kind of shooting, hitting running game with a rifle takes practice. I've not only practiced on jackrabbits and old tires rolling down a hill, but running-boar targets.

I've found I do better if I can make myself 'slow down'. I'm prone to pull up and fire fast, where sometimes a hair slower would help.

This is true for shooting quail over a pointer too. When the young and dumb with lightening reflexes miss a lot and cut a few in half its time to slow down and let them get far enough out for the pattern to open up.

When I was a kid on the Ranch, With my single shot .22 LR, I asked Granddad to buy me a semi-auto, so I could kill more coyotes for him. He told me I could have one when I could put down running jackrabbits. Didn't take me very long at all to get good!

MD, thanks for your knowledgeable response.

I have killed many running deer with rifle and shotgun, a few running elk with rifle and bow, a running bear with a bow, couple of flying turkey with a rifle, a few wood ducks flying up or down Piney Creek with a 22, etc. Some lucky and most blessed, but the shot i have feared to be faced with and truly dread would be for a trophy stotting muley.

Ch, ive killed quite a few running jacks and several running coyotes but i never got good at it.