Practice / Shooting at Running Deer

[LittleM]

Further to my last topic, let me say that 1) I dislike buckshot and haven't used it for the last 15 years, at least.  I also do not bird hunt anymore.  I strictly hunt deer / bear with all weapons and from time to time, I like to participate in drives, which does sometimes necessitate shooting at running deer.  I also dislike open sites and use only scoped guns.

 

So what is the best way to practice to achieve a comfort level shooting at running deer with a single projectile.  Here's what I do:  First and foremost, use a gun that you can shoot without thinking.  One that becomes an extension of your arm as you shoulder and begin to swing it.  For me, that's my muzzleloader and my old Mossberg 500 pump.  Second, I practice shooting clay birds with a scoped gun - I have one of those old scope mounts that you could put on a smooth bore.  Practice mounting the gun to shoulder, finding bird in the scope and then shooting.  It becomes second nature after a while.  But its frustrating at first. Once I got that down, I'll switch to my slug gun/muzzleloader and just find the birds through the scope without shooting.

 

Anybody else ever try that?

[Rusty]

Is your wife working?  Are you home alone and bored?

 

More importantly, is alcohol involved again???  

[Rusty]

To actually answer your question, I haven't hunted with a gun in many years and back when I did I didn't participate in drives so shooting at running game has never been an issue for me.  

[LittleM]

 

Is your wife working?  Are you home alone and bored?

 

More importantly, is alcohol involved again??? 

Yes, yes, and YES.  I am done posting for the night.  I should not be driving a puter .............

[Rusty]

Yes, yes, and YES.  I am done posting for the night.  I should not be driving a puter .............

 

   

[BowhunterNJ]

Interesting, your clay bird practice is actually what came to mind when I replied in the other topic.

Never thought of it with a scope though.

 

Also I think the scope vs iron sights (or a bead) really depends on the area/terrain you are hunting.  If you are driving deer down here in central and south NJ, a lot of areas are thick as hell...as in, you can't see 20 yards...so you may be in for some CLOSE shooting.  So I would say in open terrain where you're going to be shooting 50+ yards, scopes are definitely a great help and preferred by myself as well.  But in thicker areas, I can certainly see going with open sights if your shots are going to be close ones.

[PV216]

I've never shot at a running deer. Probably never will. I don't do drives and I don't really hunt that much with the gun. I think a lot of deer get wounded/die during drives with buckshot and aren't recovered bc people think they "missed". Just my opinion. I am impressed by people who can make good shots on running deer. Check out this video of Phil robertson.

[CJ3a]

I think a lot of deer get wounded/die during drives with buckshot and aren't recovered bc people think they "missed". Just my opinion.

 

I agree. Some slug shot deer also appear as a "miss" but the slug gives a better blood trail.

[Bucksnbows]

You can rig a clothesline and have a buddy give you a "running" target for practice.  They do that and also use motorized targets on wheels to mimic situations for dangerous game prior to African safaris.  I've never shot a running deer, but I have shot deer walking as well as fast walking.  In fact, my two biggest bucks were both moving at a pace much faster than a walk as they were pushed from elsewhere and I drilled both in the engine room with a 7 mm Rem. mag.  One at a whopping 15 yards and the other just this past year in NY at roughly 80 - 100 yards slightly quartering away.  
   

[LittleM]

Years ago when time was not an issue, my friends and I used to gather at a local farm every weekend and shoot nearly all day long.  Long-range rifle, pistols, clay birds, whatever.  I remember we used to roll tires down a long hill and shoot at them with our slug guns.  We'd wedge a board inside the tire and staple paper targets to it.  That was a lot of fun and great practice.  Once we were done with the slugs, we'd blast them with buckshot and start fresh the next weekend.

[Rusty]

Years ago when time was not an issue, my friends and I used to gather at a local farm every weekend and shoot nearly all day long.  Long-range rifle, pistols, clay birds, whatever.  I remember we used to roll tires down a long hill and shoot at them with our slug guns.  We'd wedge a board inside the tire and staple paper targets to it.  That was a lot of fun and great practice.  Once we were done with the slugs, we'd blast them with buckshot and start fresh the next weekend.

 

That's great practice, but with the price of ammo what it is today that would be pretty expensive.  

[LittleM]

I hear ya on the ammo.  But the price I paid was the loss of hearing and the ringing in my ears.................  WHAT did you say??????

[Rusty]

 But the price I paid was the loss of hearing and the ringing in my ears.................  WHAT did you say??????

 

Sadly I am right there with you, when it comes to the hearing loss and ringing in the ears.