How much should I lead a running deer?

Interesting responses out there
Well here’s how I figure it…

5280 feet in a mile
36 MPH Deer max speed
190080 Deer Feet Per hour
3168 Deer Feet per minute
52.8 Deer Feet per second
1100 12 Gauge slug feet per second
366.7 12 Gauge slug Yards per second
36.66667 12 Gauge slug yards Per 1/10 second
5.28 Deer Feet per 1/10 second
Lead the deer 5 feet at 36 yards if running full speed
Lead the deer 2.5 Feet at 36 Yards if running at 1 oclock
1.5 Foot Lead per 10 yards - rule of thumb

Based on the above math I would lead a 9 oclock deer packing the mail at 1.5 feet for every 10 yards way... 20 yards = 3ft lead, 30 yards=4.5 ft lead etc

Use half that if running at a 1 oclock angle - lead .75 feet at 10 yards, 1.5 feet at 20 yards etc.

Yes it's actually half value at only 1 oclock not 1:30

Dial back the above if the deer's not running full speed

Dont forget to aim high as well as lead when they are past about 30 yards.

And for the rifle guys out there, since a rifle bullet is about three times the speed of 12 gauge - 0.5 feet per 10 yards would be the lead at about 3000 fps, slower 30-30ish should go a bit more like .7 feet per 10 yards.

Interesting doing the math on this because that's much more lead than I would have estimated. Good question though.
 
As my father used to say if you don't know, don't do it!

No body will be able to give you a accurate answer everyones reaction time is different, until you practice enough to find out for yourself on non living targets do everyone a favour and don't attempt the shot!

One of the ethic's in hunting is to try to humanely take the game you are pursuing and a deer shot through the back leg can suffer quite a while.
 
Chapters and chapters in books, if not entire books, have been printed on this subject and the poster wants a one or two paragraph story of how to lead running game!
If a deer was going flat out at 90 degrees to me, I would lead him about 1½ lengths of the deer, and likely hit him. Boomer and George and Jim and--, may hold a foot in front of his chest and get him.
Uncle Harry, a top notch pass shooter on ducks, who learned early in life to keep the gun moving steadily, may swing from behind the deer with the rifle moving faster than the deer, and as the sights touched the lung area, get the shot away withut slowing the moving gun and hit right where the sights were when it went off.
Next question.
 
You don't lead by a fixed distance. Double the distance, double the lead (until the velocity drops significantly), so it is a fixed angle in proportion to deer speed.

fclassguy said:
Based on the above math I would lead a 9 oclock deer packing the mail at 1.5 feet for every 10 yards way... 20 yards = 3ft lead, 30 yards=4.5 ft lead etc
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Good math!

Swinging with a shotgun is a way of converting the lead angle into muscle memory, that works too.
 
if you need to ask this question you arent experienced enough to take a shot at a running deer. ;)

many deer are wounded every year because guys read about how to lead running deer and think they can do it. do yourself, the deer, and other hunters a favor and wait for the deer to slow down or stop before shooting.
 
As said already, and though anything can and will happen, the ideal thing is that the deer not be running. Don't be surprised if the moment the pushers enter the bush, a deer will slowly try to sneak past you on whatever runway or constriction you've been posted at.

Deer have all sorts of runs. Like H4831 said, it'll feel different to anyone - both in terms of how to pull off a shot and also in terms of what shots can be pulled off. I don't know how I'd ever hit a bounding deer, and despite the opportunity, I have never attempted to shoot at a deer on a full out run. I'd say if the deer is on any sort of a move faster than ambling along (which can be pretty fast) such that you feel you have to lead - you may be best to consider the chance already blown.

RG

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With a deer at full run at less than 100 yards and more then 50 yards I aim for the tip of the nose. If I miss I aim even FURTHER ahead. Less than 50 yards I aim for the brisket. If he's just trotting or quick walk I will grunt as much as I can to make it stop, even a loud fawn bleat will get their attention and stop.

I try not to shoot at running deer unless I've already wounded it or it's completely broadside on flat ground and I got a good rest.


with coyotes at full tilt and around 200+ yards I aim about 2 feet ahead of them. I cranked one this winter at 280 yards with my .223 and caught him right in the shoulder. He did nose dive and never got up. Have got lots of others over 150yards doing the same thing. I always used to aim about a foot in front of the shoulder and would see snow fly behind them.
 
DVXDUDE said:
With a deer at full run at less than 100 yards and more then 50 yards I aim for the tip of the nose.
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That is what I was taught when I started hunting and doing drives. Except our distance were 40-50 yards max with the dreaded buckshot. Work great for me shot plenty. You did a lot for driving until you could prove you were able to put them down.

Use slugs now and stand hunting so very few runing shots.
 
THE only time I ever shot at a running deer, I had a mit full of experience shooting running jackrabbits, snowshoe hares, gophers, coyotes and the occassional red fox in South Saskatchewan. In the Moose Jaw, Briercrest, Crestwyn, & Avonlea areas.
At the time, I was shooting my varmint rifles at least three days during the work week, and at least one full day of a Satruday or the Sunday, sometimes with the rimfire, and sometimes with the 222.
I probably shot more than one hundred jackrabbits & hares, some sitting still and some movers, that spring, summer and early fall, of 1995. When I felt I could master the art of blasting moving 'jacks @100-150 yards, I felt confident come that whitetail season, if I had to do so.
It's a rare thing for most of us to acquire that much trigger time during a relatively short time frame, on live smaller game.
The first five years there, I was very gung-ho for any shooting sport. Later, I kind of slowed down and became much more selective in my last few years there. In my last two years there, I picked up the stick & string for a change of pace.
Those days are long gone, I am past my prime for that crazy kind of pace I think, as the deer hunting weekends took thier toll on me. Monday mornings, I was at work and loving the heat and the indoors aviation maintenance and bone weary from hunting all weekend!
I had alot of rifle fun during that decade on the sunny Southern Saskatchewan prairies!!!
 
OK Guys, based on your feedback, here’s the roster for the CGN Deer Drive

APU – Line Man
Boomer – Dogger
Brutus – Dogger
Sherlockbonez – dogger
Grouseman – dogger
Deadhead- firewood splitter
Grizlypeg-dogger
Sunray – head dogger
Rral22-camp cook
Grizlypeg - line man
Fisheo -assistant to camp cook
Juster – dogger
Cv32 – dogger
Daveg01 – field dressing
Nb444-line man
.17-assistant firewood splitter
Longwalker – line man – report to fclassguy for training
Slithery – dogger
Fclassguy – head line man
Crazy dave – head cook
H4831-line man
Juster – line man
Canadianhunter312-potato peeler
Ruffed grouse-camp photographer
Dvxdude-assistant camp photographer
Archie126-dogger
Brutus- line man

:stirthepot2:
 
Meh... I'm not worried about field dressing. You guys have to put one on the ground before my job kicks in :p

It beats doggin' :D
 
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I got my first deer a couple years ago and it was runnign full tilt. My brother had it jump up about 30 yards in from of him while driving, took a shot with the shotgun and missed, so it was RUNNING! Using an old 94 in 30-30 with irons, i gave it about half the post, and held the post about a foot in front of its chest at about 100 yards. Smoked it right through the boiler house. As it was said, though, it was full of adrenaline, and ran probably 150 yards after being hit, and didn't pile up, just slowed down, calmly laid down. I don't know if i'm totally awesome, or just lucky :) I missed another that afternoon standign still at about 6 yards, walked right up to me through some raspberry canes, and i clipped a small sapling...
 
sherlockbonez said:
Practice on a rolling tire
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That's the advice I give as well. Jam a piece of plywood inside it and a paint an 8" dot on it. Plan to shoot a couple of boxes between now and November. Don't know how you're shotgun is set-up, but I suggest either the open sites that come with a slug barrel or a Red Dot. You want as much field of vision as you can get for a running deer. Stick with slugs, forget the buckshot.
We hunt with dogs the second week of season, nothing like it.
 
I would start with a 22 first as I dont think a slip disc is a good way to start the season.

I'm sure most of you have seen this before, when done right...
htt p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r89p2R7UKvs&feature=related
 
I don't shoot at running deer, however there was a good article in Ontario Out of Doors last year or the year before with calculated leads for running deer at certain distances, speeds (dead run, trot, walking.....etc.) I'll see if I can dig it up :). I agree with the practice on a rolling tire w/ cardboard center inthe hole. I believe they use to do competitions with them way back in the day, like that.
 
Maybe its just me, but I'd rather miss by leading too much than not enough and shooting it in the guts or ass. If you do lead it too much and still hit it, its going to be at front shoulder/neck/head region that will 95% of the time be a kill shot.


I've only lead deer with a shotgun/slugs. Never tried a rifle
 
The first deer I shot was running right behind the one I shot at....so there ya go. At about 250 yds across a big gully with a 308. When the 2nd one dropped, the 1st one stopped - opps - mistake. Then there was 2 of em down. So I was WAY behind it...like 15 feet behind

Best advice - do some math as previous posters suggest, then practice a lot, then try not to have em running.....but be well out in front if they run. Better to miss than ass shoot em. keep your shots <100 yds with slugs

I have been told but have not tried it - a short hard whistle - will make a deer stop and look. Try it if you have no other options....have since changed tactics and now I let the deer hunt me....works better
 
I've shot many a running deer, never lost one. Can't tell you how to do it though, just something I grew up learning...

Although not the same as a deer, shooting skeet and sporting clays helps with leading and fast target acquisition...
 
BellyFlop said:
It looks like this fall I will be going on a deer drive for the first time in a shotgun only area. We can use slugs or buck shot.

What I'm wondering is how much should I lead a running deer?

I would like to know before I go hunting so I dont miss by taking pot shots and hoping for the best.

What if he's at 30 or 60 yards?
What if he's going 3 to 9 oclock vs 1 or 2 oclock?
What if he's running full speed or kind of trotting?
What about in the woods vs in the open?

I dont have a clue.

Is there any help out there?:confused:
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At those distances with slugs, even up to 100 yards. as long as you follow through with your shot just like shooting a duck you will be good to go if you aim right in the leading tough of hair. If you do that with follow through your going to deff. hit lungs and more than likely destroy one shoulder.
 
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