Jumping the string

[Woods Walker]

Deer "jumping" the string is indeed a real factor, but as others have mentioned, they don't do it all the time. Over the decades I've been bowhunting, I've come to this conclusion about it....
 
I prefer, when at all possible, to have the deer I shoot an arrow at to be:
 
1. MOVING. Not running or even trotting, but in the process of taking a step, preferably the step that moves the near-side shoulder forward, exposing the vitals without the shoulder meat and leg bone in the way. Besides the obvious vital area exposure, when a deer is taking a step, that will give you maybe an extra second before he reacts enough to jump string enough to cause your arrow to go astray.
 
2. RELAXED, and unalerted. I want them in the mind set of not having a care in the world, other than where that next acorn or blade of grass is that they have their head down for. This will also gain you a precious moment or two before all hell breaks loose when the arrow is released.
 
This is also why I steer away now from using scents, and even calls many times when bowhunting, because a deer that's coming into a call, or a scent, is ON ALERT. He's LOOKING and paying attention to whats around him even more than normal.
 
This state of high alert, although not a "danger...get ready to flee" type alert, is still an alert, and when in this state they can go all that much the faster into the "I'mgettingthehelloutofhere" mode. Jumping the string is almost a guarantee at this point.
 
Now I've never shot a deer over a decoy, but I would imagine that if a buck is occupied with a decoy, that his attention is thus diverted, and this would also gain you some extra time before he could negatively react to your shot.

[ILBowhunter]

Blazed, I too agree with your math, but you didn't factor in the fact that at 20 yards it takes time for the sound to reach the deer (about .04-.05 sec), and also takes time for it to mobilize the response to the sound. No matter how fast we think deer can respond, their nervous systems do not do so instantaneously.  It has to register the sound, which takes time.  Evaluate it as a threat, which takes time. And, initiate the response, which takes time.  Once all that is done, it may be able to drop 1 ft in 0.10 sec, but by the time it does, my arrow will be through it... unless, of course, it was alert and ready to jump at the time the sound reached it. 

In essence, I agree with the advice from howhill1 and Woods Walker; shoot at relaxed deer.

[dtrain56]

 i have hunted for 15 years and have never seen or had a deer "jump the string" , this rarely happens unless your bow is not set up correctly...
 
 
the deer are not " jumping the string" per say but rather are escaping from danger...to run fast they drop and explode out of the area..
 
if they don't know you are there and your bow is whisper quite...deer don't move quickly
 
 
with todays technology your bow should make very little noise...
 
aim low if you don't have a range finder that accounts for down angle because you will  over estimate distance from an elevated tree stand...not because deer will "jump the string"

[Patriot]

ORIGINAL: howhill1

i always aim for a heart shot. right behind and slighhtly above the front shoulder. this allows some room for a deer dropping. another thing ive learned is to try to avoid shooting at tense or alert deer.

 
Great point howhill1,
Worst case the deer "ducks" a little and you still hit vitals.  Another point is that folks tend to shoot higher when shooting from an elevated position.

[msbadger]

Well let me tell ya ...while leaving my ground blind area I had a doe sneak in on me and when she went behind a tree at 15 yrds I drew...she stepped out and cleared the tree just as she turned her head to see me at full draw and I released......even that close the doe...and to this day it was ...just bizzar ....it looked like its feet were on hinges and she just tipped over! I watched the arrow just clear her shoulder ...and she righted her self and took off ....leaving me standing there just amazed at the speed and agility it took for her to do that....So you may not have ever seen it but for those that have....well it's unmistakable.......

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: msbadger

Well let me tell ya ...while leaving my ground blind area I had a doe sneak in on me and when she went behind a tree at 15 yrds I drew...she stepped out and cleared the tree just as she turned her head to see me at full draw and I released......even that close the doe...and to this day it was ...just bizzar ....it looked like its feet were on hinges and she just tipped over! I watched the arrow just clear her shoulder ...and she righted her self and took off ....leaving me standing there just amazed at the speed and agility it took for her to do that....So you may not have ever seen it but for those that have....well it's unmistakable.......

 
Yes, it is! You'll know it when you see it!

[Squirrelhawker]

Didn't notice who posted re the time factor, but that is the key factor. The speed at which the sound travels. And to a degree the intensity of that sound. I read a study years ago. There was a critical range where hunters should be aware of the possibilities, but with advances in equipment it may no longer be valid.

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: Squirrelhawker

Didn't notice who posted re the time factor, but that is the key factor. The speed at which the sound travels. And to a degree the intensity of that sound. I read a study years ago. There was a critical range where hunters should be aware of the possibilities, but with advances in equipment it may no longer be valid.

 
I don't believe that for a second. Until they make a bow that shoots in excess of 1200 FPS (and I know they're fast, but not THAT fast!), a deer STILL has the potential to react to the sound of the shot.
 
Granted, the faster bows give you more of an advantage, but a deer on "ALERT" mode can STILL react enough to ruin the shot.

[Squirrelhawker]

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

ORIGINAL: Squirrelhawker

Didn't notice who posted re the time factor, but that is the key factor. The speed at which the sound travels. And to a degree the intensity of that sound. I read a study years ago. There was a critical range where hunters should be aware of the possibilities, but with advances in equipment it may no longer be valid.

I don't believe that for a second. Until they make a bow that shoots in excess of 1200 FPS (and I know they're fast, but not THAT fast!), a deer STILL has the potential to react to the sound of the shot.
 
Granted, the faster bows give you more of an advantage, but a deer on "ALERT" mode can STILL react enough to ruin the shot.

 
There I go again not being clear. Sorry. What I meant was that advances in equipment would change the parameters of the study- the one I can't remember the details of anyway [:D]
 
Its the distance to target which is the variable vs the constant which is the speed of sound. An arrow moving at say 300 feet per second towards a deer at 10 yards (30 feet), considering the speed of sound, the sound can still reach the deer first but will leave the deer with not much wiggle room under most conditions.
 
Increase that scenario to 20 yards and now we can see how they can do it with annoying regularity.

[dtrain56]

again it is not like the deer is actually trying to "duck" or "jump" the arrow, the deer has no idea what an arrow is it just knows it is in imminent danger and needs to high tail it out of the area..it is the flight response of the deer..
 
if you don't alert the deer the deer will not move...use better woodsmanship and deer wont even know what hit them!!!