Thread: how far do deer run

Originally Posted by northdude

Thanks for the info often wondered if it's worth chasing them or if one takes off others will take off with it

Waste of time following foot prints, one is better to break left or right, depending on wind direction and hope deer will circle to check you out visually.

I find if wearing face and hand covering they will stand and look a bit longer and if they don’t smell you will not go too far,bush hunting that is,sometimes go into nearest thick bit and stare back trying to suss you out.bare skin and they are off.

My neck of the woods for bush hunting is popular not only for hunters but off track bush bashing trampers, once seen/scented they are off for miles, no stopping for anything. Lately the hinds I have surprised kept on barking when making their get away, you can hear their barks get fainter and fainter as they put on the distance until it fades away. Hours of hunting, all over in seconds with nothing to show for it.

Originally Posted by northdude

Thanks for the info often wondered if it's worth chasing them or if one takes off others will take off with it

Always do the Mea Mea- or Neah Neah sound when you spook them
If they not got full wind of you - they go not very far (I talking in bush - in open 4get it)
Reds seldom run straigh away - more a loop
A trick that can work is - back off 50m and then it's a 50/50 call - go left or right of original flush point

Originally Posted by northdude

Thanks for the info often wondered if it's worth chasing them or if one takes off others will take off with it

Yeah same, I haven't often bothered to follow after spooked deer but might try more after reading some of these posts.

Used to hunt Sika with a spaniel foxy cross bitch who would indicate and raise her tail like a flag as she was white with black patches and only slightly taller than the crown fern ,shot many a Sika while they were trying to work out what it was waving at them oblivious to me a few meters behind her,others would run off but usually 100m or so,the reds seemed to vacate the area quicker than the Sika.

there is one thing for sure and for certain......if you poke a decent projectile through the shoulders they wont be running anywhere in a hurry or very far.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

there is one thing for sure and for certain......if you poke a decent projectile through the shoulders they wont be running anywhere in a hurry or very far.

Be alot easier if they can come with a bullet that can go around trees - maye a heat seaking projectile

use enough gun and trees are irrelevant up to a point LOL.

Bottom line is there aint no hard and fast rule. Depends on a whole range of things, but hunting pressure and the number of near misses they've had are 2 big factors.
Like this arvo I spooked a yearling which became 2, then 2 became 4. Watched them run through the fern into the manuka. Those same 4 deer were feeding out in the open about an hour later, about 400m from where I last seen them.
Just lucky I was lookin for a pig

Originally Posted by Mauser308

Kaimais, the bastards will walk around a flax bush on the opposite side and carry on like you were never there. Was trying to sneak up on a stag, he was onto me as much as I was onto him. I'd sneak up a rise, he'd be on the next rise looking back ready to drop down away. Was standing next to a main track when a tramping party of about 30 women walked past (talking about how peaceful it was and how the bush was so calm - while walking past me in orange blaze and not one of them saw me literally 2m off the track). I thought that was my day farked. So I just kept leaning on my tree wondering what to do and a bloody hind trotted past not 3 minutes behind the party. Got such a surprise I near pood my blaze panties - rifle not loaded so no chance to shoot the thing. Piss me off...

Lol them Kaimai deer our next door neighbour used to bulldoze the Thomson’s track. We would go up to check out how he was getting on or help out around the big slip as it was quite narrow to navigate around. One time we all walked up round the bend. Left the old D8 rumbling away when we got back 5 minutes later to find deer tracks right around the dozer as it was still rumbling away our smell was all over the place.

With white tail I used to let out a yell and rund forward slightly to the the right or left of where I had seen the tail flash. You could get another look. Shot one this way.

I bet the yearling that jumped up out of ferns right next to my dog who barked and followed for 50 yards before turning her ears back on,is still running now.....GRRRRRR. cant winem all I guess.

At least your out there getting and seeing more than some of us

Too bloody far.