How do you stop a deer?

[grizzlyplumber]

I know when a deer is walking unalert that a mouth grunt or whistle will often stop him long enough for a shot.
Last year archery hunting in Utah I came across a herd of 7 bachelor bucks that were spooked and on the move. They were about 50 yards downhill and moving across the mountain directly below me and were aware that I was there. I drew back and grunted then whistled but none of the bucks stopped long enough for a shot. They were not at a run but were moving at a fast walk.
Is there a reliable way to get those bucks to stop next time? Or is this just a blown proposition?

 

[fatrooster]

Sometimes nothing will get them to stop. Except maybe a bullet!
fatrooster.

 

[bobcatbess]

WELL!!!

A .50 WITH A 600 GRAIN SLUG HAS WORKED A FEW TIMES FOR ME!!!

THE PROBLEM IS FINDING THE RIGHT BUCK!!!

I SEEN A BOW HUNTER SEVERAL YEARS AGO TRY EVERY TRICK OF THE TRADE,HE JUST COULDN'T CLOSE AN 80 YARD GAP,LOW & BEHOLD HE TRIES THE GRUNT & SENDS THAT BUCK TO THE NORTH SLOPE INSTANTLY!!!

I ALSO KNOW OF A GUY THAT TRIED A FAWN BLEAT,THAT BUCK WENT TO COLORADO INSTANTLY!!!

IF YOU'VE GOT 7 BUCKS IN ONE BUNCH YOU'RE MORE THAN LIKELY GONNA TAKE A SCREWIN!!!

THE ONLY bobcat SUGGESTING:BIG MULEYS ARE NOT DUMMIES LIKE BIG STINKY ELK!!!

 

[Deadred7o7]

Heck to some of these guys thats a good shot,50y on the move with a bow no problem.


Kyle

 

[supersider34]

If you were not at full draw but had a little time to throw a rock down below them to stop them. They would stop to find out what that noise was. I used that trick on some antelope last year and they all stood up and I didnt get the big one because he had doe's back behind him and there was a smaller buck off to one side with nothing behind him and about 20 yds closer that got smoked from that trick.
Been in your situation many times and have tried everything I could to get bucks to stop and have never found a guaranteed noise that will stop a buck.
Good luck and if you find one please post it.

 

[eelgrass]

Don't stir the pot, Kyle. Just let it be!

Steve

 

[264Magnum]

Just try yelling at them. I had a buck in '04 during archery season walk past me at about 30 yards. He wouldn't stop to any grunts or whistles, so in desperation I yelled HEY!. He stopped right there and I sent an arrow right over his back.

Last year during rifle season my little brother and I snuck up to about 80 yards of a bedded buck. We could just see his head and antlers above the brush so I whistled. Nothing. So I end up getting to my knees and start screaming as loud as I can GET UP YOU STUPID ^%##%^&$@^&. GET THE ^&#%$ UP!!! My brother is now laughing so hard he can barely hold his rifle up. So naturally the deer picks that same moment to stand. He missed by 50 yards.

 

[xbow]

I tried that last year on the archery hunt and it didn't seem to work. Maybe it was becuase i'd already sent two arrows screaming over his back!!

 

[BrianID]

In some situations I don't think anything will stop a deer. If they don't have a good idea of what or where I am, I think I have a better chance of getting them to stop. IMO a cow elk call in the best thing that I have tried. It probably wouldn't work as well if there are not very many elk in the area you hunt. Most of the time I don't have a cow call in my mouth or around my neck so I try to mimic the sound of a cow elk with my mouth or say something like ?Hey!?
I've also used the rock throwing technique that Supersider mentioned. If the deer is already moving at a good pace I wouldn't try this but it might work. I mostly use rock throwing to get deer out of patches and in the open for a shot while hunting with a rifle. It also works well to get a deer to stand up when it is bedded down. This last fall I threw a rock over top of three bucks that were bedded 30-35 yards from me. I ended up shooting one of them about a minute latter.
Another thing that has worked well for me is running the deer down. I don't really run them down but cut them off. I only use it when the terrain is favorable. I wouldn't have a chance at trying to run down a deer in an open field. I normally only use this technique when I don't think the deer is going to be slowing down any time soon. If you have to run more than 50 or 100 yards it is normally a waste. I use this technique several times a year to put my self in situations that I could take a shot. Here?s one example. This last year while archery hunting I put a stalk on a buck. I ended up spooking him before I had a shot. I ran about 50 yards around the side of the hill and could have taken a 60 yard shot at him as his stopped to look back at me for about 10 seconds. This buck was about 28? wide, had very good mass and lived on public land in a general season unit. Needless to say he was no stupid deer considering he had survived at least a couple hunting seasons. I guess I just did something that he didn't expect and got lucky. 60 yards is farther than I feel comfortable taking a shot but if he had been a little closer I would have had a shot. This technique works better when hunting with a rifle but in the right situation I'll try it while archery hunting. Obviously it doesn't work every time. I've had many wise old bucks disappear in thin air when I thought I would be able to cut them off. I just think it is worth a chance if I'm not going to see them again anyway.

 

[slider]

I had a buck side hill below me last year in 6 inches of snow at 41 yards(ranged him)28" 2x3. I came to full draw I had a slight breeze in my face.I grunted with my mouth and he kept walking!!! I grunted again a little louder and again he kept walking!!! The third time I grunted almost to the point of a yell and he took two more step's and stopped behind some tall sage!!! I didn't even get a shot at him he stared up the hill at me and turned and ran strait down the hill!!! For whatever reason he did not here me!!! Food for thought!!! Good Luck

 

[spotnstalkID]

I like brianID's idea of the cow call. I do believe also that if a deer doesn't want to stop, he aint gonna. Every deer and every situation with every deer is different. Another thing I have done to get them to stop is use a predator call. Typically more for rifle hunting if you have a buck out 100, 200+ yards out that you want a shot on, hit the predator call and see if he stops. Even to just create a high pitched squeel out of your voice can do the trick. While archery hunting I will still use the same method on a last resort but obviously on a lower tone (lower volume). Like I said, sometimes nothing works, but this is something that I will try on anything moving that I want to stop, deer, bear, coyote, etc.

 

[DallanC]

I use a "kissing" sound, usually works good... even on antelope as per that movie I posted here of my wife shooting that WY goat.


-DallanC

 

[coloradohunter18]

if your at full draw or if your loking at a deer through a scope you can make a sheep call really loud and you'll have 10 seconds to shoot. but you have to make sure your ready to shoot or your screwed.

 

[BBB]

Coloradohunter18,
I'm just curious how you know what a "sheep-n-distress" sounds like? (; LOL. I'm kiddin', a soft distress, like a fawn bleat, will usually stop a deer for a quick instant.

 

[coloradohunter18]

my grandpa taught me that trick when we were hunting one year

 

[NoGoal]

I have also used the cow call and the predator call to stop and in fact call in mule deer. One other technique that has worked and it may sound a little crazy is to make yourself look like a four legged creature. I was moving in on a group of deer that included a nice buck. These deer would let me get to within about 400-500 yards (I was in the open as were the deer). I was very frustrated and just about turned around. At this point I decided to try something different. I put my rifle on my back and started to walk hunched over with my arms hanging towards the ground. To my surprise, the deer just looked at me and continued to feed. I walked into within 50 yards before I lifted up and shot the buck.
Do not try this if you have a bad back!

 

[slcmuley]

i've stopped a few deer with 165 gr. bullets

 

[JACKELOPE]

YUP..i agree with sicmuley
165's do the trick for me too.

 

[COLO3D]

Two years ago I used a Hoochie Mamma to get a buck to stand up from 42 yards away. He stood up at the second call and was put right back down by an arrow from my wife. I have also used the Hoochie Mamma to stop numerous other deer. However as many have mentioned, most deer that already know you are there will not stop for anything.