Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Jpmiller on September 02, 2016, 08:49:13 PM

Title: "jumping the string" psa
Post by: Jpmiller on September 02, 2016, 08:49:13 PM: I have spent my whole life thinking that when guys say an animal jumped the string it was code for I missed.

I saw with my own eyes tonight a fork horn whitetail dodge my arrow from about ten yards. If he hadn't been on alert I am positive I would have double lunged him. I feel like a goob but he only ran about forty yards and I watched him for about ten more minute before he exited stage left, no blood on arrow no blood on deer, clean miss.

Just wanted to pass this along in case anyone else is in my boat they don't screw it up like me. Been getting lots of activity on the cam and this evening was my first hunt of the season. Good luck to all.
Title: Re: "jumping the string" psa
Post by: fishnfur on September 02, 2016, 10:22:30 PM: Good post. There were a couple of shows about jumping the string on the hunting channels. If you slow motion video the deer's reaction to the noise of the archery shot, they crouch just before leaping, just like we would do if we were going up for a rebound in basketball. This is how they always respond when they are suddenly frightened. The chest/body moves south and the arrow ends up over the back.

At ten yards, you may have made a bad shot or alerted the deer with your movement - the deer's reactions are not that good to dodge an arrow at that range (I think). Farther out, the "experts" suggest aiming a few inches low in the expectation that the deer will crouch as the shot is made. Many times, this could result in a miss too, if the deer doesn't hear the string.

Better luck next time JP.
Title: Re: "jumping the string" psa
Post by: kentrek on September 03, 2016, 12:34:54 AM: Quote from: fishnfur on September 02, 2016, 10:22:30 PM
the deer's reactions are not that good to dodge an arrow at that range

They aren't that good till they are....all animals are impressively fast when it comes down to it
Title: Re: "jumping the string" psa
Post by: csaaphill on September 03, 2016, 12:50:48 AM: Had a nice muley do they to me a few years ago. Jumped strait up in the air as I shot was like :yike: :bash:
Worst part if it was there was the granddaddy out of bow range to his right and after I missed him the rest all ran off. :bash: