Straight-Down Bowshot: Should You Take It?

Mike: I would like some discussion about straight-down shots at bucks that come right to the base of the tree. Last year I had two 8 points run in and stop directly below. I always spray fox urine in a circle around the base of the tree at waist level in case this happens, but since doing it with the urine, it has actually happened more often. The setup I like is 20 yards to the side of the trail, but the deer have been leaving the trail and stopping right at my tree. Several have come in and stopped facing me 10 feet away. I have passed those shots but maybe I should be taking them, shooting down through the front shoulder below the neck. What do you think? Hard to pass such close shots, not sure of the angle though.

Also, are these deer coming to the fox urine? This seems to happen during the early season here in Michigan which opened October 1st. Thanks for the website and blogs. This is a much needed forum that helps us all to be better archers. Doug MI Whitetail Nut

Tell you how "eat up" I am with this blog. I was in a stand in MT last week, thinking about the Whitetail Nut's question. A trail ran under the stand, 2 feet from the toe of the tree. Five does walked under me that evening, and I envisioned trying to kill one. All I could see was bony spine, and one narrow lung on either side. Not a good bowshot at all, I would not recommend it.

BUT, when a deer you want to shoot walks straight under your stand, don't just sit there--draw and wait. Many times the deer will keep walking 5, 10 or 20 yards, stop and turn right or left or to look back, so doing going broadside and exposing both lungs. Shoot man! A lot of times this turns into a perfect quartering-away shot, just remember to move your sight pin slightly back on the ribs to drive the arrow/broadhead forward through the boiler room.

Full disclosure: When I was younger and dumber, I took the spine shot a few times with very mixed results. Learn from my mistakes and don't do it.

And yes, it is hard to pass up close shots at deer that are chest-on. Theoretically you could drive an arrow through the brisket and kill the animal, but this is a small area encased with shoulder bones. Don't shoot, but again draw when you can and wait for the deer to turn, it almost always will if just for a second. Trip the release!

As for the fox urine, yes the deer might be coming to it. Several biologists have told me that mammal urine can actually attract deer at times. Heck, now I pee off my treestand and don't worry about it. Can't say I've p----- up a buck, but I don't worry about it spooking 'em.

Comments

[joe r.]

I shot at doe straight down, skimmed her side and got one lung, never found her, don't do that!

[ian in wiscosnin]

by dad had a giant 10 do that last night on my stand no less but he didnt have that problem tho because he dosnt have his EAB sticker yet! thats the third buck hes has had to pass cause he hasnt shot a doe they really seem to be smarter and more cautious than bucks this year we are seeing more bucsk during the day than does now

I WISH I COULD GO HUNTIN BUT SCHOOL ESP. PRE-MED IS a 24/7 ORDEAL :(

[eric]

Doug,

Those shots are very tempting, but not worth it. Back in my teenage days , I arrowed a great PA 8pt. buck doing such and
spent all the next day looking for it.
A few days later, the crows and coyotes
tipped me off. MAN was I depressed and sorry
for the buck.

And for the urine , I have been using Wildlife Research Coon urine on my boots and around the stand. That stuff draws the deer's nose to the stand and trails. (It also will get coons up your tree too!, be careful.)

My brother called last night. Arrowed a 145" 11 ptr. from his Illinois creek bottom treestand. Said he was up in it for a grand total of 59 minutes and center punched him clean. Details later..stay tuned.

[Silverback]

Do not take those straight down shots. Whitetail are one tough animal with the will to live. They can survive a one lung hit (or at least an arrow through that part of the chest cavity). oh it's not pretty, but they can survive. Losing any animal after you have put an arrow through it, is a sad feeling (almost sick). It's not fair to the animal. Be patient, it's not worth the days of tracking, and missing up you hunting area while doing it.

[Bigkahuna]

I always seem to find a reason to disagree for some reason. The year before last at Lukes place in 2006 I had a decent 8pt walk right under my tree and nibble on a cotton wood branch that was cut and dropped there, which by the way deer absolutely love to eat. I was waiting on several bucks to come down a trail at 10 yds to my left. The sun was goin down and those bucks actually pulled back when a train had come thru and decided to take another route. Well this being my last evening, the sun was goin down, I decided maybe I should take this buck. Now I hesitated for 15 minutes as he nibbled and started to move off. I only had 10 more seconds to decide, so as he moved out to about 8 yds or so, one more foot and he would be out of site past the big overhanging branches I drew back and placed the arrow directly just behind the shoulder blades and let the arrow fly! It went thru dead center just behind the blades and just pierced the point thru the chest. Only the fletchings were sticking out. My lumenok shinned bright as he hobbled off about 50yds and lay across a dirt road then rolled into a ditch. Done deal. Not 10 minutes later i proceeded to film an 11 pt, 160 class whitetail called high and tight, named accordingly by Luke as he walked by at 10 yds!! Oh well, thats deer huntin for ya. Anyway it worked well for me.

[Jake in WI]

Cant tell you what Id do in that situation with a big buck involved??? A doe I would wait for a better shot but the buck of my dreams, it would take a lot of restraint.
Well you guys wont be hearing from me for a while(your welcome), We're heading out to Wyoming tomorrow for speed goats, gonna try it with the bow first but will have rifle if need be. Good luck with the whitetails and I hope I come back to all kinds of pictures posted on here about your deer! Good luck!

[PA Archer]

I've only had one really high angle shot (in my younger and dumber days)... and it worked out... I rattled a buck in from directly behind me and he passed my tree looking for a fight at about 2 or 3 yards ... Well, my nerves got the best of me and he was about only 6 or 7 yards when I pulled the trigger. (You guys know it, "holy s--t, he's gonna get away" syndrome....) Well, I made a pretty steep shot directly behind the left shoulder. Deer ran out 25 yards and left another 10 yards and spun himself into the ground. I was lucky enough to take him high enough on the left side to get both lungs but just barely.

Looking back, it seemed ok at the time because I got the job done, but today I'd probably try to draw and let him get out a little farther to make a more ethical shot.

[Eric Williams]

Not a good shot. More often than not if you let them pass under you they will stop around 20 yards past you quartering away to look back, you might have to whistle or grunt to stop them.

[Doug Hagan]

IT HAPPENED AGAIN ! Last night several Does left the trail and came to my tree. The bottle of Fox urine has a spray cap but it was not working. I poured some on the ground. I'm sure much more than if I sprayed it. The deer I shot actully licked the spot where I dumped it. Passed on the straight down shot but collected her at 22 yards on the range finder. I stayed in the tree till dark to see what else might show and a fork horn came in down wind of me to the same spot. Of course I let him go but you got to wonder about it though. This stuff seems to be excellent cover scent. I wouldnt hunt out of a ground blind without it. Sort of crazy. This is my second year using it. No more straight down shots for me from what you guys are saying. I'm going to put some of the scent out at 15 yards and see what happens ! Might be the ticket for the early season Doe on the way to a food source.

Michigan Whitetail Nut