String Jump

will dog · Post by **will dog** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:17 pm

What has everyones experience been with crossbows when shooting at 30 plus yards and having the animal drop from the noise? I have no doubt that under that distance it won't be a problem but with the great accuracy of the Excalibur, longer distances in the 40 yard range will be tempting but I worry about the deer dropping or bolting and causing a poorly placed arrow.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:53 pm

its going to depend on how alert the deer is.. if he knows you are there and is full alert then string jump can happen.

even at 40 yards, they can move slightly enough to mess up a bad shot. If you are shooting for the lungs or heart then you should be more than fine. The shots you have to worry about are angle and high shots.

but anything under 40 yards it pretty much a done deal if you have a good shot...

anything under 30 yards is a done deal if he's on full alert

Ive had quite a few jump my compound bow years back... I learned to shoot a tad lower on long shots

ninepointer · Post by **ninepointer** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:36 pm

String jump would more correctly be described as "ducking the shot". Any time that I have shot over the back, I have attributed it to bad aim or misjudged distance, because I never noticed the deer duck.

Recently I had the opportunity to watch a buddy's video of a deer he missed last season. The footage was nice and clear and he asked my opinion on the reason for his miss. I said that he shot too high. My buddy's response was, "That's what I thought too, now watch this." When he slowly played back the footage frame by frame it was obvious that the deer had in fact ducked! It was so fast that you would be challenged to notice it in the field or at normal playback speed. It was amazing to see the deer's reaction; it was essentially a big flinch in which the deer's whole body tightened up. It reminded me of the way a person might react to the unexpected sound of a nearby gunshot.

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:48 pm

I shot a small buck at 40 yards last year. No problem. However, I was hunting in an area with major construction going on. There was no one working at the time, but, I believe deer get use to odd noises.

I've had deer to squat before in a different area. A more rural setting with no construction/farming activity.

It may come down to an animal by animal type of thing and/or situation by situation.

I've had deer bolt before I could pull the trigger and I still do not know why . . . it's called hunting.

Tar Heel · Post by **Tar Heel** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:06 pm

I have had some deer jump the string and have several crossbows that I
hunt with this is my guessamate

330fps and above 40 yds.
300fps 35yds
275fps 30yds
250fps 20 to 25yds
and this might be stretching it on a super alert deer.

Tar Heel

Coin Man · Post by **Coin Man** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:44 pm

Shot 60 yards at a deer a few years back. Deer was in open field. Arrow went over its back when it ducked. Just glad I didn't wound it! Learned not to shoot long range at deer. Last deer I bagged with my crossbow was at 18 yards. 30 yards is my max. I'll save my long shots for my .270.

Stosh · Post by **Stosh** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:50 pm

I had a few do it. I don't really know why, My guess would be the noise from my exocet. Shot a 6 point at 12 yards, Could not see the brow tines untill he looked at me. Aimed low chest, squeezed it off, He just stood there. I figured I missed. Seemed like 2 minutes and he is still standing there, then slowly he goes down on his rump like he was going to sit that way. then he finally falls over on his side, kicks a mite, then nothing. I walk up to him and I hit him in the spine much to my suprise. Had a few doe duck also, only one knew I was there as she snorted at me from behind. The others just ducked. Farthest shot was 23 yards. I for sure cannot figure them out. Its fun but fustrating, Ha Ha Ha
Good luck this season, Stosh

bob1961 · Post by **bob1961** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:31 pm

last jan i had a 49 yard shot at a deer that was totaly calm, not a tense muscle in her body....didn't even move at the release of my arrow from my exocet 200 while her head was down and didn't even jump at the hit, just walk 20 feet and fell over in bout 15 seconds....had a second shot a week later at 10 yards with a deer pushed to me on alert that saw me standing there at the release of my arrow and bolted at a full bore run till she dropped 15 seconds later and 500 yards away....while tracking it her tracks were almost 20 feet apart the whole way showing she was at full bore the whole way, found her in a beaver pond in jan, can you say "wet deer" cooled her down fast

....took 45 minutes to find her..............bob

....

Undertaker · Post by **Undertaker** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:56 pm

According to my Hawke ballistic calculator, my Vortex is shooting at these speeds.

20 yards......o.1984 seconds
30 yards......o.2980 seconds
40 yards......o.4027 seconds
50 yards......o.5094 seconds
60 yards......o.6140 seconds

The distances kind of line up with the times. 2/10ths for 20 yards, 3/10ths for 30, etc.

In practicing, it seems like a long long time for the sound of the arrow impacting to refract back to me. You would almost need some type of assurance that the deer would not move at all during the flight time. If it were to duck, bob and weave all at once, a beautiful shot could turn into a porcupined deer butt that is off and running.

I have come to agree with the so many others who state that 40 yards is their maximum. I believe all the other things they say anyways.

B-Logger · Post by **B-Logger** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:14 pm

ninepointer wrote:String jump would more correctly be described as "ducking the shot". Any time that I have shot over the back, I have attributed it to bad aim or misjudged distance, because I never noticed the deer duck.

Recently I had the opportunity to watch a buddy's video of a deer he missed last season. The footage was nice and clear and he asked my opinion on the reason for his miss. I said that he shot too high. My buddy's response was, "That's what I thought too, now watch this." When he slowly played back the footage frame by frame it was obvious that the deer had in fact ducked! It was so fast that you would be challenged to notice it in the field or at normal playback speed. It was amazing to see the deer's reaction; it was essentially a big flinch in which the deer's whole body tightened up. It reminded me of the way a person might react to the unexpected sound of a nearby gunshot.

I too used to buy into the "ducking the shot," but it has been proven over and over that the deer really aren't ducking the arrow. They are simply bending at the knees so they can spring out of there.

It is just like yourself. If something scares you and you have to get out quick, you will bend at the knees to have the fastest exit. Try it sometime: Stand with your legs straight and go to a fast run immediately. Have someone watch the top of your head (or video it) and see the head drop.

That said, everyone is pretty much right on with the posts.

ninepointer · Post by **ninepointer** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:35 pm

B-logger is right on. I use the term "ducking" only because of the downward motion of the deer's body, resulting in the arrow sailing over its back. The deer certainly has no concept that there is a missile coming at it or that ducking might be a useful evasive manouvre.

Dave1 · Post by **Dave1** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:36 pm

String jump, ducking the arrow, etc. is actually the deer reacting to the sudden sound of the bow shot. In most instances they hunch downward to load their leg muscles and lunge forward to run. This split second reaction and movement can be significant enough to cause a bad hit.

Shooting at calm broadside deer at conservative distances is best and will result in a very high kill percentage. Taking long, risky, low percentage shots at alert deer can result in a wounded and unrecovered deer.

Dave

flintman · Post by **flintman** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:11 pm

The closer the better. I too am a 40 yard and under person and prefer 30 and under. Got a fall turkey last year at 7 yards. It was a full alert looking at me and my Vortex. Didn't notice any string jump though. LOL

The bird only ran 5 yards. I like em close.

Limbs and Sticks · Post by **Limbs and Sticks** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:40 am

For a little test for anyone setting watching deer from their stand or stalking and you see deer walking or eating break a stick or clap your hands if they are walking they will stop, if they are eating their head comes up, some use a clicker when hunting to stop a deer when walking I don't, keep it peaceful, I don't know about jumping the string, with me I always called it MISS

Wes

DuckHunt · Post by **DuckHunt** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:08 am

Your dead on with your concerns on shots over 30 yards. I took two doe last season at measured distances of 37 and 40 yards with my Exomax. The 40 yard shot was from taken from a rest at a calm deer. At that distance they not only have time to duck, they have time to move. The result was a less than perfect hit, but the doe still only managed to make it about 60 yards.

The 37 yard shot was at a very alert doe standing broadside facing away from me. She had been standing in that spot for almost a minute. I had ranged her with a rangefinder three times before deciding to take the shot. When I touched the trigger she exploded. She ducked and turned to do a 180. She turned about 45-degrees before the arrow reached her. This also resulted in a very poor shot placement. Once again the broadhead (and a little luck) bailed me out. She went about 40 yards and fell over.

I have taken one doe at a ranged 40 yards that didn't duck or move before the arrow got there. She has been the only exception. Your chances of a great hit are definitely reduced once you get out beyond 30 yards.

DuckHunt

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