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How to Jump Shoot a Buck
Tired of waiting in a stand? Too cold to sit still for hours on end? Try jump-shooting a buck. This is one of my favorite tactics when I’m exploring new territory and want to cover a lot of ground, but it’s also great on a known hunting area late in the season, when you’ve pushed bucks around and don’t know exactly where they are. Here’s the skinny:
The Tactic
Unlike still-hunting, you don’t ease along slowly, stopping to peer into every thicket. Instead, you walk at a normal clip, scanning the cover for movement. Your goal is to detect a buck just as it’s rising from its bed or starting to run—in time to take a clean-killing shot.
A casual walking pace seems to make bucks underestimate the danger you pose, perhaps thinking you’re just a hiker or logger. Some bucks will even try to sit tight and let you walk past them. But occasional pauses near the thickest brush will make these bucks stand up.
The Terrain
You need a balance of cover. The vegetation should be thick in spots but open in others so that when a buck rises, there’s some opportunity for a shot. Likely spots include brushy, semi-open creekbottoms, hollows, and draws; swampy areas; and isolated, overlooked pockets of cover (see “Late Lairs,” p. W15). In hill country, check out blowdown-strewn benches just down from the tops of ridges.
The Technique
The key to making a quick shot is to always be ready to shoot. Carry your gun at port arms, safety on, scope at its lowest power setting. When a buck jumps up, flip the safety off and bring the stock snugly to your cheek. Find the crosshairs (if you’re using open sights, concentrate on the front bead or post). Aim at the vitals and pull the trigger. Do not lead a running buck at short range; aim right at the front shoulder and shoot.
That said, always be prepared to pass up shots. If you don’t have a good chance for a clean kill, hold off. Eventually a buck will give you that extra split second you need.
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Comments (31)
Short but sweet. good article we have used this tactic before with two people one guy watches while the other moves and tries to jump a deer. just make sure you know where the other person is. watch closely because like was mentioned the deer will hide and let you walk right by
Im sticking with still hunting,Id much rather take a shot at a buck that hasnt spotted me yet over shooting at one thats turning on the afterburners...My biggest buck a thick 10point that never even knew I was 40 yards away, until a 150gr .30/30 passed through his neck
too much could go wrong so ill stick to sitting in a blind
great way to hunt but pretty difficult
This is a fantastic way to remotivate yourself after a fruitless early hunting season. Gun hunters will find this alot more helpful than us bow hunters. Like was mentioned, good way to cover alot of ground and if you have hunted a long early season and need to see some action, this is the way to go.
I have always like this. most of the time I do this after sitting in the blind for too many hours to get blood flowing again. alot of times in the direction of my partners stand.
Could be used to warm up the feet.
Prior to the invention of the tree stand hunters hunted with a wide variety of methods;
Tracking, stalking, stillhunting, driving, river floating and oh yea stump sitting. ;-)
Nice to read about something other than where to set a stand, sit there all day long and snipe the deer on his way by.
Great stuff!!
One more tip, move slow enough to keep your breathing down. Learned that the hard way this year, missed a 4x4 mule deer because I pushed myself too hard up a sand dune and I had the swine flu. When I got to the top I was huffing and puffing and saw the buck and missed. Last day of the season really leaves me something to stew over for the next 11 months.
Sounds like it might work but it sounds like a lot of other hunting methoeds that dont have you sitting still "Dont wait for the buck go find it" O yeah they all say that
Blind? Whats a blind? Never hunted in one. Out west we do spot and stalk.
Over the years I've admired the large bucks an elderly gentlemen always brought in. I never could match his bucks. Once, I asked for his advice and he said "Learn to shoot running deer" and it was good advice. The last 6 deer I've shot were jump-shots on running deer at close range.
Deer will indeed hold tight until the last minute and present themselves in a burst of speed and more often than not, offer a good shot. Talk about fast paced, adrenaline soaked hunting, thats the ticket!
A method I have used over the years in late season is very slowly walking the tops of ridges with the wind blowing in my face to conceal noise and smell. The key is very slowly. When the breeze lightens or stops for a few moments, I stop and still hunt. Once the wind/breeze starts up again so do I. If there is a cross breeze the deer will lay on the down wind side of the ridge which gives them the vantage point of seeing what's below but can still hear or smell what's on the other side. It's amazing how many deer I have been able to walk up on at a very close range, within 50 yards. Moving very slowly with patience is crucial. Give it a try. It's a total blast!
Good Stuff!
I try to sit in my tree stand until 10:00am,especially during gun season, then I do the "bump and jump"!
I incorporate a bump into my jump to shoot a buck. Knowing and being intimate with the land allows for others to be along the escape path out of the line of fire.
I utilize a Boonie Packer Sling that allows me to carry my gun at "port arms" at all times.
Good article, that will result in more ways to hunt whitetail!
this article is why i love field and stream. great instruction. i often jump deer on my way out of the woods even though i try to take routes to avoid this. i have still hunted occasionally when the weather was less than cooperative but never had any luck although every time i do this i find myself wondering if i can make a good, quick shot. this article helps clarify things. keep up the good work guys.
Good Advice, but you have to be able to shoot running deer.
Late in season it can get into the minus 30 or worse so tough to sit still for long so I usually do some scouting midday to see where the deer are holed up. I drive the field edges on our farm looking for fresh tracks and glass the ravines for bedded deer so I can plan drives. One of my best bucks I found because I could see his breath in the cold, and a grunt made him standup. Another time I was glassing a ravine with major tracks and was about to leave but my Akita in the truck was going nuts so I chambered a round as I moved into the shrubs on ravine edge and then saw somethng moving to my right. I shouldered my 06 and instead of the coyote I was looking for a nice 8 pointer came out full tilt into the open field and met a 150grn. Coyotes make great practice any time of year and good $$ too some years.
GO PETA, DOWN WITH THE NRA AND F&S
This is another way to hunt that can easily be combined with other methods-- a bit of sitting , a bit of still hunting, some time in a tree stand, etc. in a one person hunt or combined in a group hunt ,co-ordinated, with each person having a GPS, topo map and radio. Prearrange the contact plans etc.and way to go. The possibilities are limited only by ourselves. Good luck to us all!!!
I argree with CurtMeiers-- THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO HUINT!!!
GO OBAMA
This is a good way to hunt if you are mature enough to let them go if you don't have a good shot. It's a good way to get the deer down the road in front of your buddies too, if that's what you want.
first of all, this is a great hunting method, we do this every year down on the farm and we're generally successful. however, you do need to know when to pass a shot and practice shooting dicipline. saw my dad drop a doe at 210 on the run across a cut corn field using this method.
second of all, ss, this is a hunting/fishing/survival/outdoor website. if you have a problem with it, leave. its as simple as that.
Yeah I'm gonna try this this week my vacation starts monday and they won't be alot of people at the club so i can jump them babies up and give it a whirl. Man I'm so ready to go. man I'm all siked up whoooo!
Very good article, I used this method last year and jumped 2. I wasn't ready and was surprised when I jumped the deer. They were as surprised as I was and stopped at about 25 yds to look at me. Had I been ready, could have had a nice easy shot. Be ready for them to pause and give you the opportunity you need.
Good article. The area I hunt is all 13 year old pines on 55 acres in south georgia.I have 1 area where a climbing stand is feasible to hunt and it is only used when I just need a break from the walking so this is the way I hunt the majority of the time. One more pointer to keep in mind that I have many a deer with is to be ready with the whistle. As soon as you bump one and get your weapon shouldered give a short loud whistle or two. This almost always stops them at least for a second for a curiosity look and then take your shot if it is presented. This I learned from my daddy and have used it all my life while deer hunting. It works.
this is a good method scored me a doe last season, and hey ss go F urself
This is what we do when it gets real cold out. We sneak into our stand early mornin and sit for a few hours. When you need to move to warm up take a good long walk follow trails and look for future stand sites and bedding areas.
nice - i think ive been walking too slow i think i might try to speed it up now i know what to work on at the range too. ill practice bringing the gun up from a resting position and get a shot off in under five seconds or so. I think these tip will work thanks!
Leave SS alone.... I bet if he was a driver on a wild hog hunt, he'd appreciate firearms a little more.
pet that little piggy mr. peta, he'd love a hug!
As for the article, great advice! My patience decreases through the day and sometimes even getting out of the stand and still hunting requires all I have to do it right. If you keep in mind that you can jump that deer while walking back to camp for lunch or the end of the day, and take the sling off and put it in your pocket, so you have to carry the rifle in your hands, you'll increase the odds of being ready. That extra second or two can mean all the difference.
If you practice at a range, practice quick mounting and shooting ( if your range allows it ). Try timing the difference between port arms carry and a sling carry and you'll become a believer!
This is a great way to get your venison. Heck, sometimes, if youre not making too much racket theyll stand up and practically beg you to shoot them for a couple of seconds.
This is what i like to do in the rain after about 10 or so
Post a Comment
Im sticking with still hunting,Id much rather take a shot at a buck that hasnt spotted me yet over shooting at one thats turning on the afterburners...My biggest buck a thick 10point that never even knew I was 40 yards away, until a 150gr .30/30 passed through his neck
A method I have used over the years in late season is very slowly walking the tops of ridges with the wind blowing in my face to conceal noise and smell. The key is very slowly. When the breeze lightens or stops for a few moments, I stop and still hunt. Once the wind/breeze starts up again so do I. If there is a cross breeze the deer will lay on the down wind side of the ridge which gives them the vantage point of seeing what's below but can still hear or smell what's on the other side. It's amazing how many deer I have been able to walk up on at a very close range, within 50 yards. Moving very slowly with patience is crucial. Give it a try. It's a total blast!
Short but sweet. good article we have used this tactic before with two people one guy watches while the other moves and tries to jump a deer. just make sure you know where the other person is. watch closely because like was mentioned the deer will hide and let you walk right by
great way to hunt but pretty difficult
This is a fantastic way to remotivate yourself after a fruitless early hunting season. Gun hunters will find this alot more helpful than us bow hunters. Like was mentioned, good way to cover alot of ground and if you have hunted a long early season and need to see some action, this is the way to go.
I have always like this. most of the time I do this after sitting in the blind for too many hours to get blood flowing again. alot of times in the direction of my partners stand.
Could be used to warm up the feet.
Prior to the invention of the tree stand hunters hunted with a wide variety of methods;
Tracking, stalking, stillhunting, driving, river floating and oh yea stump sitting. ;-)
Nice to read about something other than where to set a stand, sit there all day long and snipe the deer on his way by.
Great stuff!!
One more tip, move slow enough to keep your breathing down. Learned that the hard way this year, missed a 4x4 mule deer because I pushed myself too hard up a sand dune and I had the swine flu. When I got to the top I was huffing and puffing and saw the buck and missed. Last day of the season really leaves me something to stew over for the next 11 months.
Good Advice, but you have to be able to shoot running deer.
Late in season it can get into the minus 30 or worse so tough to sit still for long so I usually do some scouting midday to see where the deer are holed up. I drive the field edges on our farm looking for fresh tracks and glass the ravines for bedded deer so I can plan drives. One of my best bucks I found because I could see his breath in the cold, and a grunt made him standup. Another time I was glassing a ravine with major tracks and was about to leave but my Akita in the truck was going nuts so I chambered a round as I moved into the shrubs on ravine edge and then saw somethng moving to my right. I shouldered my 06 and instead of the coyote I was looking for a nice 8 pointer came out full tilt into the open field and met a 150grn. Coyotes make great practice any time of year and good $$ too some years.
This is another way to hunt that can easily be combined with other methods-- a bit of sitting , a bit of still hunting, some time in a tree stand, etc. in a one person hunt or combined in a group hunt ,co-ordinated, with each person having a GPS, topo map and radio. Prearrange the contact plans etc.and way to go. The possibilities are limited only by ourselves. Good luck to us all!!!
I argree with CurtMeiers-- THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO HUINT!!!
first of all, this is a great hunting method, we do this every year down on the farm and we're generally successful. however, you do need to know when to pass a shot and practice shooting dicipline. saw my dad drop a doe at 210 on the run across a cut corn field using this method.
second of all, ss, this is a hunting/fishing/survival/outdoor website. if you have a problem with it, leave. its as simple as that.
nice - i think ive been walking too slow i think i might try to speed it up now i know what to work on at the range too. ill practice bringing the gun up from a resting position and get a shot off in under five seconds or so. I think these tip will work thanks!
too much could go wrong so ill stick to sitting in a blind
Sounds like it might work but it sounds like a lot of other hunting methoeds that dont have you sitting still "Dont wait for the buck go find it" O yeah they all say that
Blind? Whats a blind? Never hunted in one. Out west we do spot and stalk.
Over the years I've admired the large bucks an elderly gentlemen always brought in. I never could match his bucks. Once, I asked for his advice and he said "Learn to shoot running deer" and it was good advice. The last 6 deer I've shot were jump-shots on running deer at close range.
Deer will indeed hold tight until the last minute and present themselves in a burst of speed and more often than not, offer a good shot. Talk about fast paced, adrenaline soaked hunting, thats the ticket!
Good Stuff!
I try to sit in my tree stand until 10:00am,especially during gun season, then I do the "bump and jump"!
I incorporate a bump into my jump to shoot a buck. Knowing and being intimate with the land allows for others to be along the escape path out of the line of fire.
I utilize a Boonie Packer Sling that allows me to carry my gun at "port arms" at all times.
Good article, that will result in more ways to hunt whitetail!
this article is why i love field and stream. great instruction. i often jump deer on my way out of the woods even though i try to take routes to avoid this. i have still hunted occasionally when the weather was less than cooperative but never had any luck although every time i do this i find myself wondering if i can make a good, quick shot. this article helps clarify things. keep up the good work guys.
This is a good way to hunt if you are mature enough to let them go if you don't have a good shot. It's a good way to get the deer down the road in front of your buddies too, if that's what you want.
Yeah I'm gonna try this this week my vacation starts monday and they won't be alot of people at the club so i can jump them babies up and give it a whirl. Man I'm so ready to go. man I'm all siked up whoooo!
Very good article, I used this method last year and jumped 2. I wasn't ready and was surprised when I jumped the deer. They were as surprised as I was and stopped at about 25 yds to look at me. Had I been ready, could have had a nice easy shot. Be ready for them to pause and give you the opportunity you need.
Good article. The area I hunt is all 13 year old pines on 55 acres in south georgia.I have 1 area where a climbing stand is feasible to hunt and it is only used when I just need a break from the walking so this is the way I hunt the majority of the time. One more pointer to keep in mind that I have many a deer with is to be ready with the whistle. As soon as you bump one and get your weapon shouldered give a short loud whistle or two. This almost always stops them at least for a second for a curiosity look and then take your shot if it is presented. This I learned from my daddy and have used it all my life while deer hunting. It works.
this is a good method scored me a doe last season, and hey ss go F urself
This is what we do when it gets real cold out. We sneak into our stand early mornin and sit for a few hours. When you need to move to warm up take a good long walk follow trails and look for future stand sites and bedding areas.
Leave SS alone.... I bet if he was a driver on a wild hog hunt, he'd appreciate firearms a little more.
pet that little piggy mr. peta, he'd love a hug!
As for the article, great advice! My patience decreases through the day and sometimes even getting out of the stand and still hunting requires all I have to do it right. If you keep in mind that you can jump that deer while walking back to camp for lunch or the end of the day, and take the sling off and put it in your pocket, so you have to carry the rifle in your hands, you'll increase the odds of being ready. That extra second or two can mean all the difference.
If you practice at a range, practice quick mounting and shooting ( if your range allows it ). Try timing the difference between port arms carry and a sling carry and you'll become a believer!
This is a great way to get your venison. Heck, sometimes, if youre not making too much racket theyll stand up and practically beg you to shoot them for a couple of seconds.
This is what i like to do in the rain after about 10 or so
GO OBAMA
GO PETA, DOWN WITH THE NRA AND F&S
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