Deer Reaction Study - Best Shot Placement on a Deer

Grant Woods and the Growing Deer TV team recently did a study on how deer react to the sound of a bow shot. The results will help you determine when to take a shot and where exactly to aim. You can watch the full video by clicking here.

How Far Can Deer Drop?

Below is a chart that the Growing deer team created based upon their research and testing.



Head Down or Heads Up?

Grant and his team dug into their archive of shots from over the years, and they noticed something interesting. They found that deer can drop more quickly when they have their head down than when they have their head up. So why is that? Grant theorizes that it is because deer that have their head down can throw their head to help force their bodies down.


Aim Low

Most deer drop at least a little at the sound of the shot. Some deer drop a lot. It is impossible to predict how far a deer will drop. So, your best option is to aim at the lower third of the vital area. That way you’ll be covered if the deer drops quite a bit or if the deer doesn’t drop at all.


Grant’s research reminded us about a bow kill here in Michigan a couple years ago. Check out the video below. Pro Staffer Rob W. shot at this buck and he really dropped, but, if he really wanted to survive, he didn’t drop in the right direction.

Growing Deer’s research gave us a little different perspective on how we will evaluate shot opportunities in the future. You want those deer up close with their heads up and you want to aim at the lower third of the kill zone. If you have’t watched the full Growing Deer video, watch it now by clicking here.

Much of Grant’s research was possible because he had so many shots on film. Filming your hunt is really fun because you can share your experience with others. In addition, being able to review your shot is a huge bonus that comes with filming your hunt. Knowing exactly where you hit a deer can help you determine how long to wait before you start on the blood trail.