How do you finish a deer off?

[Black Bird]

Hi there,

I have been hunting now for a few years and have had modest success. I learned how to hunt from taking my CORE course, going out hunting twice with an experience hunter, reading as much as I could, and going out in the field either by myself, or with a friend to put everything that I have learned into practice.

What I never came across is what to do to finish off a deer (I guess I was so focused on what I had to do to get into the position to make a shot + how to gut and butcher). My first deer I shot through the neck (the deer was facing me only about 30m away). I closed the distance and saw that the deer was still moving around, so I put the barrel behind the deer's ear at the base of the skull and fired off another round (man, was that LOUD). It seemed just the right thing to do. Since then, I have always done the same thing (assuming that the deer is still moving somewhat when I get right up to it).

However, I have come across a couple of other hunter now who have always cut the deers neck to end its life. I am not saying that one is better than the other (honestly, I am too new at hunting to have a strong opinion one way or the other) but I am curious as to what people do.

Hence, the poll:

Cheers,
BB

[elkdom]

a shot behind the ear is way quicker than a slashed neck, also if the deer or moose or elk is not totally disabled, it can kick you and possibly even kill you with a leg kick or antler gore you, a deers hooves are a lethal weapon when they kick,

[Singleshotneeded]

Agree with Elkdom, NEVER get close to a live deer or worse, a larger ungulate. Their hooves or antlers can kill! Stay a safe distance away and put a bullet in the back of it's head.

[835]

x3 with Elkdom

[cavebear]

I usual shoot vitals, neck or head, so i will approach and use my knife if safe to do so need to bleed out anyways, however if an animal is going to suffer I would fire another round.

Ps I primarilly hunt coastal blacktails.

Happy hunting :-D

[M@B]

Depends, If the critter is very much alive(which I have only seen once while bow hunting and the deer jumped the string resulting in a very bad shot placement) Then yeah give him another shot to end it for him.
But if you just get to him too soon and he's on the ground in his death throws(legs kinda kicking a bit head might be moving, shallow garggled breathing) Then just let him be for a few minutes longer. at that point shock has more than set in and he's isn't feeling anything anyway. Why make a bigger mess than you have to?

[Drillbit]

If needed, a shot in the ribs. Doesn't wreck the cape, and doesn't wreck much meat (few ribs). Have had to do it after spine shots.

[urbanhermit]

arm bar or rear naked choke..

[gamehunter6o]

40 years ago I saw my father in law grab a deer under the chin,as he had killed 100s of sheep, to cut it's throat and up came the back legs and ripped his shorts and undies off. He rode that deer like a bull rider and finally cut it's throat.
It's a funny sight watching a guy from behind, bent over, carrying a deer with a bare arse. :lol:

[warnniklz]

I had a region 5 doe tag a few years back. I wasn't really focused on does. I was busy chasing 4 points around. Anyways I came across a doe and she was standing there. So I hummed and hawed on if I should take her or not. My though was "if I can hit her in the head cool, if I miss oh well."

So I put my cross hairs right on her nose and touched the trigger. She went down hard and was kicking like crazy. I gave her a good 5 minutes thinking I got her in the neck. When I walked up to her and kicked her head over to asses the damage. I noticed the top of her head was split right down the middle with no brains left.

It was one shot one kill. So with that type of shot I know she was dead before she hit the ground, but still was thrashing about due to nerves. So just because something is still moving doesn't mean it's still alive. Just something to think about. Give your animals time to die before running up to them.

[warnniklz]

PS - I like the Steven Segal quick snap of the neck method too

[Mikey Rafiki]

I'm not a big fan of putting a bunch of extra shots in an animal. If it looks and sounds like it's gonna die in a few minutes I will just wait it out. No need to run up like Chuck Norris and slit it's throat. The only way I will put another bullet in them is if they are wounded enough that they can't move but may survive for hours and get all stressed out.
I have seen and heard of many people running up to finish off a dear (with a knife or a gun) so it doesn't suffer, then the animal jumps up and runs off and ends up suffering more or the person ends up losing the animal entirely.

[partner]

After the barbecue, I like cold beer to wash it down. If I have company it might be wine!

[Spy]

I usual shoot vitals, neck or head, so i will approach and use my knife if safe to do so need to bleed out anyways, however if an animal is going to suffer I would fire another round.

Ps I primarilly hunt coastal blacktails.

Happy hunting :-D

x2
If he looks like he is going to stand up,a follow up shot will seal the deal.If he is down but still alive & approachable a knife will finish him off. Larger animals a shot behind the ear.

[BillyBull]

If when I get to the deer or moose and there is any movement I put one just behind the ear. If it is that dream animal that your looking to mount, then your going to have to try for a front on heart shot or another through the side to the vitals. Dont suggest using the knife unless your sure its dead, seen some foolish things with the Jim Bowie types and a kick from any of those legs is deadly.

[dougan]

with patatoes and gravy!!!!

[weatherby_man]

What no choice for shovel??

I would use the gun myself by hey thats just me.

[rocksteady]

PS - I like the Steven Segal quick snap of the neck method too


I prefer the Bruce Lee 5 finger death punch.....Especiallly with those crazy Bruce Lee eyeballs......Hayah!!!!!! Whap !!!

[Sleep Robber]

I usually give it a few minutes, get my shit together and then approach the deer from behind {safest way}. If I see it is obviously still alive, I instantly put another round in it, without trying to screw up the meat {head or neck if possible} I want to kill the deer as quick as I can and still be safe doing so. I also don't want the animal suffering anymore than it already has.

I personally think using a knife to cut it's throat is a careless way of finishing off an deer. To many bad things can happen to you. Maybe some are worried about their future mount, spoiled meat, wasted bullet or whatever. To heck with that, shoot the SOB and get on with it. I'd be more worried about getting an antler stuck in me or getting shit kicked by the deer.

Whatever turns your crank though I guess.

[snowhunter]

Most deer take some time to expire after being shoot. Lung/heart area shoots usually only takes seconds to work, which at time s seems to last much longer.

This past season I cut the main arteries on the neck of a downed white-tail buck, and it expired pretty quick after that.

[Blktail]

arm bar or rear naked choke..

What the heck is a rear naked choke?!!!!!!!!

Bullet to the head for me.

[Marlin375]

If I have spined an animal and it is pretty obvious it is not going to expire in the next minute or so I will place a shot at the base of its skull (very top of its neck) directly from behind so the shot won't split its skull plate and it will exit out the front of its neck taking out the jugular, then pull the back legs uphill letting it bleed out while I have a celebratory cigar. The throat cutting that is suggested in your core is for bleeding properly not killing, and is kind of useless if you are going to gut the animal in the next 20 minutes or so anyhow. Remember to stick your barrel in the eye before you put your hands on it (it better be open and it better not blink).

I shot the moose in my avatar in the neck, it went straight down and when I got to it it was bleeding out, motionless and its eyes were wide open so I ASSUMED it was done, I sat on it and smoked a cigar when I got up to take a picture 5 minutes later he started thrashing around. Kind of surprised me so I gave him another. I learned not to assume anything ...again:roll: ... The shock from the shot must have stunned him, along with being fatal, but he had obviously not finished doing the "funky chicken". I bet if I had stuck my barrel in his eye (I usually do) he would have blinked.

[hunter1947]

For me it has always been my rifle..

[moose2]

When I started hunting on the coast I was shown to use a knife on the blacktails. I did it a few times , but since I moved north 23 years ago and got my first moose on the ground I switched to the rifle, and have done it this way on all species ever since.
Mike