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View Full Version : Stupid deer tricks


Utah Bob
01-15-2010, 15:41
So I decided it's time to sight in my 91/30 and i go down to the range. I fire about 5 rounds at a 25 yard zero target. It's a little nippy outside so I go into the reloading shed, turn the heater up, open the window and put the spotting scope on the sill.
I don't have any targets set up across the canyon and don't feel like slogging through the snow so I scope out a Juniper with a bare spot about 180 yards out. Should be easy to see the hit.
I adjust the sights settle down and put a round down range.
When I go to the scope, it has shifted a few feet to the left and is not longer on the tree. It's on This! (http://lazybobranch.homestead.com/1-7-10c.jpg)
Close up (http://lazybobranch.homestead.com/1-7-10b.jpg)
I thought I'd hit him at first but no. I'd hit the tree I was aiming at.

Off to the left of him was his harem of 4 ladies and a fawn and a little further down a smaller buck. I would have thought that maybe the first five rounds or so would have skeert them off. If not that, then certainly the 7.62 slug smacking into the tree 10 feet away should have raised some concern in their small ungulate brains.
Nope they continued to doze over there in the afternoon sun for another half hour.
I'm surprised a herd that dumb is still around. Or maybe they're just deaf.

And to answer yore questions:
A. I don't hunt
B. They ain't in season anyway

Paslode
01-15-2010, 15:52
I'd love my backyard to have a view like that!

Buffalobob
01-15-2010, 19:02
Elk for sure, and I believe deer also, can reduce their metabolism during extreme cold periods and go into a lethargic state. This allows them to survive on less calories and lowers their temperature differential with the air which in term helps conserve heat. Snowmobilers, wolves and late winter hunts can get them excited and their metabolism will after 30 minutes or so will rev back up. IIRC it takes about 10 days for it to drop back down. Thus if they experience too many high points in a winter they will starve to death. If you shoot one of them it will not bleed out very fast and if you hit the lungs it will take a long time for it to run out of oxygen in the blood stream and fall over dead.

Utah Bob
01-16-2010, 13:28
Elk for sure, and I believe deer also, can reduce their metabolism during extreme cold periods and go into a lethargic state. This allows them to survive on less calories and lowers their temperature differential with the air which in term helps conserve heat. Snowmobilers, wolves and late winter hunts can get them excited and their metabolism will after 30 minutes or so will rev back up. IIRC it takes about 10 days for it to drop back down. Thus if they experience too many high points in a winter they will starve to death. If you shoot one of them it will not bleed out very fast and if you hit the lungs it will take a long time for it to run out of oxygen in the blood stream and fall over dead.

Yeah, we get a fair amount of Elk on the property too. Just passing through (http://lazybobranch.homestead.com/12-19a.jpg):D