grubbylabs
New member
Catfish man I hope you are just fishing but, it is because they start to become dehydrated as they loose blood.
Shot deers go right
- Thread starter the blur
- Start date
Could be meth. Meth is very popular these days. It's everyone's problem...
Yeah I call BS on that. I had a guy on a local forum say that in his hunter's ED course the instructor told him to bury or conceal a gut pile so tree-huggers wouldn't see it and get offended. Also he said leaving a gut pile was littering...unless you kick dirt or pine needles on it. The stuff they teach these days...
phil mcwilliam
New member
If you happen to lop the right front leg off with your first shot, they tend to veer to the right.
FrankenMauser
New member
Mortally wounded Deer that know the severity of the wound tend to go down hill (if available). Mortally wounded Deer that don't know the severity of the wound tend to seek higher ground.
Poor shots, or stupid Deer (yea, that's most of them)... anything can happen.
Based on my own experience, I can confidently say:
Any Doe Pronghorn Antelope shot while she is lying down, feeding, or chewing her cud will turn left.
I know it's far from the truth, but that's been my experience. Of all the speed goats I've shot, the only ones that didn't turn left were the ones that were dead before the bullet finished passing through their skulls.
Poor shots, or stupid Deer (yea, that's most of them)... anything can happen.
Based on my own experience, I can confidently say:
Any Doe Pronghorn Antelope shot while she is lying down, feeding, or chewing her cud will turn left.
I know it's far from the truth, but that's been my experience. Of all the speed goats I've shot, the only ones that didn't turn left were the ones that were dead before the bullet finished passing through their skulls.
Catfishman
New member
Yes massive blood loss causes thirst but does this thirst cause deer to wind up IN a body of water a few seconds after they are shot. Every deer I've pulled out of water ran less than 75 yards, most way less.
Could be instinc based on thirst, could be instinct based on slowing blood loss, or it's possible it's just random.
Double Naught Spy
New member
Deer only run right north of the equator.
South of the equator, they run left.
On the equator, they run in a straight line until moving either north or south of the equator and then they change direction accordingly
I believe that is in Homer Simpson's Guide to Hunting, 3rd edition, and they could not print it if it wasn't true!
South of the equator, they run left.
On the equator, they run in a straight line until moving either north or south of the equator and then they change direction accordingly
I believe that is in Homer Simpson's Guide to Hunting, 3rd edition, and they could not print it if it wasn't true!
Uncle Buck
New member
CatFishMan Wrote:
I was always told the reason they go to water is because of the burning sensation they have from being shot.
I know from personal experience that it burns like heck to be grazed. When I was shot (Same leg, two years later!) it burnt, then shock set in, then I was P.O.ed at myself for being stupid enough to leave a leg exposed.
I was always told the reason they go to water is because of the burning sensation they have from being shot.
I know from personal experience that it burns like heck to be grazed. When I was shot (Same leg, two years later!) it burnt, then shock set in, then I was P.O.ed at myself for being stupid enough to leave a leg exposed.
spclPatrolGroup
New member
You should ask your instructor if most deer he shoots run away. In my experiance most deer drop right where they were shot 
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I live in Central NY and I've seen plenty of NY deer get shot with both gun and bow. I can guarantee you that they do not "turn right". The vast majority of the time, they run in whatever direction they're facing, if they're not spooked before the shot. If they ARE worried/spooked before the shot then they will often whirl around and run back where they came.... toward "safe" ground where they've already been.
I can also guarantee you that, in this area, animals that are shot heading toward water is like saying that they head toward trees.
There's water everywhere. There's trees everywhere. You might as well say that they run toward air.
Surely, there are reasons why certain animals hit in certain places may head toward water but as a generic "Look in the direction of water if you can't find a blood trail.", it's a load of crap.
Look toward water, indeed. So.... is it the beaver pond to the east, the swamp to the west and north or the creek to the south? Oh look! It headed toward water.... water that's in every direction.
I can also guarantee you that, in this area, animals that are shot heading toward water is like saying that they head toward trees.
There's water everywhere. There's trees everywhere. You might as well say that they run toward air.
Surely, there are reasons why certain animals hit in certain places may head toward water but as a generic "Look in the direction of water if you can't find a blood trail.", it's a load of crap.
Look toward water, indeed. So.... is it the beaver pond to the east, the swamp to the west and north or the creek to the south? Oh look! It headed toward water.... water that's in every direction.
YARDDOG(1)
New member
Agree 100% on the Deer head to water when shot with a Bow or Gun ; )PS When Possible
Y/D
Y/D
OK I'll take a shot at straightening this out for all. Here are the facts! Deer north of the Continental divide turn right. Turkeys east of the mason dixon line turn left. Pigs can't see the lines to they run to the shooter to introduce themselves. Bears kneel and pray, then eat everything around them. Coyote's circle the wagons. Ducks fly to the sun, then walk to Detroit. Moose will climb the nearest tree. I'm sure I forgot a few but I'm starting to crash now....
davlandrum
New member
Sorry about that experience. I am a Hunter Ed instructor here in Oregon and it is a challenging, volunteer, job. I am only able to help with 1-2 classes a year due to other time requirements in my life.
I would recommend that you find out who the Education coordinator is at the DEC and drop them an email, a letter, or call them. We make sure everyone fills out a feedback card at the end of our classes.
At the State level, it is a difficult job trying to manage a state-wide network of volunteers and it is impossible to do any type of systematic monitoring. Some of the "old guys" add their own "insights" that may or may not be correct, and the internet does not help. I have repeatedly told one of my co-instructors that a photo he routinely shows is a misrepresentation of an actual event, but it does not seem to sink in.
The bottom line is did the instructor cover the IMPORTANT material correctly? At the end of the class, did your son learn what he needed to learn? If the answer to that is yes, then just ignore the rest.
And every "always 100% rule" is only 100% until something different happens...
I would recommend that you find out who the Education coordinator is at the DEC and drop them an email, a letter, or call them. We make sure everyone fills out a feedback card at the end of our classes.
At the State level, it is a difficult job trying to manage a state-wide network of volunteers and it is impossible to do any type of systematic monitoring. Some of the "old guys" add their own "insights" that may or may not be correct, and the internet does not help. I have repeatedly told one of my co-instructors that a photo he routinely shows is a misrepresentation of an actual event, but it does not seem to sink in.
The bottom line is did the instructor cover the IMPORTANT material correctly? At the end of the class, did your son learn what he needed to learn? If the answer to that is yes, then just ignore the rest.
And every "always 100% rule" is only 100% until something different happens...
Legionnaire
New member
the blur, I have to ask: Where was this course conducted?
I was a DEC-certified hunter safety instructor for many years. Some of the guys on the team I worked with were "old duffers," but they told good stories, and were good on the focus of the course: SAFETY. While we introduced newbies to a lot of what goes into a successful hunting experience, we were clear that "We don't teach how to hunt." Rather, we taught how to be safe while hunting.
As others have said, sounds like your instructor is a bit loose on this. I've taken a lot of deer in NY, and there's no predicting which way they'll move. If I had to hypothesize, I'd agree with Peetzakilla: they tend to continue on in the direction they were headed if they weren't already spooked. But I'd not give odds on a bet in any given situation.
And cotton?! We talked a LOT about how to dress: layers, avoid cotton, etc. I'm surprised, as this was covered in some of the materials we used.
I was a DEC-certified hunter safety instructor for many years. Some of the guys on the team I worked with were "old duffers," but they told good stories, and were good on the focus of the course: SAFETY. While we introduced newbies to a lot of what goes into a successful hunting experience, we were clear that "We don't teach how to hunt." Rather, we taught how to be safe while hunting.
As others have said, sounds like your instructor is a bit loose on this. I've taken a lot of deer in NY, and there's no predicting which way they'll move. If I had to hypothesize, I'd agree with Peetzakilla: they tend to continue on in the direction they were headed if they weren't already spooked. But I'd not give odds on a bet in any given situation.
And cotton?! We talked a LOT about how to dress: layers, avoid cotton, etc. I'm surprised, as this was covered in some of the materials we used.
Doodlebugger45
New member
I shot one several years ago that bucked like a rodeo bull after shot. He only bucked like that for a few jumps and then fell dead.
But one poster here told us about polar bears in Alaska. I forget which way they will not turn now. But you can ride up to the side of one of them on your snowmobile, confident that they will never turn in that direction. It sounded strange I know, but I have no reason to doubt that he knew what he was talking about. I guess I'll never know for sure until the next time I go polar bear hunting though.
But one poster here told us about polar bears in Alaska. I forget which way they will not turn now. But you can ride up to the side of one of them on your snowmobile, confident that they will never turn in that direction. It sounded strange I know, but I have no reason to doubt that he knew what he was talking about. I guess I'll never know for sure until the next time I go polar bear hunting though.
camper4lyfe
New member
2 of the 3 deer that i've shot have gone to the left after being shot. 1 even ran uphill.
And yes, I live in NY.
And yes, I live in NY.