Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: Fox on October 17, 2020, 12:12:45 pm

Title: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Fox on October 17, 2020, 12:12:45 pm
This is is a slightly difficult subject but Important to know.. I had to do this on my first hunt ( not with a bow) and I cut the does neck. It seemingly worked but did take a minute or 2. It was pretty sad...


So what do you all think is the most effective way? With having only a bow and knife of course.


-Fox
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: trad_bowhunter1965 on October 17, 2020, 12:53:36 pm
shot to the head if you using a gun.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Woody roberts on October 17, 2020, 03:12:15 pm
I love to hunt. Ive never liked killing stuff. I am a man who can do what has to be done. Ive butchered my own livestock and put down sick pets.
However I’m always thankful when I walk up to an animal Ive shot and it’s already dead. On the ones that are not, in my younger days I cut the throat. This is drawn out and not a pleasant experience for me.
A shot to the butt of the ear works well with a gun.
But you asked about a bow and a knife. Another arrow through the lungs will bleed one out pretty quick.
On butchering hogs. Instead of cutting the throat the way I saw most people do it my grandpa would stab them in the V where the breastbone meets the neck. Giving the knife a quick twist. I believe this severed the arteries above the heart and the amount of blood would be unreal. I can’t say how fast it killed since they had been shot between the eyes already. He always stabbed them after the shot but before they fell. This window is very short. I always had to butcher by myself and by the time I layed the gun down and got them stuck I didn’t get near the blood flow that he did.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Pappy on October 17, 2020, 04:54:33 pm
Arrows through the lungs and walk away for a minute or so is how I do it, don’t enjoy it but happens pretty quick. Pappy
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: TimBo on October 17, 2020, 10:04:16 pm
Luckily I have never had to deal with this personally, but I would definitely take the arrow route and not use the knife unless there was no other choice.  One of my friends told me about a very bad experience he had with cutting a deer's throat - it turned into something of a wrestling match and really shook him up.  It's well worth using another arrow (or bullet) to do things right.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Hawkdancer on October 17, 2020, 11:11:01 pm
Got to go with the lung shot!  If you are in a CWD region, the brain is needed for testing purposes.
If you hunt, sometimes you need to finish!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Bad juju on October 17, 2020, 11:41:14 pm
I have done both arrow to the lungs and cut the throat with a knife. I just do what seems best in the moment. I don’t care for either but you have to do something
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 18, 2020, 07:57:22 am
I have dispatched several wounded deer that couldn't get up. My prefered method is a quick knife thrust to the rib cage. This deflates the lungs, they are dead within a couple of minutes. This has worked every time I tried it, I if I remember correctly, three times so far.

I slip up behind them, reach over the back an stab with my knife.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Fox on October 18, 2020, 01:24:48 pm
Arrow to the vitals seems like the least stressful method for the deer.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Bad juju on October 18, 2020, 02:39:38 pm
Can’t say what is less stressful for the deer but a knife can be quick

The biggest difference between the two is your safety. Getting close with a knife puts you at risk and you need to be careful. If I believe the deer is going to thrash I use an arrow. If I come up on a spinned deer that can’t really move I use a knife

Luckily this is not a choice I have had to make often
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: bradsmith2010 on October 18, 2020, 09:58:42 pm
shooting the deer with arrow,, in heart or lungs,,

that way you are safe distance,,
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 19, 2020, 07:44:31 am
On 2 of 3 of my dispatched deer I didn't have a weapon, one was a next day tracking job that I didn't expect to find but did, he was in pretty bad shape but could get up and move a few feet before falling back down.

Another was a road struck deer I saw hit in the opposite lane, it was paralyzed from the mid back down. I was actually coming home from hunting, saw the deer get hit, pulled it out of the road, stabbed it, backed up to it with my deer hoist in place, loaded it and took it home, perfectly legal where I live.

The other deer was a M/L wounded one, a doe. I could have shot it again but it could barely raise its head so I stabbed it.

I have found if you approach the deer very slowly from the back they don't feel threatened as much, a quick stab is very doable.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: mullet on October 19, 2020, 01:35:05 pm
I just had to do this with the doe posted in the muzzle loading forum. I had shot the doe in the neck and it dropped instantly but was laying there with its head up bawling. I hate that so I dropped 25 grains of powder down the barrel and an unpatched ball and placed the barrel behind the ear when I pulled the trigger. From now on I think I'll carry a small two shot .22 mag derringer when I hunt.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: WhistlingBadger on October 19, 2020, 05:54:33 pm
My dad used to always carry a .22 pistol for this sort of thing.  That's too heavy for me.  Rifle, I find a point-black shot to the base of the skull ends their problems instantly, and leaves enough head tissue for CWD testing.  Bow, I would definitely go with the arrow through the lungs.  I wouldn't use a knife unless there were no other way.  Those antler tines are pointy.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: mullet on October 19, 2020, 08:32:39 pm
That afternoon I had only a real short bladed knife, and I thought that would be more inhumane put down. With a rifle I haven't had that problem since I use a #1 Ruger in .300 Win. Mag.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Deerhunter21 on October 20, 2020, 08:16:44 am
something very uncofortable to think about, but very important to think about. this has helped me a good bit. thanks.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: ssrhythm on October 24, 2020, 09:47:29 pm
shot to the head if you using a gun.

I’d say shooting them point blank in the head if using a gun or shooting them heart/lungs if shooting a bow.  Carotid artery cut with knife would be best if you can safely do it. I can tell you with great certainty, choking one out with a bungee cord is NOT the way to go...long story, but I’ll never go hunting again without a knife.  Regardless...having to finish a big game animal at close distance...no matter how you do it...is going to be an experience that will grab you by the guts and wrench your soul; there is no getting around that. 
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Flyonline on October 26, 2020, 03:15:56 am
Having had to put down 2 sheep from a dog attack, and a goat stuck in a bush I'd already shot, I sure as heck don't like having a razor sharp knife in one hand and trying to hold a head still for a neck cut on a struggling animal with the other. Even the first sheep which was 4/5ths dead from blood loss put up enough fight to make me nervous: add some stress, low light/dark, difficult footing, rain/dew etc. and it's a recipe for more than one thing being cut.

If I ever have to do it in the wild I'll be shooting another arrow into the heart/lungs.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Deerhunter21 on October 26, 2020, 09:42:26 am
not a fun thing to talk about, but a good thing to know. ive learned a good bit from this thread. me personally... ill probably carry a gun with me to get the base of the skull... i dont know though maybe another arrow would be the cleanest and fastest... i just feel that if i wound an animal, ive first of all failed to give it a quick clean death and it still deserves the quickest dispatch i can give it without causing it horrible amounts of distress.
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Hawkdancer on October 26, 2020, 05:28:20 pm
not a fun thing to talk about, but a good thing to know. ive learned a good bit from this thread. me personally... ill probably carry a gun with me to get the base of the skull... i dont know though maybe another arrow would be the cleanest and fastest... i just feel that if i wound an animal, ive first of all failed to give it a quick clean death and it still deserves the quickest dispatch i can give it without causing it horrible amounts of distress.
[/quote
A quick coup de grace is honorable, however, double check the state and federal  regs.  It is illegal to carry a firearm during archery season here in Nebraska.  During rifle season, you can hunt with any legal weapon.
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: What is the most effective way to “dispatch” a wounded deer?
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 27, 2020, 08:00:51 am
Same here in Alabama, you can concealed carry during bow season for self protection but can not legally use your firearm to dispatch a deer unless it is during gun season.