Running Deer

By Jeff Smith
August 2003

How far will a running deer travel during bullet flight?

An interesting note: I shoot at a buck one time running across a field at 100 yards. I just skinned him. Hair – no blood, bones, etc. This old man who must have been 120 years old ask me how much I lead him. It never occurred to me to lead an animal with a rifle capable of shooting in excess of 3000 ft/sec.

Running Deer - Check this out:

A deer can run at least 30mph.

There’s 5280 feet per mile

30mph= 30mph * 5,280 ft  = 158,400 feet per hour

A deer running at 30mph could travel 158,000 feet in one hour.

158,400 feet per hour = 158,400 feet per hour / 60 minutes  = 2,640 ft per minute

A deer running at 30mph could travel 2,640 feet in one minute.

2,640 ft per minute = 2,640 ft per minute / 60 seconds  = 44 ft per second

A deer running at 30mph could travel 44 feet in one second

*Hard to believe right?

It takes a bullet traveling 3,000-ft/sec muzzle and 2,781 at 100 yards 0.1039 seconds to travel 100 yards.

Distance = 44 feet per second * 0.1039 seconds = 4.57 feet

During 0.1039 seconds a deer would travel 4.57 feet.

And now you know the rest of the story.