Shooting Running Deer Former Olympic Sport
Even though the Olympics ended Sunday, the Outdoor Hub takes a look back at an early 20th-century Olympic sport—running deer shooting. The sport debuted in the 1908 games and lasted until the 1948 games, when it was discontinued.
The event had single-shot and double-shot variations, based on the number of shots fired at the target during each run, according to the article. According to Wikipedia, each event consisted of a deer-shaped target that made ten 75-foot runs. Each run, which lasted about 4 seconds, took place at a distance of 110 yards from the shooter. The target had three concentric circles. The smallest circle carried four points, three for the middle circle, and the outermost circle carried two points.
A shot that hit the target outside of the circles also counted for one point, provided the hit was not on the haunch (butt and thigh). The event judged for a maximum of 40 possible points for single-shot, and a maximum of 80 points for double-shot.
At the 1908 Olympics, American Walter Winans won the gold for the double-shot, while Oscar Swahn of Sweden won gold for the single shot. Perhaps the Olympics might be more interesting to watch if this sport would make a return to the competition.
