# effective distance?



## jimmyjohn13 (Feb 22, 2009)

I was just curious how everyone else decides there maximum range. I have heard things like if you can hold it in a small pie plate then you can shoot that distance, but what does everyone else think?


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## Colt (Oct 25, 2007)

I started hunting with a longbow 30+ years ago for the challenge. To me bowhunting is about getting close and being a smart hunter. I cringe when I hear of people taking shots pushing 100 yds with their compounds. That is not what bowhunting is about IMO. I get such a huge thrill out of being close, I can't even describe it.

One time when I was younger, I killed a pronghorn about 40 yds away. I will never try that shot again, I was lucky. Other than that, I think everything has been within 25 yds.

My closet shot was on a black bear, I was on the ground and he was 5 yds away.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Im with colt, the whole point of bowhunting is getting close. If I wanted to shoot 100 yards, id shoot a gun.

I use the inch rule for determing max effective range. That means, 2 inch groups at 20, 3 inch at 30, 4 inch at 40, etc etc. If I cant consistently hold a 5 inch group at 50, than I dont shoot at 50, plain and simple. I use this method because range shooting is NOTHING like field shooting. I may be able to hold a tight group at a certain distance on the practice range, but add the stresses of hunting, unknown ranges, adrenaline, heavy clothes, out of breath, goofy uncomfortable shooting positions and these "tight" groups all of a sudden start to get bigger and bigger. If I can hold a 5" group at 50 on the range, than even if my group opens up to 6-8" while hunting, ill still very likely be in the "kill zone". I also put extreme emphasis on my "first arrow". Your not shooting multiple arrows hunting, that first arrow is everything.

The problem with the "paper plate" method, is yes, you may be able to do so on the range. But thats still only an 8-10" group under the most ideal of shooting conditions. That group, in a hunting scenario could EASILY open up to 12-16" which could mean some very poor hits.

Another thing to take into account is the species your hunting. Some animals are much more reactive to the shot than others. Ill take a shot at a mule deer, elk, or antelope id NEVER take at a whitetail as whitetails are much more cagey, jumpy, and more reactive at the shot. Even a relaxed whitetail will often "flinch" at the sound of a shot, and may move several inches before the arrow impacts, even at close range! My max range on whitetails is 30-40 yards, under IDEAL circumstances, but I wouldnt bat an eye at taking a 60 yard shot at an antelope or mulie under IDEAL circumstances. By ideal, I mean a completely unaware target, little or no wind, precise known range (found via accurate rangefinder), etc. Being off just 3-5 yards in your range estimation at these extreme ranges can be disasterous.

The only time you should press past your max effective range is on second arrows. If your first arrow is a poor hit, I believe your obligated to attempt to get a second arrow in the animal, no matter if hes outside your comfortable range.


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## wish2hunt (Apr 3, 2009)

i agree with you guys. I wont take a shot any further than 35 yards. I lost a deer a few years ago after i took a 45 yrd shot at him. I spent numerous days looking for him. He was a nice buck. He would have been a great trophy. I still feel bad about never finding it. I hit him too far back, and i dont think it was a kill shot, for sure he was wounded bad. He might have recovered, i dont know. I had practiced and was comfortable at 35, but i wanted that deer.

These days, im older and wiser. I wont risk another wounded animal just for my gain. So i stick to where i practice at. Clean hit = successfull hunt.

I decide my practical distance by where i can hit the 10 ring everytime i release. So, 35yrds is my range. Ive been practicing out to 45, but i am still not comfotable enough with that range to let it fly at a deer yet. Maybe next year.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

wish2hunt,

I hear that way to often. And I think it goes on FAR more than it should.

"my max range is (insert distance here), but if its a big enough buck ill try at (insert farther distance here)".......thats the wrong reason to be pushing your effective range.

The important thing is you learned a lesson and have become a better hunter because of it.


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## Bernie P. (Sep 25, 2008)

Well first of all long shots-100yds+ is not something that came about as a result of the compound bow.Hill,Pearson,Bear,Thompson brothers,etc were doing it LONG before the compound came along.Granted they much preferred and took most shots at much closer ranges but it's not like trad shooters never do such things.That said at present I limit my shots at game with the compound to 50yds.With either my longbow or recurve 35 yds is about max.


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## jimmyjohn13 (Feb 22, 2009)

thanks everyone that is kind of what i have been thinking, It is more fun to get close to the deer. I'm not going to shoot over 40 yards becasue I don't have a farther pin and as long as I know how to hang my stand I shouldn't have to.


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## Nodak Hunter (Jul 26, 2009)

barebackjack said:


> Im with colt, the whole point of bowhunting is getting close. If I wanted to shoot 100 yards, id shoot a gun.
> 
> I use the inch rule for determing max effective range. That means, 2 inch groups at 20, 3 inch at 30, 4 inch at 40, etc etc. If I cant consistently hold a 5 inch group at 50, than I dont shoot at 50, plain and simple. I use this method because range shooting is NOTHING like field shooting. I may be able to hold a tight group at a certain distance on the practice range, but add the stresses of hunting, unknown ranges, adrenaline, heavy clothes, out of breath, goofy uncomfortable shooting positions and these "tight" groups all of a sudden start to get bigger and bigger. If I can hold a 5" group at 50 on the range, than even if my group opens up to 6-8" while hunting, ill still very likely be in the "kill zone". I also put extreme emphasis on my "first arrow". Your not shooting multiple arrows hunting, that first arrow is everything.
> 
> ...


Very well said


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Your farthest shot should be what you can consistenly put in a kill zone. If thats 25 yards, then thats it. Overall though, I would say in the open, 60 yards should be your max. I have never killed an animal past 40, but I've also never hunted open area. I have practiced at 60 though, and w/ a pin i would be pretty confident out that far. Definitely no farther than 60. Even at 60 you risk a major time issue in the animal moving far enough to throw the shot off.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I've kept a journal of all my big game bow kills since the early 80's, and as you might imagine it equates to a pretty impressive pile of dead critters. The average shot range of that nearly 30 years of bowhunting is 21.5 yards.

That includes a fair number of 40-55 yard kills in my young & very foolish days. In the last 17 years the longest shot I've taken at any big game animal was 25 yards.

I think today's crop of goatee'ed TV & magazine bowhunting "celebrities" with their $2k aggregate of bow, sights, rest, and assorted accessories, shooting stuff for the camera at 40, 50, 60, and even farther yardages, are doing a huge disservice to bowhunting in general...

I look at it kind of like I do trail cameras. That actual putting in time scouting is such a pain in the butt... :eyeroll:


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

NDTerminator said:


> I think today's crop of goatee'ed TV & magazine bowhunting "celebrities" with their $2k aggregate of bow, sights, rest, and assorted accessories, shooting stuff for the camera at 40, 50, 60, and even farther yardages, are doing a huge disservice to bowhunting in general...


 :lol:


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