# Shooting Distance



## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

What's your distance? I want to know what you hunters consider a safe and ethical yardage to take game at. I shoot a 62# recurve and I have yet to have to take a deer over 25 yards, and the ones I have shot I have recovered. I have heard of hunters taking shots out to 65 to 70 yards. If you want to incorporate this into an ethical debate, I personally think that is way too far of a shot. There are too many factors that can change in the time of release to the time that arrow reaches it's target to make a good clean kill. I think this has resulted in way to many deer that have not been recovered. What are your thoughts?

Just my .02


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

Well I know this one has been covered in the past and what usually happens is someone claims that at 60-80 yds it is ok, comfortable with that, etc.. Then the big debate begins, so I'll leave it at this and be done. Where I hunt, meaning amount of brush, branches, whatever, I have few chances even if I wanted to, to take a shot over 35yds. without something possibly deflecting my arrow. Throw low light conditions in there and what isn't visibly there then, shows up in the bright of the day. I position myself for a 15-30 yd. shot for the reason I just mentioned, plus I know with experience that I don't need to reach out any further because sooner or later that deer will give me the look that I want at 15-30 and that high percentage chance. (The season is 3 months long) I also enjoy the challenge of drawing them in close with scent, a grunt or rattle, getting them behind cover to hide my draw and getting that deer to take that last couple of steps before I release. The terrain here is much different than in ND so style and range theories tend to vary just the same I think.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

My thoughts exactly GP. I hunt MN and Eastern ND though and if I was going to the west to hunt I would definately spend more time shooting the further distances in practice. This year, the last day of the season I had three nice bucks at 45 yards. I never tried the shot because I didn't feel good about it. I had the arrow drawn and ready and I never released. I would have felt worse had I shot and injured a nice deer. I instead shot an antlerless one(button Buck) at 20 yards later that same day!!

I would like to try speed goats some day though and I would guess that would be longer shots!!!!!!!


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## sportsaholic07 (Dec 22, 2005)

well I like hunting where I do becasue most of my shots are within 15 yards...my closest opprotunity is 12 feet


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## MOGLEY (Dec 20, 2005)

I have been bowhunting for 17 years and until last year never tried practicing beyond 40 yards always 30 and under. This past year I have a new bowtech allegance up to 70 lbs because I was in hopes of a bow kill moose. (had to shoot it with a gun). Anyway back to the subject. In practicing, I soon realized this bow was capable of some serious accurracy and routinely found myself practicing at 70 yards. and no I would not take a shot at an aninmal at that distance BUT practicing at long ranges will make the 30 yard shot seem like a 10. Your form inproves immensley and if you can shoot broadheads at that distance accuratley, you know your bow is set up dead nuts. I use muzzy 4 blade 115 broadheads and was taking the fletching off at that distance. I want to emphasize at that distance, being off 5 yards in estimation means missing the target.


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## dogdigger (Jan 26, 2004)

with perfect conditions and the use of a range finder i wouldnt think twice about taking a deer at 50 yards.

mark


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## lmoon (Feb 4, 2006)

Do your homework, scout hard, and shoot em close!! I have found that few people consistantly retrieve deer that shoot outside of 30 yards. I like to range a 25 yard perimeter when I pick a tree and stick within that range. There is nothing better than slicing through 2 lungs within 20 yards. 50% of the time the deer doesn't even know what has happened assuming you shoot a quite bow.
The fact is that the best hunters will consistly get deer close which results in an easier shot!!

Get em Close!!!

Locked UP!!!


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

I shoot compounds, and I refuse to take a shot one step over 45 yards.


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## kase (Jan 23, 2005)

i can consistently hit a paper plate at 80 yards, but i would never take a shot at an animal that far. just like MOGLEY said, shooting at plus yardage improves your confidence when shooting shorter distances...its a good time also. just to have contests with your hunting buddies and stuff. we've also taken some 100 yarders at 3-Ds just for fun  i'm along with dogdigger and remington. on a calm day i will shoot comfortably out to 45 or 50 yards when i have my rangefinder. i'll shoot a little farther at antelope, but thats just because they piss me off so bad

kase


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

I would definitely shoot out to 50-55 yards max....but antelope is a different story, like kase said they piss you off. It is a lot of fun though to know you could shoot something out to 80 yards if you have been shooting that in your yard.


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## NDTracer (Dec 15, 2005)

Well my compound limit is around 30 yards. My recurve limit is zero I am not near accurate enough to go after an animal with that.


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## Whelen35 (Mar 9, 2004)

I think bow hunting is getting like rifle hunting. The equipment is better, faster, and with carbon arrows, we tend to cover up a bit of our rang mistakes. It is now not all that hard to make hits at distances that 10-15 years ago would have seemed vry much out of most peoples wildest dreams. We read of people takeing and getting animals at distances that we would have never considered before. I feel this way, it makes a good read, but even though I can hit a target at a range before I was not comfortable with does not make it a hunting distance to me. I can hit my targets when I know the range standing having the time to hit the non moveing/liveing target. I don't get that when hunting. With a bow, and me shooting, 30yds is still far enough for me to miss. Closer is still better and a shot in feet beats the heck out of the same number of yards. Don't let what people write to make a story sound better dictate how you hunt. Know your limmits, and hunt the way you would be proud of hunting, not how you would brag about how far you shot something. :beer:


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## tilliejack (Feb 11, 2006)

AMEN BROTHER!!


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## tiki870 (Feb 27, 2006)

if you put in the practice and know your abilities why not take a shot at 60 - 70 yards if the conditions are right ? not tring to start a debate just my 2cents.


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## NDTracer (Dec 15, 2005)

tiki870 said:


> if you put in the practice and know your abilities why not take a shot at 60 - 70 yards if the conditions are right ? not tring to start a debate just my 2cents.


The reason I say not to is because alot can happen in the time you release to the time the arrow arrives. The deer could easily move for one reason or another and your shot which was perfect all of a sudden became a rump or neck shot from an action the deer made. That is probably the main reason. Besides that part of the thrill of bowhunting to me is the up close and personal experience it give me to the deer.

I personally havn't shot over 22 yards but would go out to 25 maybe 30 with the compound. With my recurve, well lets just say the target is even save at 30.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Whelen35 said:


> I think bow hunting is getting like rifle hunting. The equipment is better, faster, and with carbon arrows, we tend to cover up a bit of our rang mistakes. It is now not all that hard to make hits at distances that 10-15 years ago would have seemed vry much out of most peoples wildest dreams. We read of people takeing and getting animals at distances that we would have never considered before. I feel this way, it makes a good read, but even though I can hit a target at a range before I was not comfortable with does not make it a hunting distance to me. I can hit my targets when I know the range standing having the time to hit the non moveing/liveing target. I don't get that when hunting. With a bow, and me shooting, 30yds is still far enough for me to miss. Closer is still better and a shot in feet beats the heck out of the same number of yards. Don't let what people write to make a story sound better dictate how you hunt. Know your limmits, and hunt the way you would be proud of hunting, not how you would brag about how far you shot something. :beer:


I'll second that Amen Brother!

Ryan

.


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## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

This could fall under discussing religion and politics. There are pros and cons on both sides. I completely missed a moose standing broadside at 15 yards. Moose fevor I guess. But he was so interested in the cow he was following that I was able to put 2 arrows in him at 55 and 60 yards.
I'm not sure how that fits into this thread.


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## mossy512 (Jan 7, 2006)

I shoot mine pretty regular and have a 5 pin sight set at 10, 20, 30, 40, & 50. I practice out to 40, I like my shots on any game to be no more than 25-30. I have taken a few target shots at a block style layered target frfom 50 and got 9-10 1/2 inch penetration. this by no means that I am comfortable shooting at a deer at 50. In case anyone wants to ask I shoot a Mathews SQ2 set at 70# w/ whisker biscuit and 5 pin Trophy Ridge "Flatliner sight. Sweet bow great performance and penetration. As for the question, personally anything past 40 your getting real ify. Just my :2cents: .

Besides isn't that what bow hunting is all about "GETTING CLOSE"


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## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

I know some antelope hunters that are extremly acurate out to 60 yards but they practice a 60 yard shot like I practice a 20 yard shot.


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