How far will you shoot?

[shaneharley]

#3319

I’m kind of asking from something I seen on another thread but how far is the maximum yardage your willing to shoot at say a deer. Obviously practice has something to do with it but maybe you feel comfortable shooting 30 yards but will shoot at nothing past 20 in a hunting situation? I’m just curious what everyones thoughts were on this. Thanks

[wahoo]

#18593

I’ve always said I won’t shoot over 20yrds because how I practice but I have shot deer and gone back and measured yardage and it was 27 – 28 yards . Ever situation is different and myself tells me when it’s good or bad. I can see a animal and say oh that’s way too far and see another all relaxed and not knowing I am there and get that feeling this is a piece of cake and make the shot. I do love 20 and under

[Jason Wesbrock]

#18767

I have a somewhat simplistic way of setting my personal “everything is perfect” shot distance on various big game animals. I take the distance at which I can keep all my arrows (sans the very rare flyer – I’m not perfect) well within the kill zone of that species (a 3D target 8-ring is good), deduct a third, and then scale back from there as appropriate. For example, unless I can keep all my arrows in the 8-ring of a whitetail target at 30 yards, there’s no way I’d attempt to shoot a live, healthy one at 20.

[coastalbendbows]

#18879

I practice on the 3D whitetail targets out to 20 yards like Jason said I get a group there and just practice and practice at that distance. I try and have them all about a 4 inch circle. But when it come down to actually shooting an animal I limit my self to about 15 yards on these smaller whitetails we have here in Florida. Honestly I like them around 12 yards 10 yards is good and 8 is perfect. Any closer and its really a tough angle from the height I have to hunt from here. It then becomes almost straight down and a one lung shot.

[Etter1]

#18912

I’m sure every situation is different for me, but I can’t see myself shooting past 15-17 yards on deer sized game.

Honestly, traditional archery has changed the way that I hunt so much, that I don’t usually even get a chance at a long shot now. I’d like em all in spearing range if possible.

Thinking back:

In the last two years since I started traditional bowhunting, my shots have been at

15, 15, 12, 15. 6, 15, 14, and 5.

I’m not a particularly good shot and would need some professional coaching to increase my range in any way, but I can’t really see the need to.

[Troy Warner]

#18972

I will practice/stump shoot out to 40+ yards but when hunting would never try on anything past 25 and that is only if the shot is 100% clear of obstacles and the animal is relaxed, and so far that perfect senerio has never opened up for me. All of my shots so far have been 20 and under, mostly under.

[Col Mike]

#19124

I was taught (back in the 60’s) that a Hunters arrow point should hit the deer before the feathers leave the bow. My uncle and mentor was one heck of a stalker—practice moving and being part of the environment that is the skill–shooting the bow is second to that-IMHO. If nothing else you will see and enjoy so much more of why we do it.:)

Semper Fi

Mike

[Goraidh]

#19166

Less than 20 yards for me. 12-15 is perfect.

[horserod]

#19310

I practice out to 25 yds, but, I restrict myself to 20 yds and under for hunting conditions. Actually, in the last 25 years of deer hunting all shots have been 17 yds and under. Horserod

[Troy Breeding]

#19591

Like many others here I practice out to 40+. Still I want my hunting shots 20 or less if possible. All it takes is one quick step by the animal to turn a killing shot in the goody spot into a gut shot.

Remember, sound travels faster than any arrow and no bow is totally slient.

Troy

[Raymond Coffman]

#19757

Troy is spot on —

I practice to 35, would not shoot game past 20 — for the same reasons {especially -the all it takes is one quick step}.

Scout.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#19807

cyberscout wrote: Troy is spot on —

I practice to 35, would not shoot game past 20 — for the same reasons {especially -the all it takes is one quick step}.

Scout.

X 3.

I find that practice shooting out to 35 or so makes those 19-yard shots a lot easier.

[Raymond Coffman]

#19827

Smithhammer –

Yes, from some mistakes in past experience*. To Echo Dave Ps excellent article. It seemed in range[then] but my practice was not as disciplined and varied as now. Plus I don’t try to stretch it anymore. I would not shoot at turkeys beyond 15 -due to the small tgt area. After all closing the distance is the reason to hunt with a tradbow-at least for me

*”before I knew Better”

Scout.

*What Western?

[archer38]

#20337

I tend to be like Wahoo, I’ve shot small game at distances farther than I thought without hesitation but passed other shots that ended up closer than i thought because I just didn’t feel comfortable or confident with it. It depends on the situation and there are soooooo many variables leading up to the moment when your brain says “let it fly” or “let down”. I like to stay around the 20 yard rule but in reality, I don’t worry so much about “yardage”. If it feels right I shoot and if it doesn’t, I pass. I guess the key is knowing your bow and what you can or can’t achieve with it!

[horserod]

#20410

I may be wrong, but, wasn’t it Clint Eastwood who said…..”A mans got to know his limitations”! I think that’s pretty sound advise. 😉 Horserod

[Ralph]

#20866

Not gonna argue anything, your abilities and skills and equipment plus your integrity/ethics ought to dictate whether you should take the shot or not.

I’m just curious. You read old archery stories and articles, go to the archery library site, http://www.archerylibrary.com/, and do some reading and wonder who made it and when did it appear, the “20 yard rule”. “Practicing close shooting, 60 yards and under” 😕

Just food for thought 😆 and my being an ornery old cuss. 😉 My 2¢

I shoot a lot of 30 yd. shots just cause and I may have to sometime. Watching a cactus pod shatter at 50 yds. is impressive but that’s not saying I’ll shoot at an animal that far. Doubt that I’ll ever have a want to. A lot can happen to an arrow’s flight during that time span and distance. An animal can get out of position in a heartbeat also.

There are and has been shooters and hunters way better than I and I think not to judge their abilities. It’s the folk who just gotta shoot something no matter what, with whatever, no matter how far, or at what angle that get under my skin.

Still just me babbling, R²

[bruc]

#21224

cyberscout wrote: Smithhammer –

Yes, from some mistakes in past experience*. To Echo Dave Ps excellent article. It seemed in range[then] but my practice was not as disciplined and varied as now. Plus I don’t try to stretch it anymore. I would not shoot at turkeys beyond 15 -due to the small tgt area. After all closing the distance is the reason to hunt with a tradbow-at least for me

*”before I knew Better”

Scout.

*What Western?

A wild guess ” Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid “

[Raymond Coffman]

#21234

Bruc

about the same time production wise —but no

I will give folks lil longer, before I tell the title.

Scout

Hint-

the lines that lead up to that one

You hunt Buffalo?

No – Apache.

When?

Before I knew better—

[Troy Warner]

#24329

Tom Horn?

[Steve Capps]

#24540

R2 makes a good point. I once had the privilege of discussing this topic with a couple of legends, Dick Sage and Glenn St. Charles. Both had taken a lot of game at distances that even modern compound shooters would consider extreme (80-100 yards). In fact the jist of our conversation was centered around their appreciation of hunters who could get in close to their quarry. They reasoned that it only takes a good (or lucky) shooter to make a long distance shot, it takes a good hunter to get close.

[Raymond Coffman]

#24717

Tradhunter —

No – great western but

The One in question is –“Valdez Is Coming” Burt Lancaster

Scout

X2 — Stchunter48

[BuckyT]

#27746

ShaneHarley wrote: I’m kind of asking from something I seen on another thread but how far is the maximum yardage your willing to shoot at say a deer. Obviously practice has something to do with it but maybe you feel comfortable shooting 30 yards but will shoot at nothing past 20 in a hunting situation? I’m just curious what everyones thoughts were on this. Thanks

I take 70yd shots in my backyard at pine cones, water bottles, targets etc..

I won’t shoot past 20yds in a hunting situation.

[Ed Ashby]

#27860

I like practicing at very long range, though most of my practice is taking weird angle and off-balance shots at close range. I too think the doing some long range practice helps one’s close range shooting. Shooting game: as close as I can get. My average across the last 627 animals is less than 16 yards. if THE GAME IS REALLY LARGE AND IS ALSO A ‘SOFT’ ANIMAL I will stretch that out to near 30 yards. “Standard size” big game and, definitely, dangerous game, 20 yards or closer.

Ed

[Steve Sr.]

#38196

Over the decades this question arises often and a fair question however…….there-in, lies a problem for yours truly.

When able to do so (it’s been over a year but back at it this coming week), I do a bit of shooting while walking Super Dewey my “Walker Tri-Color House Dog” (80lbs).

Two birds with one stone so to speak. Run some energy off the Dew and shoot. OH yeah, THREE birds…Doc’s orders to get off my keister and MOVE regardless of the urge to NOT do so some days. 😀

The entire purpose of my addition to your informative post is not advice nor wisdom nor will include any “preset” number on yards I’ll shoot at game.

The reason for the later part is because I simply have no clue. Too many factors come into play and the biggest one FOR ME, is simply my thoughts on if I can make the shot and THAT is affected by many OTHER factors.

I will NOT shoot “as far” out of a tree stand, for one. My confidence in my “automatic” perception of the shot is simply….”not good” and I have passed up shots MANY times I wouldn’t hesitate on, Ever……standing on the ground, and I don’t EVER set up for anything close to “long” shots if I hunt a tree stand. Just MY opinion of MY shooting abilities out of one….nothing else indicated.

I am a HORRIBLE “target archer”. Tell me the yardage on a target and I AM IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. That info “clouds” my subconscious thoughts with something conscious, and I will embarrass myself quite horribly.

There may be some out there able to judge distances in ever changing hunting conditions, but I am not one of them, nor do I try. The same results (above) would occur.

Common sense tells me I pass up shots sometimes and not others for any or all of these factors.

1. How I feel physically

2. Lighting present

3. Weather conditions

4. Angle of the animal in question

5. What PARTICULAR (I NORMALLY have more than one that I hunt with. Bowaholic.) set up I am using that day. No, Virginia, I don’t use a set up done so for an Irish Elk on a normal basis therefore, MY limitations change with said setup, mostly accuracy wise. Reading between the lines you will notice I do NOT always hunt with “my most accurate” bow. Of course I don’t hunt with one I am inadequate with, but considered shots DO CHANGE depending upon my own experiences with bow/set up in hand.

Lump them all together and all say “whatever takes away from my self confidence” by bringing POSSIBLE negative things to mind. Confidence kills, doubting thoughts are “KILLERS of MY (all I can speak for) abilities” yet should be listened to when present, IMHO.

I’ve made successful hunting shots on game at distances I will not display for others, and passed up shots at half that distance on yet another day, another situation, on the same game animal species.

As simply as I can put it….”I didn’t feel positive I would successfully make the shot”…..period.

Yardage? Every single time I have to step it off if I wanted to know, or cared (no offense) but PRE-shot? It never enters my mind.

I feel I can make the shot, or I don’t and act accordingly.

For those HORRIBLY confused now, I apologize. IMHO ONLY, I am a “purely instinctive shooter” regardless of those that scoff at such.

From the tender age of 10 on, I had no “tutor”, completely self taught and after a half century? STILL WORKS if I don’t muck it up with too much “data” I don’t require.

God Bless

Steve Sr.

[Author]

Posts