How Far Would You Shoot?

[Mike Belt]

The spot I plan on opening archery is in the corner of a long, narrow bean field planted for the first time in the last 5 years. It's bordered on the end by a small oak filled hollow leading into a grown up cutover, behind me by a native grass field dropping down into some really thick stuff with multiple heavy used trails entering the field on both sides of me, and on the far side of the field is a narrow band of grass and trees separating my field from a much larger bean field. Comparing the 2 fields the deer are absolutely wearing my field out. The far side of this field would be a 56 yard shot.

75% of my practice at shooting is between 40 and 60 yards with most of that being at 50 yards. I'm completely confident in shooting that far and it makes those 20 and 30 yard shots a piece of cake. It's a given that deer have an amazing reaction time but if you had an unalarmed deer feeding along broadside at 56 yards and were confident in making that shot would you take it?

 

[bowhunter163]

I can't say that I wouldn't shoot that far , because under the right circumstances I would and have . But I can count on one hand how many deer I have killed with a bow over 30 yards .

 

[ImThere]

All day long. I think a relaxed deer at 50 yds is easier than a tense deer at 30 yds. If the conditions were similar to pratice that you normally do what would be the problem? I know the deer could take a step or whatever but if you have been watching the deer you can tell what it is doing and when it is probable to make its next step.

 

[UTGrad]

My max range would be 40 yards even though I practice at further yardages.

 

[catman529]

I can't shoot past 30 as of now. Def won't shoot a deer farther. Preferably 20 but I can do 30 if I have to.

 

[Hoss]

No.

 

[Mike Belt]

My longest kill shot and attempt has been 46 yards...dead deer. I don't advocate long shots and completely agree with archery being close range hunting. My shots could come form point blank to that 56 yard mark. From what I understand there are a lot of elk taken at that range. If an arrow will take down an elk at that range it ought to work on the deer...provided you have the relaxed deer shot opportunity. If it comes (and I hope it doesn't because I want them much closer) I will fling an arrow.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

I've never shot a deer that far....36 is my longest. 40 is my preferred max, but I can't say that I would not shoot out to 50�there are a lot of conditions that would have to be met in order for me to take that shot, so many conditions that the shot would likely never happen. I practice much further than that, and 50 is easily in my wheelhouse, but foam targets don't move either.

 

[51 pointer]

If the buck was over 150" I would give it a shot, I shoot to 40 yds with one pin and would have to guesstimate how high to hold, I shot a turkey at 52 yds and drilled it in the boiler room so I know I can make it however I rarely have any shots longer than 35 yds the way I place stands

I'm sure ill get flack for being a trophy hunter but that's what I like......I am planning on eating a cpl deer this year though.....which will be does

 

[muddyboots]

Depends. Standing at ease in a field and i know the range no problem.

 

[Crow Terminator]

In my early rookie days...yes. In my wiser and experienced days now...no. And you are in for a surprise of a lifetime if you try at just how fast that seemingly relaxed deer can become unrelaxed and started to run to the next county. Deer are prey animals...meaning they are what the other critters eat. Therefore they are always, in some form, alert to keep from being eaten. ESPECIALLY when they are eating. And when they are eating, they are constantly moving to some degree aka browsing. At 50+ yards, all it takes is a half step and your double lung shot = guts, even if your arrow flew perfect. You might could whistle or "mahh" at them to stop them but then their alertness is at its peak. Sure, the arrow is generating plenty of energy to kill one that far. But it's the variables that you cannot control that make it so risky. The majority of the threads we will see here in the near future involving needing help tracking deer and then losing said deer, will be from people taking risky shots. Back in my young days I shot at one that was 67 yards in a field that was stomping and blowing at me but wouldn't run off. After several minutes of this I had enough of her ruckus and ranged her and took a hail Mary shot to either scare her off completely or kill her. Imagine my surprise when I watched my arrow sail right to her and she never flinched or ducked but let that arrow 12 ring her. Complete pass thru.But I have also tried this on deer at lesser yardages and have them make it 15+ feet from where they were standing when I shot. Thus what I said earlier...experience is the best teacher and I'm speaking from my own steps of experience.

Best to save the long shots for foam and the sport of archery...and the close shots for bow hunting live critters.

 

[W.Seay]

63 yards is my furthest kill but I would not hesitate to shoot at 70 given the right conditions. I killed most of my deer at 40 yards. Each hunter must know their skill level and go with it. If you are going to shoot 60 yards and further, you Must have the right set up for the job!

 

[W.Seay]

To answer your question Mike, heck yeah, let it rip! Give me a call and ill help you drag out your big buck this year!

 

[knightrider]

if I was confident and deer was relaxed I would take the shot myself

 

[Poleaxe]

Like they say in Vegas "Let er ride". So you can't kill em if you don't shoot. I love longer shots as long as there is ZERO obstacles in the path the arrow is gonna be traveling.

 

[FOX FIRE]

Kind of a personal thing I guess, the only way I would shoot past the 30yd mark we be if the deer had a runny nose from all the pollen, a hearing aid & a seeing eye dog leading him around, just to far foe my old bow & eyes (plus Robin Hood I aint).

SOund travels at around 1000feet per second, even the faster bows (guessing) only do around 350+/-. so the sound will get to the deer about 3 times as fast as the bow can shoot, dont think I would take the chance at gut shooting a deer, if I had a newer bow maybe 45 yards max.

Thats just me tho.

 

[deerhunter10]

just depends on conditions and I would say if the conditions are right yes if not no most likely no though. I know my equipment can do as I shoot up to 80 yards just about every day but that's because it makes those 40 yards and in even easier. I try to stay 40 yards and in. my furthest though is 49 yards.

 

[G_Man]

daaang...i know im new to bowhunting and archery, but i have yet to take a shot further than 40 yard in practice!! Probably crazy to hear that, but i want to be as efficient as possible at closer ranges. I tip my hat to yall that can fling one that far, but not i

 

[TNDeerGuy]

daaang...i know im new to bowhunting and archery, but i have yet to take a shot further than 40 yard in practice!! Probably crazy to hear that, but i want to be as efficient as possible at closer ranges. I tip my hat to yall that can fling one that far, but not i

It is all about practice and building up positive form and gaining muscle memory�you'll get there! My first season, I limited myself to 20yds and under.....that was about all the thing would shoot...LOL

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

60 yards or more only if there isn't much of a cross wind.

Get Serious, Get Hoyt.

 

[Radar]

If you feel comfortable with longer shots , go for it ! But the second a shot doesn't feel right while you are at full draw , let down ! That is where most hunters fail , thinking they have to launch that arrow no matter what , once they have reached full draw . Each scenario is different ,it's up to the bow hunter to make the right decision .

 

[102]

Good answer Crow T!

For me, I also practice 45 yards regularly with broadheads. I am confident at 45 yards.

I have, and will kill a deer at 52 yards. Provided that deer appears relaxed, is WIDE open, and I have a rangefinder on it to know the exact distance.

I have only taken a very few shots at deer over 40 yards. The vast majority being inside 20.
All of my longer shots resulted in terminal experiences for the deer.

I do not condone this range shooting for novice bowhunters.

 

[DOC1187]

30 yards MAX for me part of bow hunting is getting close

x2

 

[TNReb]

30 yards for me. I'm honestly just not a real good shot with a bow (I don't really practice much). I can confidently hit the kill zone from 20-30 yards. Anything beyond that, I'm just not real comfortable. The spots I hang my stands don't offer much over 20 yards anyway.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I feel like there should be an equation for how much can go wrong per yard of an archery shot. 60 yards is deep... real deep! It is well out of my comfort zone but if you are 100% confident in the shot placement and have the deer 100% stationary then go for it I guess. My issue is why can't it wait til the next hunt, when you could move your stand to the other side and make that a 25 yard chip shot... or til Muzzle Loader and make it a 60 yard chip shot? For me my max would be about 50yds, and it would have to be a booner that I knew I would never see again. Anything else, it can wait.

 

[Mike Belt]

I've seen a couple of responses that said if it was a booner I'd let her rip. If you're worried about a bad hit it would seem that crippling and losing a booner would hurt worse than losing a smaller deer (although a deer is a deer is a deer is a deer and any deer lost to a bad shot should create nightmares). I have half the battle won. I feel confident in shooting that far. The rest depends on the deer.

 

[Hoss]

Some of these comments make me want to cry.

 

[StalkingWolf]

I limit myself to 30 yards, however, Western hunters often take shots out to twice the distance. Granted, that is often on bigger animals than Eastern Whitetails.

With bowhunting, I often like to hunt very thick areas where my shots are limited to inside of 30 yards anyway. By doing this, I often do not have to worry about range very much since the feature I am hunting will put a deer inside of 25 yards. Hunting open areas would make it more tempting to try longer shots.

I put myself in tight spots as well. When they get in my circle they are in trouble!

 

[southernhunter]

i shoot my 3d deer target out to 50 yards . but 30ish yards is my max killing range .i have shot several bows and at 50 yards it seems i can do a count down till the arrow hits the target .its hard for me to believe even a calm deer couldn't move just enough for a bad shot to happen . i have lost a couple deer due to poor shots. its the most sicking feeling to me as a bow hunter.

 

[kknights27]

I have 3 pins..... 10, 20, 30..... It would be hard to make a shot much further in the spots i bow hunt.