I personally try to limit my shots to around 30 yards...I did kill a buck at 35 one time which is the longest shot I have ever attempted...the vast majority of my shots have been under 25 yards though and many of my stands are in thick areas that do not even allow for a shot longer than that
x2 If you asked me this last year I prolly would have said 25-30yds but ive been shooting so much I feel very comfy with a 40yd shot now but thats were it stops for now! I took my doe on opening day at 34yds and made a great shot!
Way too variable for me. Am I on a stalk in the wide open or sitting in my treestand in the thick woods? Most times I dont have shots past 30 yards anyway. My shots so far have been 15, 12, 14, 29, 19, 38, 11. The two long shots were from the ground in alaska. I chuckle when people cite the necessity to shoot to 100 yards, and don't be confused it is very commonplace out west. I have hunted where these guys take these shots, sure it is tougher (ie dang near impossible) to get closer but that's what bowhunting is all about. I don't practice near enough to explore the limits of my range on an animal, but I would shoot to 50 w the right practice, setup, animal, scenario , etc. From a treestand I'd likely never go past 35ish
1125 yards. Oh wait... that was my sniper rifle. I've taken 100 yard shots with my Matthews at targets. Tore up a few ACC's doing it though. Longest hunting shot would be 50 yards under optimal conditions (low wind, low humidity, 160+" buck, or my daughters boyfriend. Hell I'd take a 1000 yard shot at him!)
I practice out to 50 and would feel comfortable making a 40 yd. shot under the right conditions. I have never taken one over 35 yards and the majority have been 20 or less. As far as the 100 yards, I would never do it but people who practice those long distances are perfectly capable of making the shot. I have a friend that can consistently pop a balloon the size of a softball at 100 yards. Although I don't think he would ever take that shot he knows that if everything where right, then he could. He has shot two deer so far this season and they have been b/w 65-75 yards away and both of them were double lungs. It is up to the shooter and his shooting ability. It's just the further they are the more factors come into play so that is why everything must be just right.
practice i have shot up to 80 yards, but that was mostly for fun. At an animal I think that my range would stop around 40 yards
my uncle shot one this morning at 55 yrds .. perfect heart shot with his mathews .. it's all about comfort level.
We play around at 50 and 60 yards but on a live deer I’m calling 40 my absolute max. I can’t say I’ve ever shot one much past 30 though. Around here 30 is about all you’re realistically going to get with most shots being closer.
i practice up to 40 yards. I have never shot further then 25 yards. i live and New York and our shots here aren't much more then 20 if that. Where the deer are there is usually an abundance of mountain laurel which severely limits your sight and shot distance. This summer i was in Wyoming antelope hunting and shot a doe at 22 yards and my buck i shot at 6 yards. So you don't necessarily have to take long shots anywhere.
Just depends on the situation because we practice out to 90 everytime we shoot for fun so 40-50 seems like a chip shot "if the light is good and most times its not thou "but give me a 20 quartering away please.
Under perfect conditions, 50 yards. However, my average shot is 20 yards. The most important thing is stand placement!
My longest kill was 65 yards. My pins are set up to allow me to shoot to 80 yards, haven't yet cause my stands in Minnesota don't really have any shots over 50 that's mostly just for goin out west. My cousin's longest kill is 67 yards and my buddy's longest kill is 74 yards.
I shoot out to 60 when practicing and have practiced as far as 90 on occasion. That said, I would never shot past 45 yards right now especially if the deer is looking at me, alert, or in any position other then broadside. Too much can happen with shots any farther then this in regards to string jumping, spinning, cross wind, and etc. Shooting farther simply makes shooting 0-45 feel like a chip shot. Can you shoot farther and put on a perfect shot...yes, however, these are not shots I typically take. Plus unless sitting over a field there are not many places you can shoot more then that anyway.
