ok all of this 50yrd shot crap has to stop

How about I comment how ever I want, I'm in no need of an editor? I referenced your deer/squirrel comparison because I had just read it and I didn't feel like reaction time was the only thing to consider. I then made a comment on the 50 yd shot(or max range) topic and my point being(which you clearly missed) was that a "perfect" set-up is hard to come by in many hunting scenarios. Yes I saw your pic, congratulations.

Your original post you asked:

"What do you do and how far is it?"

I commented on shooting at 30 yards and closer for hunting situations for myself. I read all the posts prior to my first post what does that have to do with my post? I'm permitted to have my own input right?. My opinion of the topic is not a judgement against you nor am I telling you what to do or how to shoot. I am "speaking out" as are some others because there are tons of newer, less experienced bowhunters that frequent the site and they should probably read some of the things to be wary of when taking longer shots at real game. Those same newer hunters might be damn good shots out to 50 or 60 yards on their target out back but that doesn't always translate to success in the field. I guess I'm just "blowing smoke" to you but I've read enough "Hit a deer..Can't find it" threads to know better.

Good luck to you at whatever range you want to shoot at, btw read the last sentence of my first post.

 

Man, I missed a lot by working all weekend mixed with cleaning out my neighbors basement after we received 8.5" of rain Friday-Saturday. I've gotta make some time to check BH.com over the coming weekends. This is better than any sitcom on TV!!

MichaelP, you took a shot that YOU were confident in completing successfully and did. Congrats. I used to hunt with a bonehead who rarely practiced and would sling arrows at nearly every deer within 60 yards. After one month of trailing gut-shot and brisket-shot deer I told him to take his hunting somewhere else. He did....and then lost his hunting rights in WI when he got caught poaching from a roadway.

Not everyone on BH.com is comfortable and confident with longer shots. I shoot a fair amount year-around 10-60 yards when not working yet would not attempt a shot at a WT over 40-45 yards based on what many have said previously. Then, that deer would have to either be a late season deer and I need to fill the freezer OR a mature buck/doe in perfect wind conditions for me to be 100% confident. Everyone is different though. I could not believe that 90 yard Levi Morgan shot either. Crazy stupid in my opinion.

 

new I agree 100% I was'nt bashing you for your comment I was just saying that there was more to all of this then those recent posts.

Rizzo you and I are on the same page.

What got me so fired up about this was a couple years ago I was in Stareved rock here in Illinois and saw alot of wounded deer by hunters (people)that have no business in the woods yet.
I hear guys come in to stores or shops and ask can I kill something with this bow holding a kids toy in thier hand.
All I want is for people to Pratice practice and practice more and not look down on those of us that have that much confidence in our abilities to make clean ethical calls on any shot we choose to take.

Point in case I passed on a nice 170 plus in buck because he was out at 47 yards and the conditions were not with in my comfort zone. Had they been right for ME he would be stairing at me while i was typing just now.

 

You shoot any 3d? If you can hit your POI within an inch most of the time at 50, then you should be shooting competitively.

 

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Fair enough. Just don't look down at us hunters and our abilities to have no need to shoot at a deer at 50 yards because we'll be inside 20.

You still don't get it do you? You still think you're in the minority that can shoot out to 50 yards. Id be willing to bet the majority of members on BH.com can shoot comfortably out to 50/60 yards. It's not a matter of having "the ability" as you put it. It's a matter of choosing not to for valid reasons. Hate to burst your bubble, but you don't have some supernatural bowhunter ability that makes you one of the few that can shoot a 50 yard shot.

 

Great point Ben, as good as some of us are at practicing under controlled situations, shooting an animal under uncontrolled situations changes everything. A good friend of mine that has multiple archery titles (2 Time National Indoor Archery Champion, 1 Time World Indoor Champion, 9 Time State, 5 time Mid Atlantic Archery Champion, blah blah blah) who posts on here and name I wont mention >>>>>>>BOWTROLL<<<<<<< missed a 150+ class buck at 25 yards last year, he is still distrought over it. Ive watched this guy break clay targets with arrows at 100 yards, Ive also seen him heart shot deer at 50 yards. Point is, stuff happens. I think we all need to be as ethical as possible which includes shooting at distances we are confident at making, backing out on marginal hits, etc, the distance an individual shoots shouldnt be an issue or a question, your ethics should. I wouldnt ever condemn a guy for wounding and animal as long as he thought the shot was makeable because only that person knows
his skill level and the actual shot situation.

HAHAHA sorry Troy but I had to

 

Good points Andy! I too know a guy quite well that was also a very high ranked archer here In Minnesota and through out the world. Back 20 years ago shooting league he told me he'd give up his state and national title trophy's for some of my success In the woods hunting. It made me feel pretty damn good hearing that from a world class archer. At the time I was only 17 years old. He came right out and said "hunting and shooting targets are 2 different animals and It took me 20 years to figure this out". I respected the guy for admitting his faults, most won't. He later switched to a traditional bowhunter/archer but I haven't talked to him In years to see how that's going for him.

 

If you are looking for an argument you are in the wrong place.
AGAIN I never said that I am the only person that can make those shoots.
I clearly stated that I am just confident enough in my own abilities to make that shoot in a situation that I know is right. That is what I have been getting bashed for.

As far as shooting 3d goes Ben I would love to and I was plannig on it before I fell thru a sewer and had to have my back fused this past June.

diesel I have already stated in a previous post how I try to prepare for my hunting the only thing I have not replicated at this time is the deer reation to the sound of the shot.

But let me also state clearly for everyone I have never wounded a deer and I have never take a shot at an alert deer or a moving deer. I also dont hunt for horns I am a meat hunter to provide food for my family and the homeless shelters that I donate to regularly.

One more thing is as well as I can shoot up close I have missed deer at 20 yards and under so should I not shot at those distances?

 

Hehe, that actually sounds like allot of fun!

 

That would have been interesting to see and participate in. :D You should have made them run up to the spot from 25 yards, grab their bow and shoot.

So were you one of the two who put a good shot on the buck ???

Tim

 

"The discussions on here about the long shots reminds me of the debates I've heard about how far of a rifle shot people should take too. I've heard people say it is unethical to take a deer over 100 yards out and that anyone shooting at a deer that is 300 yards away or more are near criminally insane. There was (is?) a show on at one time that was guys with rifles taking 500+ yard shots on animals and they very, very rarely missed.

We used to sight rifles in for hunters at the shop I worked at. Most everybody wanted to be sighted in at 100 yards, but one day these two older gentleman said they wanted to be sighted in at 300 yards. I was able to get quarter sized groups with both of the rifles at 300 yards from a prone position after I sighted them in (they were really nice rifles and I wanted to see what they could do off the bench). Considering I sighted in the rifles, I'm not sure how confident I was that the owners of the rifles could take those shots, but I at least know they can be made. "


There are guys on youtube taking shots on goats & deer from 1600 yards with rifles & still droping them where they stand. I think there is a cut off distance for a compound bow that dose not take the shooter into account but the physical limitations of a modern compound bow. sure you can be the best shot in the world but if the arrow isnot packing enough energy/velocity at 150 yards I think it's a no brainer to not include that as your "ethical hunting range".. 150 yards is just a example

 

I practice all the way out to 100 yards with my Darton....My maximum range on an animal is 50 yards. That is the distance that I will always take the shot. I practice all the way out to 100 to make sure that a 50 yard shot is just a simple cake walk. No matter what the conditions.