During my compound days I limited my self to thirty yards and most shots were less than twenty. Since switching to longbows and recurves I've honed my hunting skills getting closer to deer rather than shooting further away. I hunt between 0 and 15 feet high , most shots so far have been between 5 and 15 yards. Will take a 20 yard shot.
I practice out to a long ways and 3D out pretty far but would take a 40yd shot on a whitetail if the situation was right and that's my limit. Fartherest I've taken a shot on a live deer is 29yds. She didn't even take a step just dropped. Not a spiner got both lungs and a bit of heart and happened to be seated in a ground blind. I had to hunt two seasons with a xbow after double shoulder surgery and popped one at 48 yds but it was a 175# xbow. Had a Thunderhead on both of those deer and both from a ground blind (couldn't climb a tree after surgery). The one from the xbow blew thru the doe and the TH embedded into a tree. I had to break the bolt, I couldn't even unscrew it. The shots were almost identical but the one with the xbow took off and it took well into the night to find her.
I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting longer then 40 at a deer, especially when they're spooked. I shot a doe last season at 53 yards but that was me being a douschebag even tho I killed her. I shoot targets at 60 comfortable but anything beyond 40 is a hailmary in my opinion
I try to stay around 30. I shot two bucks one year both at 35 yards. One with a lite carbon arrow and the other a heavy aluminum 2219. I think I was successful because there was no way they could see me or the arrow. Once they were in the shooting lane they were quartering away. I took a 53 yard shot from a ground blind on a deer that was broadside. She basically jumped over and watching my arrow hit the ground next to her. Open field, I'd go 35. In the woods totally hidden, as far as I can shoot accurately. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
On a whitetail for me it's 40 yards. In 25+ years of bowhunting I've only done that once. Almost every other deer I've killed has been under 25 yards. Heck, I rarely shoot them over 30. If I wanted to kill deer at 60, 70, 80+ yards I would go gun hunting.
I hunt mainly whitetails and don't like to take shots over 30 yards, the distance I regularly practice. They're too spooky and tend to jump the string at longer distances. I've taken two shots at 40 yards and don't do that anymore, but were misses. I have killed elk, antelope and mule deer at distances over 50 but conditions were right for those shots. Of the animals I've shot I think the average is 20 yards.
That's basically me in a nutshell. I "say" 40 yrd limit but 28 is the fartherest I've taken and most are in that 20-25 range. For me to take that 40 yd shot the conditions would have to be right, it would have to be late season and I'd been skunked all year, etc. If I had at least some meat in the freezer and the right conditions came up at 40, I'd probably pass. I would have no qualms taking a 30 yd shot if it ever came up.
30 max, have shot 40 in the past with a compound. With the crossbow my max is 40 but have never shot over 30.
I have pins and practice out to 60 yards regularly, but the last two pins are more for emergency follow up situations when hunting than first shots. However, I did get a chance at a bear this fall,and due to a body of water between us 60 yards was as close as I could get. He was relaxed,standing on his hind legs eating some vegetation and I had lots of time. I took the shot and it went perfectly, bear only made maybe 20 yards before going down. However, I did manage to screw up a 50 yard shot at a cow elk only a week later, and decided in the future I'm going to try to limit shots to 40 yards or less.
I have taken one at 55 but my max distance is dependent on the scenario. I've been drawn back at 70 but let down because wind picked up. I have knocked a rabbit at 65. All this being said, i set my stands for 20-30 yard shots.
Kudu, 56yds -good luck getting closer than that. Generally speaking, I prefer shots under 35yds. I think it really depends on the animal & terrain you're hunting in. Everyone is different and your setup is also a contributing factor here, arrow weights etc.
The farthest I have ever shot a deer was 40 yards. I have not had the opportunity at anything farther that wasn't too far or that didn't come in closer. I practice out to 50 yards, but generally, most of my shots are 20 or less.
i tend not to shoot over 40 yards at an animal even though i can consistently shoot at 80 yards and thats what i practice at but my ethics and what i have been taught i wont shoot a deer past 40 the farthest ive shot a deer at was 37.5 yards
I try to keep everything at 20 yards and in. My goal as I develop as a bowhunter is to drop deer as close to my stand as possible. You would think the opposite as you become more experienced you extend your boundaries but I have found the opposite when using a bow. I won't take a shot unless its broadside or slightly quartering away. 20 yards and in! I'd rather scout harder and move stands closer if I have too then shoot outside my comfort zone. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
40yds and that is as many pins as I will put on my sight. Im not a serious target shooter I only practice at ranges that I could shoot a deer at comfortably. My only wall mount is a big 8 I killed at 40 yds on the dot.
I'll shoot out to 50 for hunting but I practice all the way out to 100 in the off season for fun it's awesome watching lighted nocks In low light fly out to 90 or 100. And I also have two sight housings I use my single .19 for hunting and once the season is over I put on my .10 housing for longer distances.
Killed my buck this season at 48... misjudged the distance at 40 on the ground in thick fog. Got lucky he ducked the Nockturnal flying at him and heart shot him; otherwise clean miss low. It re-enforced my 40 yard max on whitetails. They're just too damn squirrely no matter how good of a shot you are.
Hunting here in the north east my farthest shot i get is 35 to 40 but i feel comfortable taking an animal at 50
