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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: NewJeep] #5234626 08/04/14 07:40 PM
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Originally Posted By: NewJeep
I have the same concept for bow hunting as I do rifle hunting. Only shoot at a animal at half the distance you practice at. I shoot my bow everyday at 60yds and 90% of the time I am well under 6" groups (5 shots). I always try to keep my shots at the 30-35yd mark on Whitetails.


Ditto!

I love practicing out to 60 yards every day and can absolutely put the stick in the boiler room with practically every one released at that distance…on foam. This thread brings to mind what I see on the bow forum every year and that is the posts on here the first or second week of the season….most are titled “I Don’t know what went wrong” or “Looking for Lost deer”. These threads generally start out with “I’m comfortable shooting out to 80 yards….but I don’t know what went wrong”.

Everyone has their own standards and restrictions they put on themselves when bow hunting. I choose to keep my shots under 30 yards and most of the deer I’ve killed have been 20-25 with only a handful at 30 or slightly over.

Pigs…..different story. I’ll throw the Quigley at them......with high success. grin

It’s a long way from shooting foam to shooting hair.

Great thread.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5235224 08/05/14 12:55 AM
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Just depends on what the animal is doing


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5236829 08/05/14 10:02 PM
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I too have had some deer do some amazing things at the release of an arrow. I impose a 30 yd rule just because of what I have had happen in the past.

I also have heard that it has a lot to do with WHERE you are hunting. I have a friend that hunts all over from Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, South Texas, Pan Handle, and home in Northeast Texas. He tells me that nowhere that he has hunted are the deer worse about shot reactions than Northeast Texas. One of his biggest buck came out of Kansas. He shot it at 42 yards with the deer standing there looking at him. He was at ground level and the deer never even flinched until the arrow made impact. He has had 2 doe in Northeast Texas completely dodge an arrow at 40 yards. His hunting setup yields 306 fps.

Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5236926 08/05/14 10:53 PM
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If someone will hold them still I would shoot them at 50. 35 is all I'm really gonna try. But I can't make them stand really still like the 3D target I practice on . . .


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5237757 08/06/14 06:28 AM
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I practice out to 60 and sometimes 70 plus but have never made a shot over 50 on an animal. I feel like I can 9 out of 10 times hit a 3" target at 50 yards when im tuned up and been shooting for a month or 2 every day. I shoot a whole lot, last year I shot 3-7 times a week 50-100 arrows a day. I also shot over 25 animals with my bow last year including pigs and varmits. Mainly bigger game animals such as deer and exotics. I feel its all up to the shooter as it is with rifle hunters and there confidence in there equipment and shooting ability. I have made 3 shots on animals in the 42-47 yard range and they didnt go over 50-75 yards each with them all being perfect shots. Now a pig or varmit steps out at a bit more than 50 shame on them but IMHO its totally diffrent for every hunter.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5384944 10/28/14 07:43 PM
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Well, I am hunting traditional this year, and 20 is about my max


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5386071 10/29/14 05:25 AM
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I just got back to Texas after being stationed in AZ for a few years... Out there, you either get good out to 60-70-80yds or you risk getting busted. A spot and stalk bowhunter NEEDS to push the limits and get proficient out past what a blind or treestand bowhunter considers max range. I trained up for a late season elk hunt with a PSE pro-staffer and he wouldn't even have me practice under 40yds at all. His philosophy was 1" per 10 yards as a minimum of accuracy for lethality. After doing all of that long range practice, My 20yd groups are tight enough to cost mucho money if I don't shoot separate spots. Also, I kind of agree with the Cam Hanes doctrine of practicing at twice the distance you expect to shoot at an animal. Mix that with the PSE pro staffer's 1" per 10yds standard and you would need to shoot a 10" group at 100yds to be lethal at 50yds. I can shoot a 10" group at 100yds, but it is NOT easy and not intended for live animals at that distance. Today, I'm extremely comfy with taking quick shots out to 45 and confident that in the right scenario I could poke a big hole in one up to 65yds given that the wind is manageable, deer standing still, broadside or quartering away, and I can get a solid stance or seat. Practice, Practice, Practice- and push the limits a little each practice session. You'd be surprised what you can do with a modern compound bow that is properly tuned.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5386409 10/29/14 02:12 PM
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I would lay odds many more animals are wounded at distance than killed.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5386545 10/29/14 03:08 PM
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I feel best at anything under 35 yards.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5387025 10/29/14 06:10 PM
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the only reason I don't say farther than 40 is because I havn't shot broadheads that far... 40 on a deer sized TARGET with my field points is a chip shot, I regularly shoot to 60 sometimes farther. I need to spend more time with single shots at range with broad heads to get confidence up


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Curtis] #5387100 10/29/14 06:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: Curtis
I feel best at anything under 35 yards.

Myself as well. Practice at 50 regular. Can go to 55 in the back yard but don't have the pins for it. That said my farthest shot on a deer was 35 and as soon as I released the arrow he decided to start walking in that instant. Only a few inches difference in the arrow placement. Could have been ugly but I saw him go down after a 200 yard run that took him across a picked bean field.

Too many variables in the man. Factor in those of the beast and it can make for a sickening experience.

Of course I doubt the inflated egos of those who take those 60+ yard shots would be too bruised by losing a wounded animal. stir


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5389887 10/31/14 01:19 AM
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I shoot out to 60 and 70 on regular basis on small 3d buck. I comfortable at that range if conditions are right.

Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5390466 10/31/14 12:42 PM
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Whitetail -40 and under and that depends on what the deer is doing
Mulies and elk much more


I shoot to 105 and have a 8-10" group at that distance and no way I'd push it over 50 on a whitetail most likely not even over 40. Reaction time and awareness is far to great. No mulies and elk that's a whole different story


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5390505 10/31/14 01:07 PM
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30 yards on Texas whitetail. Too many variables come into play and the margin of error is to great for me to risk losing a deer. I practice out to 60 and will take a 50 yard shot or less on a Kansas buck. Much larger kill zone and less likely to jump the string.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5391281 10/31/14 08:44 PM
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I personally go by 35 yards or under just cause there reaction time is so fast. I'm sure lots of folks are comfortable shooting 50, 70 or even closer to a 100 at a stationary target but it's the fact that deer can move so much after hearing the shot that you really start taking a chance of not making a clean shot on a deer past 40 due to them jumping the string.

Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Big C Hazard] #5392654 11/01/14 10:32 PM
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I've killed all my deer at near 20 yards. Thats where they were. I can hit comfortably at 50 yards, but I'm not as good there as I am at 40.



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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5393423 11/02/14 02:06 PM
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I Practice out to 40 yards but limit my shots 30 yards.

Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5396093 11/03/14 05:39 PM
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my limit is 25 yds. i prefer animals at 15:)

Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5396197 11/03/14 06:16 PM
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I practice at 50 and can hit every shot in the 10 ring but never tried it on deer just because my hearts pounding and conditions are seldom perfect. Maybe someday but for now I don't trust myself enough to break 40

Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5410429 11/10/14 04:29 PM
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I Put 30. I will shoot to 30 but only under the most perfect situations. Shot a javi at 32 yards last year... that was a good shot for me.

I like 20-25 yards a lot and if they will give me 15 ill take it every time.

During off season practice I will set a pin for 40 yards or so just for practice, but ill take it off before I go to the stand.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5410683 11/10/14 05:46 PM
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Just my opinion but if you won't to shoot past 55 you should be shooting rifle anyways. If your into long range bow shooting stay at the range… Too much can happen by the time an arrow gets to animal 60 yards out whether you can hit a 1" group at 60 or not. If you have to use a bow to hunt so be it if you think thats the closest you can get. If you are just into shooting long range get a gun.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5410707 11/10/14 05:52 PM
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So far I have three deer down with my bow this season. All shots under 20 yards. That rush of being that close and having to make the draw without being detected is what bow hunting is about for me. I realize it varies for others.


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: MoBettaHuntR] #5412228 11/11/14 03:22 AM
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Originally Posted By: MoBettaHuntR
Just my opinion but if you won't to shoot past 55 you should be shooting rifle anyways. If your into long range bow shooting stay at the range… Too much can happen by the time an arrow gets to animal 60 yards out whether you can hit a 1" group at 60 or not. If you have to use a bow to hunt so be it if you think thats the closest you can get. If you are just into shooting long range get a gun.

That's the only reason to shoot a compound....


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Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5427842 11/18/14 03:34 AM
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Effective range depends on the shooter. However much one practices and however far and however comfortable one is shooting at said distance is one's effective range. My effective range is max 30yd. My dad's is 40yd. My uncle's is 55yd. It varies.

I put 40yd on the poll, because that seems like a sort of "average".

Re: Effective Range for Bow Hunting? [Re: Bowhunt Only] #5441948 11/25/14 05:21 AM
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I'll shoot out to 30yd if I have no other choose, but I prefer to keep things under 25yd. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever attempted a shot over 25yd on a deer. There's a lot of variables involved when shooting at live game, and I'd rather pass on a shot I'm not comfortable with than take a risk and wound an animal.

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