I am starting this thread in response to something I read on a different post.
Now, before we get started I would like to say that I didn't start this thread to pass judgement on any body, to criticize or to put down some bodys particular style of hunting.
With that being said... I have read that some people take shots at deer at 70 yards and some times beyond that.
My thoughts are that the possibility of missing the vitals increase drastically the farther away the target is. When you combine wind drift, the possibility of the animal moving during arrow flight and enter the factor of human error (poor form, mis ranged the animal, elevated heart rate and shaky hands etc.).
The word irresponsible was thrown about earlier but I think that to be to inflammatory so I will simply say i don't think it is a good idea.
I know that animals have been taken at that range and with todays technology, shots like that are POSSIBLE. But am I to understand that up until carbon arrows and compound bows, no one ever killed an antelope with a bow? I think that with all the advancements in archery a lot of us run the risk of losing our "woodsmanship" skills. Why get with in 40yds or under when I can kill it at 70 or 80 or 90 yards? I remember the days when shooting at anything over 40yds with an arrow might get you kicked out of camp.
Yes, I know things are different out west and if you don't take long shots you might go home empty handed. Well, in my opinion thats hunting. There are no gaurantees.
Fred Bear once said if you can hit a pie plate at X (insert appropriate yds here) you can kill a deer. I guess if you can put 8 out of 10 shots into that proverbial pie plate at 70+ yards, in the same clothes and set up you would use hunting (sitting? standing? in a blind or with binos strapped to your neck and jacket on?), then go ahead and take that shot.
But if your talking about hitting a target 5/10 times on still day in the middle of summer, nope I don't think you should be making shots at live animals at that distance.
This is only my opinion and like I said earlier I am not trying to offend anbody, I am simply asking you to ask yourself if you really think shots at 70 yards are ethical.
Now, before we get started I would like to say that I didn't start this thread to pass judgement on any body, to criticize or to put down some bodys particular style of hunting.
With that being said... I have read that some people take shots at deer at 70 yards and some times beyond that.
My thoughts are that the possibility of missing the vitals increase drastically the farther away the target is. When you combine wind drift, the possibility of the animal moving during arrow flight and enter the factor of human error (poor form, mis ranged the animal, elevated heart rate and shaky hands etc.).
The word irresponsible was thrown about earlier but I think that to be to inflammatory so I will simply say i don't think it is a good idea.
I know that animals have been taken at that range and with todays technology, shots like that are POSSIBLE. But am I to understand that up until carbon arrows and compound bows, no one ever killed an antelope with a bow? I think that with all the advancements in archery a lot of us run the risk of losing our "woodsmanship" skills. Why get with in 40yds or under when I can kill it at 70 or 80 or 90 yards? I remember the days when shooting at anything over 40yds with an arrow might get you kicked out of camp.
Yes, I know things are different out west and if you don't take long shots you might go home empty handed. Well, in my opinion thats hunting. There are no gaurantees.
Fred Bear once said if you can hit a pie plate at X (insert appropriate yds here) you can kill a deer. I guess if you can put 8 out of 10 shots into that proverbial pie plate at 70+ yards, in the same clothes and set up you would use hunting (sitting? standing? in a blind or with binos strapped to your neck and jacket on?), then go ahead and take that shot.
But if your talking about hitting a target 5/10 times on still day in the middle of summer, nope I don't think you should be making shots at live animals at that distance.
This is only my opinion and like I said earlier I am not trying to offend anbody, I am simply asking you to ask yourself if you really think shots at 70 yards are ethical.