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Effective Range

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sep0667

Land of the Whitetail
I'm just wondering what everyone's effective range is with a bow? How far out will you shoot at a deer, given ideal conditions(no wind/rain/etc.)? I'm sure a lot of people practice farther than they would actually shoot a deer. I wouldn't fill comfortable making an effective shot past 30 yards.
 
20 yards and under. It's not how far you can shoot that makes you a good hunter.....it's how close you can get to the animal.
 
Out west, longer shots aren't uncommon. I practice to 60 yards and if that was all the closer I could get due to terrain, wind, etc., I'd have no problem taking the shot. Beyond that, my comfort level drops drastically. 40 yards is pretty much the norm/average when doing spot & stalk/still hunting out here, especially when in open pine forests with little understory.
 
Ideal conditions? Given that and if I knew the EXACT distance to the animal, I would not hesitate to take a lengthy shot (50 for sure, probably even more). With that said, ideal conditions hardly ever happen and I usually also don't know the exact distance.
 
Archery: I don't think I have ever shot a deer more than about 30-35 yards, with almost all shots being around 15-25 yards. I did have a super huge buck coming across a wide open field once that if he maintained his direction I was prepared to take a 44 yard shot on, but they don't get that big for nothing and he did not get that close.

Usually though it seems like a good bow stand site doesn't allow for shots out beyond 35-40 yards or so very often just because of the brush/cover.
 
I practice out to 60 and have shot one at 41.

The conditions have to be right and I need to know the exact yardage but id probably shoot out to 60-70.....its just a deer.

Naw 40 is about all I will shoot to.

Cooter

Sent from my phone on IW
 
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I practice out to 80, but would never try to shoot a deer at that distance. Would shoot out to 50, but the conditions would have to be perfect.
 
Conditions being PERFECT I wouldn't hesitate taking a 60yd shot. By perfect I mean little to no wind, deer relaxed feeding in open field or some place without anything between us.
 
I practice at 40 & recently sighted my last pin at 50. I would use it on a coyote but not a deer. My bow is older & it takes way too long for the arrow to get to the target. The difference in target penetration is about 3" less at 50 compared to my 40 pin.
That's not to say I wouldn't try it if I saw the biggest deer of my life & I was 99% sure that I could make an honest effort at a good shot. But more than likely I would wait & pray that he would walk by me at 40 & under someday.
 
Handcannon said:
I practice at 40 & recently sighted my last pin at 50. I would use it on a coyote but not a deer. My bow is older & it takes way too long for the arrow to get to the target. The difference in target penetration is about 3" less at 50 compared to my 40 pin.
That's not to say I wouldn't try it if I saw the biggest deer of my life & I was 99% sure that I could make an honest effort at a good shot. But more than likely I would wait & pray that he would walk by me at 40 & under someday.
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Why would you fling a long shot arrow at a coyote but not a deer? I know coyotes are not a trophy animal but all animals deserve the same respect decency of a quick kill?
 
I practice at 60 and 70 yards more than I do at shorter distances because I believe it makes you a better shot at closer ranges. Longer ranges show flaws in your form, a bows tune, or a broadhead.

40 yards is what I would impose with my current bow (Mathews Outback), it is not a fast bow, and a lot could happen in a forty yard span that could make a good shot go bad.
 
I practice at 60, but won't take a shot over 40 yards. I am 100% confident in my shots and my bow at 40, but after that my group starts widing out.
 
I'll have to agree with the majority that 40 is a good cut off. I've shot somewhere around 60 deer with bow and all but 3 where 20 yds or closer.
 
I shoot alot out to 80+ yards. But during a hunt if EVERYTHING it perfect Ill shoot to 50 all day long. my farthest deer kill is 53 yards. but most shots are 20 yards. I just want to know that if i need to make a shot on the buck of a life time i can get it done.
 
out to 40. Like others have stated, most bow stands do not have a long line of sight due to brush and such. Which is a good thing...
 
I practice out to 60 yards all the time. Have been doing that for years with the intentions of someday going out west to hunt Elk. Going west in 2 years and the guides I have talked to say to be confident shooting that distance. As far as whitetails, I am confident out to 50 yards with perfect conditions, but as others have said, most stand sets I have been in have had limmited distances, 30 yards or less. Took a big doe a few years ago at 54 yards, clean pass through, but that was in an open bean field.
 
40 yards is my max range, shot my buck a couple of years ago at about 40 yards hunting along a field. I mostly hunt timber and don't get anything much past 15-20 yard shots.
 
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