Liv4Rut
Active Member
To me, it is ethical to take a shot at animal your are confident you can kill. With that said, I have been highly confident on shots inside of 20 yards and blew it. That is the chance we take when bowhunting. You have to live with the outcome. I have shot a lot of deer and turkeys with a bow and the ones I remember the most are the few I either missed or gimped. It is the most awful feeling in the world and one that really eats at you and makes you strive to become better.
There are guys out there that don't get this feeling and are the ones taking pot shots at game beyond their capabilities. Just because one can shoot on paper great out to 80 yards doesn't mean one will always take that shot. There are many circumstances that go into play before releasing the arrow. The animal has to be calm, minimal wind, the actual yardage known and everything needs to feel right. If it doesn't, don't shoot. Granted a lot can still go wrong whether it is 20 yards or 80. A lot more can go wrong at 80 no doubt but it is a judgement call on the shot opportunity the hunter has to make. That same call has to be made at 20 yards.
I would never dream of shooting at a deer at 80 yards. I could do it but see no point in it. I can make sure I set up everytime to where my shots are in that 35 yard range or less. Preferably around 20 yards. Out West was a different ball game. We walked into public land blind in the wide open prairie and had 2.5 days to get it done. This isn't Iowa deer woods. The goats can and will go anywhere. The chance of even getting one within 40 yards is slim. Now if you lived out there and could put out a blind on a water hole to where they are not leery of it you can have 20 yard shots all day but wasn't the case for us.
I practiced out to 80 and can shoot just as good at 80 as a lot of guys I have shot with in the past can shoot at 40. It takes a lot of practice but can easily be done to shoot well inside a pie plate every time. Now the decision to shoot is a different story. When I shot mine everything was perfect. I actually passed her 20 yards closer but I would of had to stop her, put her on full alert and force a shot. The outcome wouldn't have been good I am sure.
It is a decision we all got to live with without doubt. When I got home from out West I removed my bottom 3 pins and don't plan on shooting past 40 yards. I really am hoping for that 20-25 yard slam dunk shot but past experience shows something could go wrong there just as well.
Goodluck Gents!!
There are guys out there that don't get this feeling and are the ones taking pot shots at game beyond their capabilities. Just because one can shoot on paper great out to 80 yards doesn't mean one will always take that shot. There are many circumstances that go into play before releasing the arrow. The animal has to be calm, minimal wind, the actual yardage known and everything needs to feel right. If it doesn't, don't shoot. Granted a lot can still go wrong whether it is 20 yards or 80. A lot more can go wrong at 80 no doubt but it is a judgement call on the shot opportunity the hunter has to make. That same call has to be made at 20 yards.
I would never dream of shooting at a deer at 80 yards. I could do it but see no point in it. I can make sure I set up everytime to where my shots are in that 35 yard range or less. Preferably around 20 yards. Out West was a different ball game. We walked into public land blind in the wide open prairie and had 2.5 days to get it done. This isn't Iowa deer woods. The goats can and will go anywhere. The chance of even getting one within 40 yards is slim. Now if you lived out there and could put out a blind on a water hole to where they are not leery of it you can have 20 yard shots all day but wasn't the case for us.
I practiced out to 80 and can shoot just as good at 80 as a lot of guys I have shot with in the past can shoot at 40. It takes a lot of practice but can easily be done to shoot well inside a pie plate every time. Now the decision to shoot is a different story. When I shot mine everything was perfect. I actually passed her 20 yards closer but I would of had to stop her, put her on full alert and force a shot. The outcome wouldn't have been good I am sure.
It is a decision we all got to live with without doubt. When I got home from out West I removed my bottom 3 pins and don't plan on shooting past 40 yards. I really am hoping for that 20-25 yard slam dunk shot but past experience shows something could go wrong there just as well.
Goodluck Gents!!
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