Liv4Rut
Active Member
I try to set up so it is 40 yards or less. Preferably less than 30. I do believe though if everything felt right I would shoot at 50. I did take an antelope this year at 78. Everything has to be perfect to do it. For deer though my max pin is 50 and like I said I purposely try to set up for that 20-25 yard shot.
oBIGBUCKDOWNo
New Member
Liv4Rut said:
Well put Live!
bigbuckhunter88
PMA Member
It all depends on how comfortable a person is with their equipment. I believe that if there was little wind and shooting at a deer that was not alert I would take a 50 yard shot. Possibly even 60 depending on conditions. I have not had to make that decision yet. Farthest I have shot a deer is 40 and try to keep the shots inside of 30 but it doesn't always work that way. It all boils down to how well you can shoot and the situation each person puts themself in.
Jake_Schlotterback
Member
I would feel very comfortable shooting at a deer at 50 yards. I know from practice that I have about a 4 inch pattern at that distance. I would not shoot 60 just because I dont have a 6th pin and at that distance I dont like shooting without a pin for more accurate judgment of shot placement.
flugge
Well-Known Member
Setting up stands I dont like to have more than 30 yd shots, mainly because other people sit in my stands and they dont shoot as much, so its easier for them to know how far to shoot. Myself, I practice to 90 yds.. I have killed deer at 53, 56, and 52... yup, there I am bragging :way:
KnuckleDragr
Active Member
I prefer to be up around 18-20 ft off the ground so I prefer a 20-30 yard shot to get a decent shot angle. 45yrds on a calm day would be my max though.
LYON
PMA Member
I'm pretty much right on with everyone else. 40 yards is preferred max, I might go out to 50 but would have to make that call when its presented. Not only would it depend on weather and if the deer was calm but also on myself. Some days I'm just not as accurate as others. Its usually dependent on how recently I have eaten or how tired my muscles are from other activities that day.
AZHunter
Iowa Boy At Heart
I think that answer depends on your comfort with your equipment, the overall conditions (wind, alertness, open lanes, etc), and the area you are hunting. I primarily hunt out west here and, unless you have a bull elk screaming down on you, shots under 30 yards are rare, especially if you are bow hunting Coue's whitetail or desert mule deer, where the cover is sparse and its almost all spot/stalk hunting. In most cases out here, 50ish-yads is the average shot distance with 60-70 being a regular occurrence (I know several people who have taken much longer shots than that and not had deer go more than 50 yards). I've been on a couple of these threads in the past several months and been both supported and chastised for my comfort level, but I stand my ground and I'll say it again. I have a 70-yard pin and I regularly practice out to 70 yards, shooting a 4-5" group. I wouldn't hesitate to take a 70 yard shot on a deer if I was standing with both feet on solid ground, the wind conditions were right, and the demeanor of the deer allowed for it. If the conditions weren't right, I wouldn't do it, its that simple. I've tried hard to stalk to under 40 yards of a deer, but even Ponderosa pine forests don't allow that much cover to get that close. Having hunted deer from a tree stand back in Iowa, my comfort level is completely different and 40 yards is my max. I just don't feel solid enough in a tree stand to shoot any farther than that.
I'm not here to argue the distance at what someone is comfortable with. I am just interested in how people look at the topic. If you shoot at a deer at 100yrds go for it. Just in my opinion those long shots are very high risk shots. No one ever tells the story of when they took a 50-70 yrds and injured a deer. Its always how they killed it. I guess to each his/her own. I think it is a good topic. Especially in the age of compound bows and carbon fiber arrows. People seem to get over confident. Thanks for the comments I enjoy hear others thoughts.
DoneRight
PMA Member
My limit is 40yds that I will even contemplate taking the shot. Depends on the stand, wind, and the animals behavior. I would prefer them to be within 25 yds. I have a responsibility to the animal if I shoot it to not wound said animal, and to make the best shot possible for a quick clean death. Out west, you need to be able to shoot further due to terrain like AZ said. Whitetail hunting in the Midwest there are very few scenarios that I would consider going over 40 yds.
Benelliblaster
New Member
I practice out to 40. But this only being my second year bowhunting ive never shot past 15! Last year got my buck at 10 and this year 15.
Agreed....
Jake_Schlotterback
Member
bkcrrtnps said:
Who are you to say how far somebody can ethically shoot? I know several people that feel comfortable to shoot 50+. I also know people who shouldn't shoot 30. If a person feels comfortable with the shot and they know their limits then more power to them. Like I said, I would feel comfortable with a 50 yard shot. I have practiced them enough to know that I can ethically do it. However the conditions would have to be right. I wouldn't even consider it if the deer was cautious and looking my way. Or if there was a strong wind. And I will also say that the deer I took in 2010 was at 47 yards and was a heart shot and he didn't go 40 yards before he died. I have never once wounded a deer and have never had to track over 60 yards.