Distance of shots?

[xtrema312]

15 is nice, but 20 is very reasonable right now.  I have been working hard and hope to be proficient to 30 so I can consider a 25 yd. shot next year.  We will see.  I always set up for 20 and under anyway.

[Earthdog]

My longest shot ever was 35 yards,but most of the time I just try to get as close as I can "within reason".
That nomaly turns out to be around 15-20 yards.
What makes the most difference in shot distance to me is the type of country I'm hunting.
Most of it is fairly tight bush and where you first see the animal will usualy be where you shoot from.
That 35 yard shot was in open country an it took me over an hour to get where I was,there was no real thought about the distance,35 yards to me is not an issue if the conditions are right,and in that case they were.

[Big Sneaky]

Shot a hog one time at 45 yds.  Double lung hit and he went about 75 yds before expiring.  Had a buddy standing behind me and watched the whole thing.  He started yelling you hit him, you hit him!  I practice at longer distances all the time so the shot was not out of my range.  That being said, I didn't know it was 45 yds.  If I had known, I probably wouldn't have taken the shot.  Shot a couple of deer at 27 yds and one elk at 30 yds.  All my other deer and hogs have been under 20 yds.  Everybody has their comfort zone.  I like to practice long range shots just because it makes the close ones that much easier.

Originally posted by T Folts:
20yards max right now

Ditto

Bisch

[Brian Krebs]

I'm Not Ted :  Some shot? LOL I missed the mountain!

[joevan125]

I also like to shoot out to 50-60 yds, for some reason i love to watch those arrows fly through the air.

Im not sure if thats good or not but for me it makes those 25yd shots seem a little easier to make.

[James on laptop]

If I could always get the perfect shot it would always be in the 18-25yd range.This gives me a good angle from my 20ft high perch.  Of course it does not always happen that way and sometimes you get those 30 and 10 yd shots.I am much more subject to take the 30 yd shot from the tree than the 10yd shot.On the ground I would love a 10 yarder however.

[wojo124]

up to 15 for my effective range..  

[Ryan High]

I try to always set up for twenty at the most.

[ibowhuntaz]

I am new to trad, I have only been shooting for 3 months and I just finished my first Javelina hunt here in AZ. I wanted to get a shot at under 20 yards, preferably 15 or less and just couldnt get that close. I have hunted with compound for years and still will but this is the first year I havent gotten a javelina in the last 10 or more years. Trad is definetly a test for me right now, but I am really enjoying the challenge

Ron

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

.....to me its more a matter of being close to the animal. I want to smell it nasty breath if possible. Most of my kills are less then 15 yards. If I wanted to kill at long ranges ... I'd be a Airforce "DRONE" Pilot in USA taking out the "BAD GUYS over in Iraq ! ( not saying its a bad thing ..GO USA !!!)

[wollelybugger]

Killed a ground hog at over 40 yards and a coon at about 35 yards. Missed two deer this year at under 20 yards, figure that one out.

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

.... must like eating "hog and coon" better ...lol! Anyway ...good shots!!!

[Ybuck]

Originally posted by 1/4 away:
I generally practice at 20 - 25 yards in my back yard but prefer my hunting shots to be around 15-18 yards,

same here.

[K. Mogensen]

Originally posted by Brian Krebs:
I'm Not Ted :  Some shot? LOL I missed the mountain!

Bet the doe didn't think that...  

[Adam Keiper]

It depends on the moment.  When I've been well practiced and confident and the weather has been fair, I've killed whitetails well beyond 30 yds.  Other times, when the shot just didn't feel right, I've past on them at 10.  How accurate do I feel?  Do I feel unrestricted, or is it cold and I'm bundled and bound up?  Am I standing loosely or contorted to make the shot?  Is the deer moving and what is its angle?  Do I have 2 seconds or 2 minutes to take the shot?  How open is the shot? A myriad of considerations rush through the mind at the moment.

[Longbowwally]

I prefer 10 - 15 yards....I practice out to 50 yards or so, but like some others have said will only take a shot over 20 or so yards if it feels just right....

[Rob DiStefano]

the little sow hog i stalked and killed that's shown in my avatar was hit in the lungs and nicked the heart at about 13 yards, she traveled about 15 yards and was dead in literally a few minutes.  it'd be boastful for me to say that a 13 yard shot is a 'gimme' for me, as lots can happen on the hunt and i was blessed with what i'd consider a clean, fast kill.  praise God.

all i can say is i'll assess every shot opportunity at whatever distance the quarry is, and make an ethical decision - and if the green light is on, i don't really think distance, i think 'spot' and concentrate on just that.

also depends if the hunt is ground or air based. different distance/aiming thinking for me if i'm up a tree.  same is true for those wired texas whitetails!

when my game is on, 30 to 35 yards can be fine.  in the best of all worlds, 15 to 20 yards inspires much more confidence of a good hit.

oh yeah, those short little 5 yard shots can be every bit as tricky as a 35 yard one!  ask me how i know!    :D

[Hogcoots]

I am returning to trad hunting this year and don't feel the need to estimate yardage at all.  When I practice, I set the target up and move around at various distances but I never step them off or range them.  I see the target, draw the bow, and instictively alter my hold point to what feels right then I let it fly.  I am hitting the target pretty successfully and am growing more confident every day.  As a newbie, should I be concerned with exact distances in hunting situations?