Maximum shot distance for 45lbs bow

[Sirius Black]

I would like to hear opinions on what the farthest distance should be for a 45lbs bow, on whitetails. 20yds? I would really like to shoot out to 25, but maybe this is a little too far? I just want a realistic goal to strive for. Thanks members!

[BOWMARKS]

I think Dirty Harry says it in your comment.  

 You got to come up with your own limit.

[jonsimoneau]

Hey bud.  If you can hit what you are aiming at at 25 yards...you will be fine.  I have shot deer with 45lb. bows...and have done just fine with it.  Use a good heavy arrow, and be able to put the arrow where it belongs and you will have no trouble at that range. Good luck!

[Sirius Black]

Thanks guys! This site is great, even with asking a naive question, responses are friendly and respectful.

If you have a quick shooting bow and 450 grain arrows and a sleek sharp two blade broadhead. The limit is how far you can hit them.  I watched a kid in Minnesota that was hoping to get on the Olympic team, shooting a 66" target bow that was about that weight and shooting hunting weight arrows, that could consistently hit a deer standing still at remarkable ranges.  Of course the deer would need to stand still long enough for the arrow to reach it. With crazy heavy arrows your penetration goes up and so does your errors in elevation. Pick a decent weight arrow and see what you can do, the difference between 20 and 25 is not all that big of a deal most of time.

[Night Wing]

I'll play "devil's advocate".

The only problem shooting at 25 yards (or more) with trad bows, you're shooting at animals that move, not a stationary bag or 3D target.

If you shoot at an animal at 25 yards and you're aiming at a lethal broadside lung shot, lets say it moves at the moment you release the arrow. Let's say it moves enough forward and your arrow is a gut shot. The animal might not die and it can run for hundreds of yards. Let's say it does and the blood trail stops. You can't find the deer and day turns into night. But, coyotes can find a wounded deer at night and they'll basically eat it alive when they find it. Does any animal deserve that just because someone can hit a stationary bag or 3D target during a practice session at 25 yards?

In other words, do you really want to take a 25 yard shot on an animal and the arrow might not be a kill shot or would it be prudent to take a 20 yard or under broadside shot where the odds of a good clean kill shot and recovery of the animal is in your favor?

[Kapellmeister]

Good food for thought, Night Wing!

(Even for someone who advocates the devil!    )

[BOWMARKS]

Night Wing very well said I must agree      

[Friend]

Whether you are taking a 5 yard or a 40 yard shot, you need to know that the current situation is well within your effective hunting range. The quarry we seek deserves absolutely nothing less.

Your consistently successful hunters limit themselves to the ever changing effective hunting range. Some of their distances are far much closer than expected, yet they are continually successful due to being accomplished hunters.

[Bjorn]

To me hunting shot distance is not determined by bow weight but instead by confidence and ability. It is arrived at by experience.
My limit is just under 20 yds. I shoot a 50# bow if I shot a 40# bow or 60# bow it would be the same. In fact when I shot a 60# bow the distance was the same as it is today with 50#. Most of my kills are at 10 yds.

[stujay]

It seems that it's how close you can possibly get. Many testimonies here of folks who are patient, watch the wind etc. and get mighty close, and then close the deal. That's whats worth striving for.

[Stone Knife]

Most of my bows are 45# at my draw, I have had many pass through from 25 paces and less. I like them close as I can get them to a point.

[Eugene Slagle]

With a compound bow 40 yards was my absolute maximum distance.

Now with my recurves just like my compounds I have absolute a maximum distance which is 25 yards.

At both instances for those maximum distance shots the Deer had to be calm & not even noticed my presence, the shooting area had to be clear & I had to know it was right or I wouldn't take the shot.

BTW most of my shots with a Recurve at Deer has been under 20 yards, I prefer them close but I practice long for that one shot that may happen.

[rainman]

Deer can move just as fast at 20 yards as 25 yards.  Make sure you are shooting at a calm animal anytime you shoot.

[Javi]

I shoot bows of 46-50 pounds; there are two things that limit my shots… first is the animal on alert and second do I feel confident that I can make a killing shot, distance is never a consideration. I have never understood putting a specific yardage limitation on my hunting shots; I won’t shoot at a nervous animal at 5 yards much less 20, but I will shoot at a calm, unaware animal if I am confident that the shot will be good…

[Gator1]

some very good advice.

For me personally hunting white tails, in the cover/woods i'm in 20 yards is a stretch, by the time you factor in branches/brush etc....factor in the difference from elevated shooting tree stands to on the ground.

Performance of the 45lb bow if properly tuned is not an issue.  Like has been said, it is the consistency and confidence of making the shot 100 percent of the time.

[Bladepeek]

Can't remember who said it, but it was a well known hunter who was talking about rifle hunting. It fits. "Get as close as you can get. Then get a little closer". I'm pretty paranoid about wounding an animal, so I like to site my blind where I won't be tempted with a long shot. This is only my second year bow hunting. Last year went well at 12 yards. The blind I have high hopes for this year will give me a 12 - 15 yard shot from the ground. I can see farther, but the brush precludes a shot. I don't want to be tempted when the buck of my dreams presents the perfect shot at 35 yards.

[Don Stokes]

The draw weight of the bow is not the limiting factor.

[shortstroke 91]

Like most have said the poundage shouldn't be the factor of shoot or don't shoot.

lets assume the animal is calm, broadside and you have a fairly quiet bow shooting around 160 fps.
@ 25 yards the arrow will take approx .5 seconds to get there.
@ 20 yards the arrow will take approx .4 seconds to get there.

I propose that if the shot was 25 yards and the animal moves at the shot enough to cause a gut hit then the same shot at the same animal @ 20 yards getting there only .1 seconds faster would probably also result in a gut shot. 1 tenth of 1 second isn't much time.

To me the number 1 factor is the body position of the animal (broadside or slightly quartering)and how nervous or jumpy is it. Anybody who's bowhunted whitetail in Texas will agree they have the reaction reflexes of a mongoose on speed.