curiosity about everyones shooting limits

[Stumpkiller]

80 yards on stumps and target butts.

25 yards on live whitetail. 

Prefer 20 yards.  That's the distance I practice at mostly every day.

[Bisch]

I’ll shoot at a 3D target as far as they want to set it!!!!

About 95% of the critters I shoot are 15yds or less. If everything feels just right I occasionally take a shot a bit longer.

Bisch


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[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Yea if everything is right sometimes I will do that longer also Bish , I’m sure you will edit that and no one will know what I’m talking about.

,,Sam,,

[Dave Lay]

I’m with ya Bisch 

[pavan]

This afternoon, shooting at a new Mac deer target and shooting  left handed, I was pretty sure of myself out to about 34 yards.  About 30 yards right handed.  My form and tempo work earlier in the week seems to be paying off.   My goal every year is to get to point on without any excess holding. 

[Thumper Dunker]

50 yrds on one running 200yrds with a standing side shot .   As close as possible.

[pavan]

One's accuracy limits often do not match what is practical on a live deer.  I never shoot at running deer or deer that are staring at me at any range.  I usually hold off until they are occupied and not likely to bolt.  I am a still hunter, so flexibility on my part is key to making good shots.  every one has their own limits and should not gauge themselves by others, I prefer 20 and under, but my last two bucks were both about 40 yards and both busy making rubs at the shot.  At the moment that would be too far for me, but i will work on that as deer season gets closer.

[Macatawa]

Are you meaning for targets or hunting?  For targets, I’ll shoot out to 30 feeling pretty good about it, but my confidence level really drops after that.

For hunting, I won’t shoot past 25yds and don’t really like over 20.  It’s not really about what I can hit, it’s more about what can happen with the animal.  At a compound speed, not much but at recurve speed, that deer or whatever can jump and turn a heart shot into a gut shot pretty easily.  I don’t mind missing, but I won’t take a chance of just wounding an animal.

i echo alot of what Steve posted....20 yds max...15 yds max for whitetails

[Orion]

Shooting at targets is a lot different than shooting at critters. From teaching bowhunter education courses, I can tell you this, most folks effective range is a lot less than they think it is. 

[KSdan]

Shooting at targets is a lot different than shooting at critters. From teaching bowhunter education courses, I can tell you this, most folks effective range is a lot less than they think it is.

Ditto. . .

At Bear camp this Spring, 4 trad guys- who are all excellent shots at the range - made bad shots on 4 different bears (even completely missing the entire animal in 1 case!).  Those shots were in warm weather, at a target bigger than a volleyball, standing still at 10-12 yds (no jumping the string), and in 3 cases they were off the ground (no angles etc).  And they missed the intended target by 10-16"!!   There is a HUGE difference from a target to a live animal!   

Trad equipment has limits, but far more needed consideration/factor is the "head/pressure game."  I would hope a police officer or a jet pilot would rely on their prior training and rational decisions accomplished BEFORE the moment of pressure.  I realize that decisions are made in the moment- but "feelings" under pressure are probably not the best gauge for an outcome.   

After 35 years of this trad thing, I really think FOR THE VAST MAJORITY of trad guys (includes me); 20 is the high end and 15 yd or less is reality.  There are the exceptions, but consistent reality and success when no one is looking is often quite different from what gets portrayed in the public discussion.   

My 2C
Dan in KS

[Wannabe1]

"There are the exceptions, but consistent reality and success when no one is looking is often quite different from what gets portrayed in the public discussion. "


I couldn't agree with this more!

[smokin joe]

I practice out to about 22 or 23 yards, but when hunting, a bit beyond about 15 yards or so and the shot starts looking too far.

So, my hunting shots are at 15 yards and under. And 10 to 13 is just about perfect. If I can see their eyelashes, I know I'm good.

A big part of the fun and challenge is getting the drop on critters at very close range, and I don't mind passing on any shot that looks too far.

[YosemiteSam]

Max 20, which means I'm actually aiming for solidly 18 or less (margin of error).  I feel a lot more confident at 15 or less.  10 would be better.  5 is golden.  I've only had one quasi-shot opportunity on a buck.  He was around 20 but the hill was steep so it looked more like 25.  I let him walk.  Took a nice turkey last spring at 4 yards.  There was no hesitation about that shot.

[DarkTimber]

I find it interesting that so many people have a definitive max distance.   For me it changes constantly according to my practice (which translates to my confidence).  This time last year that distance was about 40 yards, but I was gearing up for a big hunt and practicing daily or even a couple times a day.  This year I've had less time to practice and my distance might be half of what it was last year. Whatever the case, my max distance will continue to change all the way up to the day of the hunt. 

[bigbadjon]

Why set a limit of 15yrds, be proficient at 40, and then let a deer pass at 25? With my recurve and sight I am pretty confident out to 40 yards. If other factors do not interfere I will take that shot.

[Dave Rice]

I really enjoy these replies, particularly when other forms of hunting seem obsessed about maximizing distance.

Back in the day, before taking an 9 yr hiatus, I practiced out to 40 yards most days, and could consistently pass the 'pie plate' test at that range with my longbows. That said, the longest shot I've taken at a deer was at 30 yards, and it was perfect arrow placement, pass through, and a 30 yard trail. Like others, I've also passed up shots inside of 10 yards.

Now that my shoulders are as repaired as they're going to be, I'm rebuilding my shooting, and changing my form. My effective hunting range will be shorter, and I'm OK with that.

My own test of hunting distance starts with how far can I put my arrows on target in a tight group (6" or less) with no warm up. As I get closer to hunting season, I'll do that after a hard hike or short jog, so I'm a bit winded and my heart rate is up. That's the distance I consider myself competent on targets. For hunting, I'll reduce that distance by 5-10 yards for deer and elk under ideal circumstances (calm game, shot feels right, I have zero doubts,...). Today my hunting limit would be about 18 yards, and that will get me into the woods with a smile. Hoping to extend that to ~25 by the end of August.

[kennym]

Bisch - 15 yards would be a long one!!  Must be a Tx thing!!

[Cmane07]

I would have to agree with most people in that "it depends".  I've taken some longer shots successfully and I've passed some closer ones that didn't feel right.  And I've missed some close ones

[Ken Taylor]

When there's not too much snow or when the bugs aren't too bad and I practice outside I shoot 30 and 40 yards a lot, and sometimes to 50.

However, that's to work on my form, and also just for the fun of it.

I haven't killed anything further than 20 yards in a very, very long time... and I keep us fed, LOL!

The bear I killed this spring was a long shot at 14 yards, LOL, and my last moose was at about 5 yards.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Right now I would not feel comfortable shooting at an animal at any distance. Come hunting season, if I still feel this way, I will sit and watch.  2 years ago 25 yards.