Is this true?!!!

[Captain*Kirk]

I read in a hunting mag last season (sorry, don't remember which one) that in a survey taken, the majority of traditional hunters surveyed indicated their normal kill shot range was 7-12 yards with trad gear, with max shot limitations set at 25-30 yards (???!!!)
Can this be accurate? Or is this more hyperbole about how good a hunter folks thinking they are, to get deer to walk up and shake hands?
Or could this be referencing shot distance almost straight down from a stand?
What do you guys consider your personal limitation, and what distance illustrates your 'average' kill shot distance?

[JakeD]

That’s pretty typical of my shots. I set up to get extremely close. And I don’t hunt high off the ground (10-12 ft), so it’s usually an up close and personal affair when I get a shot.

[achigan]

The two that I’ve taken were at 4 and 8 yards, from a ground blind. It makes for heart pounding action.

[Stringwacker]

Over the nearly 150 whitetails I have taken with a traditional bow, I'm pretty sure 10-15 yards would account for 80% of the kills; with the balance being pretty split between closer and longer.

I will shoot at 20 yards on deer size animals; but much prefer about 15 yards.

[Maclean]

I have a self-imposed 20 yards limit on big game, but much prefer the sweet zone of 18 to 12 yards.

[Pine]

It's an up close and personal game.
My closest shot was about 4 feet.
Longest was around 20 yards.

[rastaman]

8-10 yards from the ground...12-15 yards from my treestand setups.  Hogs are fairly easy to sneak that close to.  These shot distances for me are for hogs and whitetail deer in Georgia.  Western shot distances on Mule deer and such i think would be farther. i know my Alaska Caribou hunt shot distances averaged about 30 yards.  What is your average shot distance Kirk?

[Captain*Kirk]

I have given myself a self-imposed limit of 25 yards. I took a 35 yard shot a few seasons back and shaved the white hair off a big doe's belly. Lesson learned.
I passed on two does Monday at around 40 yards.

[rastaman]

I shot a doe at 35 yards a few years back when my eyesight was a little better.  She did a 180 facing the opposite direction before my arrow got there.  Luckily it pinned her hips together and cut an artery and she died right there.  I won't take a shot that far anymore on our whitetail.  They have gotten way to jumpy..

[MnFn]

The last three animals were around 15 yards. I would take a shot to around twenty yards.
I had a small legal bull elk at 35 yards that I started to draw on, but it was quarter ing away and moving so I didn’t complete the shot.

[Wudstix]

My range is 6 ft to 17 yards.  Would feel confident out to 25 yards, if the moon and stars aligned.  6 ft was on a year buck (18 mos) 6 point, who popped out from behind a bush and surprised us both.  Shot a turkey once at 18 feet who stepped out into the trail I was on.  He didn't get any older.  I don't remember that shot, just the turkey flopping in the trail.
 

[black velvet]

Of all the animals I have taken my average is 11 yds. The longest 26 yds.

[Mike Bolin]

I don't recall ever killing a deer further than 20 yards. Last year's was at about 5 yards. I would guess that 7-15 yards is my norm. The two Caribou from back in 2003 were over 20 yards, but I am not sure how much over. I have found when I start thinking about yardage, I miss. Don't know why, but that's the way it's been for over 30 years. I do step off the distance after the shot, mainly because someone will ask, "how far away was he?"

[dnovo]

On whitetail deer that I’ve killed over the last 40+ years the longest has been about 28-30 yards. But my average kill shot distance is about 11 yards.

[toddster]

What difference does it make?  I am proud that those hunters are honest about being ethical and knowing their limitations.  There are people who can and confident to shoot longer range, then there are those who want closer.  It is a personal thing, just as the equipment and path.  I believe the whole goal of HUNTING period is to get as close to the animal as possible for a quick ethical harvest.  If more people would do be ethical and know limits over all be better, no matter what weapon of choice.  When we educate hunters it is about getting closer and the experience, not the size of the RACK, then we will be better off.  Just my opinion.

[kennym]

I prove to myself fairly regularly that I'm better shootin at 15 than 25 yards. (targets)

If I was out West, I'd have to stretch it out a bit...

[MCNSC]

That’s about right for me, I’ve shot a couple at 20 yards but most at closer to 10. Shoot my best archery buck at about 3 yards from a very low stand. During my compound days it was about the same most were around 10 yards or less.
Heck that’s one reason I took up Trad , didn’t figure I needed all that stuff to shoot a deer at 10 yards.

[blacktailbob]

To me getting closer than 30ft to any animal in the woods, deer, hog, raccoon, flying squirrels, etc.etc, make my day.
I was just thinking recently about some of my most memorable moments in the woods and wildlife had nothing to do with the animals I was hunting.
AND they were very close interactions too.
I love the woods!

[GCook]

12-15 is my first choice.  I've killedbthem at 5-8 and it works but getting drawn in a ground blind is tough, and in an elevated stand the angle gets sharp.  Now windy day with some leaf rattle, a midwest deer in the woods or cornfield edge vs over a Texas feeder I may stretch it out to 20-22 yards.  But I can shoot at 15 and make a small mistake in form and still hits within a couple of inches of aim point.  As you go further the mistakes get magnified.  That doesn't even consider deer that just want to take a step or turn slightly to lick a hip or . . .things I can't control weigh into shot choice as much as what I can control.

[Captain*Kirk]

Well, so far it appears from the answers here that;
a) Yes, the magazine survey was probably correct
b) The fact that I limit myself to 25 yards is pretty much in line with the majority of you
c) I need to work on my calling and stand placement a little more if all I'm getting is 40yd opportunities!

Please keep the opinions and details coming.