Make the shot vs. Yardage

[fireball31]

I have three distinct distances: To Far,  close enough, and OH ****!!, I can hear it breathing.

[wapiti792]

I use yardage because I gap shoot. I know my hold-on distance is 33 yards. I have never taken that long of a shot, but it is my reference point. From that distance I use the gap to manipulate where my shots are. It works for me very well!

[SteveB]

I always do a mental note of the percieved yardage. I never consciously use it as I shoot off the sight picture. I can't see how knowing the yardage can possibly cause misses?

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I never worry about yardage.  If it feels right I shoot then I step off the yardage afterwards just like centaur said.

[kat]

Being a gap shooter, I make an approximation of the yardage to my spot.
I have talked to a lot of people that tell me that yardage approximation fades after time into a sight picture that looks right.

[split arrow]

When I started shooting trad I stopped counting yards practice let's you know what you can and can't hit.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I can't judge distance to save my butt so I just look at the target and decide weather I can hit it.  

That being said after pacing off where deer have been after they leave I realize they were much closer than thought.

[Warden609]

If it don't feel right I won't shoot. Some days feel better than others.

[thefirehuntr]

I too no longer estimate yardage. Anything twenty yards or under i am confident. Its just waiting for the opportunity and point and shoot. Although i can shoot pretty well further. I can visualize the the hit at this range. Almost a dead zone if anything steps in and i am not spotted or winded its all over. I passed on some outside the zone and been rewarded w three for three inside the zone. I am more confident w the recurve than i ever was with wheels and sights provided i am hunting in the zone not shooting outside it.

[ArkyBob]

Never think about yardage, I just know that for the most part I'm good to about 20 to 25 yards if everything is perfect.  Not saying I would take a 20 or 25 or even 10 yard shot everytime.  Sometimes it just doesn't feel right no matter the yardage.

BOB

[Dave McDaniel]

I never think of yardage if it feels right I turn it loose!

[frassettor]

I never worry about yardage anymore! Its Great! I can "feel" it before the arrow leaves the string. My mind id the best rangefinder for me, plus it doesnt take batteries.  

[Gordon martiniuk]

Don't really look at yardage my eye just knows when I can make the shot I like to go stumping and shoot at diffrent yardages to sight myself in I find that is the best way for me v/s looking for yardage

[mcgroundstalker]

It took me a long, long time but now I understand what "become the arrow" means. Don't think about yardage before or during a shot (at both game and targets). My effective range when deer hunting is very close by choice. Targets have no limit.

Now... AFTER a shot when talking with friends I can't help but add estimated yardage to the story. More detail makes it interesting, I guess.

... mike ...    ...

[moose eye levi]

It's either you can or you can't I figured that out this season a buck came in  out in  front of me and in my head I diden't calculate yardage like I used to (this is my first year hunting trad) I just pulled picked a spot and shot I showed him the wood at 30 yds I later stepped it off it dident look that far when there was a deer their

[Mike Manassa]

I decide if it's a shot I'm comfortable taking or not..I don't think about the yardage..Mike

[sweeney3]

I just look and figure if I can make it or not.  That can take a lot of things into account, such as how alert the critter is, lighting, etc.  But I don't think about it too much.  Just decide and shoot or not.  That being said, I do a lot of practice standing on a step ladder and I always take a judo shot or two before leaving the stand, so I actually shoot better from a stand than on the ground, it seems.  Weird.

I have never taken a shot past 9 of my paces, so about 18 or 20 yards, but I've passed several a lot closer than that for whatever reason.

[30coupe]

I've never owned a range finder. I don't think it would make much difference if I did. I pick a spot and if it looks right, I shoot. I have shot over some, thinking they were farther than they were. 15-25 yards seems to be my sweet spot, but I don't think much about it until after. As others have said, it makes it easier to tell the story in yards. Most others wouldn't know what just right means to me, so yardage helps explain it.

[Hoser1268]

I always think of yardage. All those years of compound bow shooting it is second nature.  I like to keep my shots at 20 yards and it. I know that if it is 20 and in I can make the shot. I think it starts to get hard to pick a spot further than that.  Just my personal opinion.

[La. bowhunter]

I tried the range finder thing when I started shooting trad but figured out pretty quick that it didnt work. Now I just shoot when the shot feels right I dont practice at known distances and I dont hunt at known distances. When the animal is close enough and turned right and relaxed and I feel it is time to shoot the bow comes up the string comes back and when I reach the right spot on my face I let go and then ......