20 yard question…

[BillyMarkwell]

I’m curious to know why 20 yards seems to be the standard that everyone uses when talking about shooting a bow and arrow…..I’ve been to several ranges and the targets are always set up at 20 yards…is it to do with the arc of the arrow???....the fact that you can’t see game in the woods much farther than that????.....What’s your opinion????

[James on laptop]

I think it is because it is a range that most are more comfortable with and most bowhunting shots seem to wind up around that distance in wooded terrain.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Agree with what James just posted. Yep, That's why I like stumpin' so much more then the range. Out there I get to  shoot situations most closely to that of hunting shots.

[Rod Ham]

There are a number of leagues that require a 20 yard setup.  It is a formal target range just like the 100 yard range you see at many gun clubs.  It does really seem to be a point where many find it more difficult to shoot beyond.

[Dryrot]

Natural parralax of the human eye????  :p    :p    :p

[Shakes.602]

Indoor Tournaments, all of them I have been to anyway, the Butts are 20 Yards. I do believe it is a Rule somewhere, because Vegas is 20 Yards as well.

[vermonster13]

300 rounds are shot at 20 yards.

[JEFF B]

well over here we shoot out to 50 yards and thats at 3ds and 2d targets the 50 yards are hard to shoot but hey its fun . but i would not shoot any animal past 15 to 20 yards. so you can say 50yard targets are a waste of space. its only because we have those other bows shooting at the club as well it would be nice if it was just a trad club and not a w.. oh no i cant even say that word LOL!!!!  

[Molson]

20 yds and under is generally the distance a shot can be taken at a relaxed deer in which the deer's movement at the shot is not likely to have an effect on the hit.  20 yards also happens to be the distance at which most people's accuracy begins to drop off.

[shootrmn]

Molson nailed it for me. I can keep them in the ten ring untill I get much past 20 yds and then my accuracy  begins to decline steadily as range is increased. Have I flung arrows at the long 3D's....you bet you hung in all the way to 55 yds but I would never try that shot while hunting it was after all best of three arrows and I used the first two for ranging. I really doubt that any deer I know of would stand for that. Also the arrow that found foam was way far back round here we call it a "Joey shot" but that is another story.

[Shawn Leonard]

I do not agree that Molson nailed it, if the deer reacts to the bow noise at the shot 10 yards will effect the shot due to deer movement, I do agree 20 yards is where most guys accuracy drops off. 20 yards is the standard for indor ranges as spots and 300 rounds are shot at that distance. Shawn

[Jake H]

20yrds (or 20m for the rest of the world) is a standard for indoor competition.  Ranges are built with that in mind. (as long as they need to be and no longer-- empty floorspace costs money)

As far as accuracy dropping off... how much of that is chicken and egg?  If most folks regularly shoot at 20yrs and rarely farther, then naturally they're going to lose accuracy beyond what they're accustomed to.   They won't have the practice, the experience or the 30yd pin/gap/mental image/mojo/whatever that they would use to shoot at that distance.

I doubt that it's a magic number (jokes about 17.3yds aside).   It's just the common, accustomed number and people are better at doing what they're accustomed to doing than what they're not.

Jake
(who thinks it's more to do with FITA and NFAA than deer)

[Danny Rowan]

I practice regularly out to 40 yards. Why, because any flaw in form will be magnifyed and I want to always better myself. If I had the area I would practice out to 100 yards. The more you practice at longer ranges, the better you will get at 20yards and in. Why, because you are programing your inner computer for the arc of the arrow. Just my two cents.

Danny

[swampbuck]

I like to shoot from up close to way back but try to make 20 yrds my bread-n-butter shot.It's within 5 yrds of most shots I,m gonna get hunting and is the standard distance for the 300 round shooting indoors.My point on is I think around 50 yrds,I hope to get that fine tuned this yr

[Al Dean]

I think that 0-20 yds your aim, whatever method, can be the same with probably no more than a 2" difference on point of impact.  After that, depending on your setup, adjustments for elevation become more and more drastic with distance.  I do however do a lot of practice at 30 and 40 yds because it is fun and challenging.

[Molson]

Shawn,

I used the word "generally".  Of course deer are capable of avoiding a shot under 20 yds and poor equipment choices will help them do it.  However, the vast majority of the time, shots missed under 20 yards are caused by the hunter, not the deer.

[Shawn Leonard]

I agree with that, but equipment choice has little to do with it. I know guys who kill more deer with a selfbow and a sinew string than most anyone with the "right equipment". I believe equipment has very little to do with killing deer. Shawn

[indianalongbowshooter]

Shawn, I think by poor equip. Molson means noisy, poorly tuned etc., which will have more impact on a deer jumping the string then the right bow. Also at 20 yds. and under a selfbow in the right hands may be the ultimate weapon due to their inherent quietness, speed is not a issue.

[Roger Norris]

I read "poor equipment" as "noisy" also, and I agree.

[Shawn Leonard]

I still do not believe it, it takes a good hunter to kill deer. I can name a few guys who could kill deer consistently with a the loudest twangyest, slowest bow in the world, jumpy deer at that. I am sorry but I believe 10 percent of the hunters kill 80% of the deer taken regardless of equipment choice. Shawn