The best - close shot or long?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Could always get lucky I guess.

Bad shooter making a long shot or a bad hunter getting really close?

My problem with long shots is, Sometimes the shot looks perfect from 30 or 40 yards but when you walk up to the 3d target, it's clearly a wounding shot.  

Since the question is what impresses me more, I say neither. What impresses me is a good shot!

[Terry Green]

To those of you that say close...let me ask you something and you gotta answer honestly.

Are you all talking just about big game?

I think a ground hog killed at 45 yards is more fun that a ground hog at 4 yards....AND, can prove you are a better hunter by your shooting skills.

Would you be a better hunter if you could consistently provide food for your family at 30 yards as well as 15???

Like I said...ya gotta answer honesty.

[frassettor]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
Why just enjoy one?  Short/Long....I like em BOTH!!!

[Chris Shelton]

I see alot of dodging in this thread.  I will come strait out and tell ya.  My first traditional kill, was a whitetail at 25 yards.  I knew that I would not miss(who among us actually takes a shot they think they will not make?), turns out it was a perfect quartering away shot, passed through the ribs but wasnt a complete pass through, it was a 40# recurve too.
 
  That following season I shot at a dandy 8 point, 30 yards this time.  There was a sapling blocking his front shoulder, I was so worried about hitting that sapling, that I nailed it  

Last winter I was about two inches from hitting a sitting rabbit at 60 yards.  I had a sharp broadhead at the end of the arrow . . . so why not?

The lowest yardage I've killed a squirrel is 22 yards, for some reason(probably adrenaline) I miss the squirrels at less than 10 yards, and I get a lot of shots that close in the early part of the season, now granted they are close misses.  But still . . .

Missed a turkey at 45 yards this fall . . .  very close, I've seen folks on TV put in a shot a heck of a lot worse than my 45 yard one!!

Passed a 145 class buck at 40 yards this fall two days after the turkey!  

There is a famous country song, and everyone on here has to know when to hold them and when to fold them.  Sometimes I just feel in the zone especially when I have nailed some stumps before I get that 35 yard shot on that squirrel.

To me the most memorable are the ones that got away, I was less than ten yards away from a pope and young six point!!  Probably by far the biggest 6 point I've ever seen, even missing those brows he would gross 135, and that wasnt the best part, not only was his rack that awesome chocolate color, but he probably weighed 200 pounds!!!!  That was on a island on the potomac.

Anyway, all that said, I practice constantly, so I feel comforatable stretching it a bit, my set up is pretty good as far as FOC, and weight, so a winger is acceptable every now and then!

[Chris Shelton]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
I think a ground hog killed at 45 yards is more fun that a ground hog at 4 yards....AND, can prove you are a better hunter by your shooting skills.

Not only fun but a heck of a impressive shot!  

[jsweka]

Terry - Yes, I guess I was considering big game. And yes, you would be a better hunter if you could provide food for your family at both 30 and 15 yards.  If I saw you shoot a ground hog at 45 yards, I would be very impressed with your shooting ability, but I'd be even more impressed if you saw that same ground hog in an open field and managed to stalk up to 4 yards and shoot it.  Like I said above, we should all aspire to be good at both.

[30coupe]

I'm impressed with a clean kill. Range is not really an issue. Long shot opportunities are rare where I hunt anyway. My longest so far has been 22 yards...shortest about 14. I tend to shoot the best from 15 to 25 yards for some reason. I've missed deer and turkeys under 10 yards       I don't know why because I practice from 5 to 25 yards. Still, I find myself most consistent even in practice between 15 and 20 yards.

If you make a long shot that you are comfortable with, not a poke and hope, then I'm okay with it. If you are close enough to hear their stomach growl when you shoot, I'm okay with that too. Both scenarios demonstrate skill. I don't see the problem. It's all good!

[Orion]

My hunting partner uses shot distance to distinguish between a bowhunter and what he calls a "shootist".  In his words, a bowhunter gets close.  A shootist doesn't.

I've been shooting sticks for more than 50 years and have participated in hundreds of tournaments during that time. I can probably count  on one hand the number of people who can shoot consistently beyond 20 yards, though most would take a shot at game beyond that range.  They tend to remember the few times they've killed an animal and forget the misses and wounding.

Trad bows are short range weapons.  (Not talking medeivel warfare here).  I accept and embrace that fact.  If I wanted to shoot critters at 30 or 40 yards or more, I'd shoot a mechanical arrow launcher.  In sum, I'm impressed by the short shot because I have a pretty good idea as to how many critters have have paid the price for the few successes at long range .

[Terry Green]

Ha Chris....some are still dodging!    

[Zbearclaw]

The one that gets the job done!!

I don't stalk critters telling myself to get as close as possible, or to stop when I am close enough for a "grip, rip, and pray", I tell myself to get an arrow into its vitals and pack that critter to the truck for sausage and steaks in the freezer!

I have been too close on multiple bears where I was so jacked with adrenaline I can't even recall drawing (though I was one arrow down in my quiver), and I have made shots I possibly should have passed on.

I go hunting with the intent to kill my chosen animal, it is not the only thing I love about it (in fact some of my favorite hunting memories are ones where I didn't kill anything but time), but it ain't hunting if I am not trying to put a broadhead into an animal.

[Friend]

If it was dangerous game from the ground, then I would be most definately impressed with a close shot.

[chopx2]

Boy do I have a lot of catching up to do to even have an opinion...I'm just hopeful to get a shot I feel comfortable with at any range...

[JPE]

Short shots and heavy arrows is what I enjoy the most.

[J-dog]

Whatever is presented to me? sorry but take it as it comes as long as it is within my scope. I want them as close as I can get em and to me that is the best story to be heard.

[oxnam]

Hunting elk on the ground is different than hunting whitetail so my views are likely different.  I like to get close but I would not pass up a good shot on an elk at 25 yards because I thought I might be able to get him at 15 yards.  I will take the first comfortable shot I can get.  I also use a rangefinder every chance I can.  It is always good to feed the subconscious with accurate information.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

"To those of you that say close...let me ask you something and you gotta answer honestly.


Are you all talking just about big game?"

Good point, and yes I am. And for those who question ethics changing from small game to large.....I can't explain it, so I won't try, but a wounded rabbit bothers me less than a wounded deer.

[Hopewell Tom]

To each his own, for sure, but anything wounded is pain and suffering inflicted by a hunter not doing what he/she was required to do - provide the prey with as quick a death as possible. I've definitely changed as I've aged and feel I want to have respect for all life, regardless its' position on lifes' "totem pole".
I feel we OWE it to all animals to kill quickly and cleanly and doing anything less should bother us greatly.
The long shot attempted is OK as long as you'd do it to ANY animal, not just one that you feel is ok to go away and die slowly and painfully while you continued on your way, more upset with YOUR performance than its' agony.

[Bonebuster]

My hunting experience is limited to deer and a couple hogs, and of course local small game.

Looking back, it is always the extreme close encounters that leave me with the weakest knees, and the uncontrolled trembling. It is also the "slam dunk" opportunities that have left me with a dull broadhead and clean arrow more often that the longer shots.

I once put an arrow two feet over the back of a mature Michigan buck from a distance of five yards from a ground blind. It brought an end to a long stand off. I came home with arthritis and grey hair that evening.

Had that deer been fifteen yards away, the outcome MAY have been the same, but it wouldn`t have turned my hair grey.

Every situation is different, today the close shot mat be more impressive, but tommorrow may change EVERYTHING.

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by Hopewell Tom:

The long shot attempted is OK as long as you'd do it to ANY animal, not just one that you feel is ok to go away and die slowly and painfully while you continued on your way, more upset with YOUR performance than its' agony.

I disagree.....TOTALLY with ANY ANIMAL.

"not just one that you feel is ok to go away and die slowly and painfully while you continued on your way"  - "bottom of the totem pole"

I sure hope you weren't implying that's what I said...I hope you didn't try and put those words in my mouth.

With my comment on a ground hog...if I hit a Ground hog with a Bhead at 45 yards its going to die .....not so with 'just hitting' a deer at 45 with a bhead.  Much larger margin of error.

Lets be carefully not to put words in people's mouth here(Gets posts and threads deleted).....and think about why some animals can be shot farther than others.....IF you can shoot accurately.

Some because they are bigger....such as I'd shoot an elk farther than a whitetail as the vitals are THREE times bigger....So, it might be MORE ethical to shoot an elk at 30 than a whitetail at 20 as you have increased the distance by 1/3rd but your vitals have TRIPLED.  And some because they are smaller, and will most likely die from ANY hit.

Oh, and a 'real bowhunter' as Orion's buddy puts it should also be a 'shootist'....how else can he be a good bowhunter if he cant shoot accurately? A big part of being a good bowhunter IS being able to shoot.  And I've met hand fulls of folks that can shoot good....and they are the best bowhunters I know.

[Hopewell Tom]

I was absolutely NOT trying to put words in anybodies mouth. I was concerned about a wounded rabbit not being as big a problem as a wounded deer.
You make a good point about animal/vital size and distance. Going afield and not being a good and confident shot really should go without saying. I'm sure it happens, but we owe it to ourselves and the animals we hunt to be the best shots possible.  Each situation that we encounter, as others have mentioned, can create different results of shots taken or not. There seems to be "something" about the moment that says go or no.
Taking a long shot at any animal IS OK when done full of confidence and ability. I don't think anyone wants to be saying hopefully "let's see if I can hit that from here." Some of the posts have suggested that small game WOULD be attempted, but not large. Your point, says to me, just the opposite is true. Regardless the length of the shot, missing beats wounding or running off to die unfound, any day.