where do you draw the line?

[instinctivebowman]

I have a new rule for myself. I place a 17 yard ring around me. If the animal is within that ring i shoot if the shot is right. Outside of that i pass.
jeremy

[jsweka]

35 - 45 yards is too long for me and I'd feel like crap wounding and not recovering any animal at that distance because I know it is beyond my effective range.

if your confident you can make the shot,..go for it...makes no difference what the animal is sqirrel...rabbit....deer...pig...chineese chicken(pheasant).

[MTArrowLauncher]

i am new to trad, so i cant answer on yardage limit etc, but i have hunted extensively with wheeled contraptions and rifles and pistols, and have to say for me personally that no wounded animal is acceptable, period. Yes, when hunting, the possibility of wounding is a part of it and will unfourtunitly occasionally happen, but as an ethical hunter i feel its my responsibility to only take high percentage shots on  animals i have no doubts about killing, and if i wound or miss then i know i have to work on it and become proficient at the range or that kind of shot before i will ever take it at an animal again. But these kind of decisions can only be made for ourselves. everyones experiances and comfort level and shooting style and shooting platform, etc etc etc is completely different.

So if it works for you and you feel comfortable with it then you are the only one that can make that determination. For me though, i will be taking only shots i KNOW i will make and stick to my self imposed limits.

Happy Hunting
Fin

[GRINCH]

For myself 25 yards is the max,feel more comfortable at 20.

[huntingarcher]

Hey if you can make the long shots then get after it.I don't practice enough for that long of a shot.Its funny that I can bounce a tennis ball all over the yard at those ranges.Even out to 45 yards,but shoot at my deer targets that far Its either over or under.Guess theres something to aim small miss small.

[jrstegner]

I am disgusted with that line of thinking. I am sick to death of people saying wounding animals is a part of hunting. If you are an ethical hunter and know your limitations wounding should very seldom happen. If you can't shoot consistantly at a particular range in practice you have no business shooting at an animal at that range. If it is so important to kill an animal on video that you feel the need to take stupid shots on game get a .300 mag. I hope nobody buys any of your videos.

[David Yukon]

+1 jrstegner! I posted the first comment.... but it's gone????

[GRINCH]

Gotta agree after rereading your thread if your only wounding at 15 yards why would you want to shoot past that.

[Jesse Minish]

If i wanted to drop them 100% of the time in there tracks i would use a 300 win magnum.
jeremy [/QB]

I may be wrong but I get the feeling you think it is acceptable to loose animals because you shoot traditional.?. I set limitations on my own abilities not my equipments and if something negative happens it is my fault and not the equipment I am shooting. I expect to find every animal I shoot.

[iohkus]

I'm wondering why you wound animals at ALL ranges? If I missed/wounded an animal at 20 yards
I would never shoot at anything over 15 until I had killed several within THAT distance, and felt confident to try a longer shot; first time I missed that longer shot........back to ten or fifteen. I tend to go along with jrstegner.

[vintage-bears]

                 
I'm speechless on this one!

[Bjorn]

If I didn't know better I'd say we have a Troll here; and I wish we did! Yikes!! 300 Mag sounds like the right choice for you.

[Dimondback]

I read something very interesting the other day discussing this...long story short...some bowhunters (some were wheelies) were claiming to be willing to take shots at a game animal at 45, 55, even 65 yds. When challenged to make the shot at a target at these distances, where only the vital area was target material and it was surrounded by steel plate painted to match the target, many would not take a long shot because they "didn't want to ruin a $10+ arrow". IMO this places the value of the animal...to them...less than $10 and that seems unethical to me. Many folks ruined arrows and learned something about themselves...others backed thier claim.  If one isn't willing to risk damaging an arrow under ideal conditons, why risk wounding an animal under field conditions? I thought it was a thought provoking way guage true capabilities by adding some personal risk. Any opinions on this? Try it with nice hunting arrows and post pics?....Might make an interesting string...although it might get rough to see too many beautiful broken woodies  :D

[TxAg]

Don't worry about yardage. Either you feel like you can make the shot or you feel like you can't.  Glad you have thick skin...some folks around here can be a bit harsh.

[instinctivebowman]

thanks for the comments, i have  new attitude toward distance

jeremy

[Sixby]

Some subjects are off limits because any answer offends someone. This is one of those subjects. What I shoot and how I shoot is is my business. I keep it that way. I have myself and God to answer to. Not important what I so or do not do to anyone but me. I keep it that way.
This is one of those things where if I answer that you are wrong then you are offended. If I answer that you are right then everyone that thinks you are wrong is offended. Hmmmmmmmm,.

One thing I do see though. If you think its ok to hunt like you hunt,. Then why are you asking for other peoples opinions?

Answers I see. One , You do not really think its ok. but you want to justify it.

Two you want to stir things up just for stirring sake with an in your face post that you know will draw fire.

God bless you all, Steve

[instinctivebowman]

I feel wounds are a part of hunting, no one likes it but it is a  reality IMO, im am putting a tighter nose on my shots to try to limit them. But the reality is they happen no matter the weapon or distance. If you say you never wound animals then i see you havent killed very many either.

jeremy

[elknutz]

Well Jeremy I think you took the comments like a man. I think most people who practice diligently have a good idea what their distance limit for a particular shot should be.  Shooting beyond that limit and hoping it turns out good, well for me personally becomes an ethical issue.  I hate wounding animals because I took a shot I knew should have passed on.
Good hunting to you.

[instinctivebowman]

sixby, well said. I had no idea i would get this type of reation. i was like wow, i was just trying to see roughly where people were comfortable, i see people shoot really well at ranges out to 40 and i havent ever really asked anyone if they shoot animals that far. Im a simple guy, surely wasnt trying to strike a nerve with anyone
yikes. Raw is good thuogh. I have learned a lot from this site and its members, sometimes the hard way
jeremy