What is Your Effective Hunting Range?

[swamper]

18 to 22 for me

[bluntman]

35 and in for me, but most of the deer Ive taken have been inside 25

[Llamma1]

I won't take a shot over 30.

[Bjorn]

Nothing over 20 and I can usually stalk closer.

[BOWMARKS]

I set up in my area where a 20 yard shot is very rare. All my shooting is 15 and under.

Surprises me they get that close as loud as my heart is banging.

[JDunlap]

After 18 yards things can go south pretty quick for me

[Sixby]

Between 6 and 10 feet , I don't miss a lot.

God bless you all, Steve

[Altiman94]

I am very comfortable within 17 yards...past that and I start to doubt myself, so I keep my shots within that.  Even in my wheelie days I still kept the shots short.

[Bodork]

Funny you should mention that Steve! Made me think back to a 3-D shoot where we shared the coruse with the compounders. The full strut turkey was just off the creek bank at about 5 feet. That shot gave the compounders fits because they didn't have a pin set that close!! They had no idea how to aim that close. Heck some of them could almost touch the 12 ring with their stabilizers but they still couldn't hit the kill!!  The trad guys got plenty of grins out of that one! Mike

[wildgame]

I feel good out to 20yds but the closer the better!

[Richie]

Up to 20 yards

[rdoggsilva]

Mainly 10 to 15 yards. Will make a 20 yard shot if I fell good about it.

[Sixby]

The trick with me is to just not think about it and make the shot. Most times when I have done that the sixth sense kicks in and everthing goes great. The worst I have ever done was in second guessing myself and talking myself into missing. In my older age I have pretty much learned to not do that but just take the shot.
Shooting a stick bow I never think about distance. I put the bow up burn a hole in a spot and shoot it.
God bless you all, Steve

[JohnnyWayne]

Originally posted by Sixby:

Shooting a stick bow I never think about distance. I put the bow up burn a hole in a spot and shoot it.

^^this    

[Terry Lightle]

20 and less for me

[Roger Norris]

I only take slam dunk shots on game. I know my accurate range is out to 25 yards on 3D targets, but I severly restrict myself in the field.I haven't missed a deer in years....coincidently I haven't taken a shot beyond 12 yards in years.

[Hoyt]

Originally posted by Sixby:

 Shooting a stick bow I never think about distance. I put the bow up burn a hole in a spot and shoot it.  

X3
I never think in terms of how many yds. even when practicing. So I guess my effective hunting range is when the deer is out there far enough to make a move forward before the arrow will get to it.

Using the bow I'm shooting now, that would probably be right at 25yds.

[Bowwild]

Surveys by record keeping organizations indicate that recurve kill shots average 14 yards. Compound kills are only 3-4 yards further on average.

I practice at 30 yards but keep my hunting shots at 20 yards or less (give or take a tad). Last three kills; 21, 16, and 8 yards.

My favorite distance is 13 yards -- the distance I practice all winter and on bad-weather days on my downstairs range. Inside 10 yards makes very nervous that my breath molecules will slam into one another and the deer will hear it!

[eminart]

Thanks for all the replies, fellas. I've been reading them the past couple of days and it appears that 20 yards is about the limit for the average traditional shooter. That's a little shorter than I expected but not shocking.

[Bernie in NS]

I like 20 yards or less......I have made shots out to 30 but everything has to be PERFECT....calm animal, wide open shot..etc