What yardage?

[wapitirod]

I was just curious since I'm just really getting back into traditional equipment, what distance do you practice out to and what is your max distance you take on game?  I know this is different for everyone but I wanted to see what the range of distances are.  I'm pretty comfortable to 30 and just started spending a little more time practicing to 40 but I would prefer a shot on game to be 25 or less right now.

[krink]

When I go out to shoot I know the distances but I dont go to 10yds or 15yds.  I just walk out to where ever and on my cold shot I see how I shot.  If it is a good shot (with in 1 inch of where I was aiming) I stay there and continue to shoot from that distance.  If I am off I move in until I am hitting with in that 1 inch standard.  Once I am consistent I steadily move back.  If I just am not shooting well I put it down and pick it up a few hours later or the next day.  I dont like getting frustrated and think that frustration leads to worse shots.  

I also, when my wife fells like it, have her move the target around with my eyes closed.  She places it and I open my eyes, draw and shoot.  I try to do that with in 5 seconds.  It has helped me judge distances as well as where I need to aim.

Hope this helps

[m midd]

I practice to 50.  The longest shot i will take at large game is 25-30.. But the squirrels better watch out at 50 because i will
take a shot or two at them

[D. Key]

Personally, I practice at 8-25 but my shot on game are limited to less than 20. Too much can happen from the time the arrow leaves the shelf  to impact. My ideal distance is less than 10yds. in a hunting situation.

[BOHO]

right now I shoot around 10-15 feet. still trying to break the snap shooting habit but Im almost there

[petalumapete]

I practice 4 to 5 times a week between 15 feet to 25 yards. I try to mix it up as much as I can I never stay at exact known distances. I try to make it to the range at least once a week and shoot out to 60 yds. At 60 yds. I'm lucky to keep it on the paper but getting better and having lots of fun.
Hunting 10 to 20 yds

[Plumber]

15 yds

[njloco]

After you have practiced and mastered the long yardage shots, try shooting at less than 12 yds., this can be surprising.

20-25 yds. or less for me.

I regularly practice out to 30yds. I would not hesitate to take that 30yd shot on a big animal like an elk if everything feels right. I have passed a 10yd shot before because everything did not feel right! My normal shot on deer and pigs is 15yds and under.

Bisch

[bornagainbowhunter]

Like Bisch said, if everything feels right...

God bless,
Nathan

[Scott Teaschner]

I like to practice longer shots 30 to even some 50 yds. But when I am hunting bow hunting to me means getting close. Even if I used a compound I would not shot more than 30 or so yards. Its just my personal deal I like to get close and I have seen things go wrong when you get over that distance to much can happen. To make those longer shots it has to be perfect one little step forward while an animal is grazing can lead to a bad shot. Been there done that aint to proud of the T shirt. Bowhunting is getting close if you want to shoot 50 plus yards go muzzelloader hunting. JMO. Scott

[limbshaker]

Originally posted by BOHO:
right now I shoot around 10-15 feet. still trying to break the snap shooting habit but Im almost there

You aint alone... Me too    

[smokin joe]

I practice to 20 yards because I want that lethal distance burned into my visual memory. I don't want to take a shot past 20 yards and I want to know what 20 looks and feels like. Because of that, any shot under 20 feels pretty good.

This shows up in my 3-D shooting. I tend to botch most of the 20 to 25 yard shots that are set up at my club's 3-D shoots, but I know before I take the shots that they are shots I would pass up in a hunting situation.

Just my way of exercising some hunting-shot discipline.

[kennym]

I shoot out to 30 - 35 practice, but about 18-20 is max hunting whitetails.

Don't forget to practice close, I shoot high if I don't do some of that.  

That ol buck might just wander in on ya!  :cool:

[Sam McMichael]

I practice most of the time from 15 to 25 yards in the yard. Sometimes out to 30 but that is farther than I am comfortable at for hunting. My preferred hunting shot is 18 to 20 yards. Rarely, but sometimes, when stumping, I'll shoot out to 40 yards, but that is just for giggles. My vision is no longer good enough to be consistent that far out.

When I am stumping I shoot most of my shots at the 40 to 50 yard range. I will shoot at small game that far anytime. With deer it all depends, really close stuff on the ground is more difficult for me than deer that are between 15 to 25 yards.  I will only go over that distance on rare situations when I have been at the top of my shooting game and the deer is almost certain to not move unpredictably.

[jackdaw]

I have been shooting pretty much EVERY weekday at lunchtime for 45 minutes to an hour for 5 straight months and am consistantly breaking balloons on the grapefruit to small cantalope size at 25 yards. This being said...I don't believe I would attempt a shot over 20 yards and 10- 12 yards would seal the deal.  This is where I feel I need to be to POSITIVELY make the kill shot. Let your conscience be your guide.....john

[buckeye_hunter]

I shoot from my upstairs window. I like to put out 3 different targets at different distances(10, 15, and 20 yds). I use my deer target and anything else I find. I use some old targets I have or even empty water bottles work great since I am shooting down toward the ground. I can't lose an arrow that way. This allows me to shoot different angles and distances. I do this since you never know where an animal is going to show up when in the stand. Even if you have a good idea of where the animal will come from, they can fool you at times.

God bless,
Charlie

[Night Wing]

I practice at 20 yards and under and most of my bowhunting shots have been in the 12-17 yards range.

[mscampbell75]

Generally practice out to 40ish.  But I would not take a shot on a deer past 20.  I'm just not comfortable with my skills past that.  I would love, love, love, to have deer 12yards and broadside.

Thants just me.