What range do you normally take Game?

[PUDDLE JUMPER]

What I am really interested in is the distance the majority of your shots are attempted for the animal hunted. I realize this will vary a lot according to animal, skill, and where you hunt.

I only have an effective range of about 12 yards right now. Being a Whitetail hunter I don't really feel all that limited from past experience. I believe the majority of Whitetail are taken within 17 yards even with a compound.

I am especially interested in hearing from our western hunters. The desire to effectively hunt western big game is a motivating force for practice.

[robin]

12 to 15 yard Instinctive shooter

[Tom]

Longest:22 yds,shortest 10ft, average for me is 14 yds.

[BigJim]

I take em all the way back to the freezer.

I don't have a set distance. The animal and my confidence level depict how far away is effective.

Some days I feel like I need them close close! and others not so close. Confidence is everything and if you don't have it, you are too far away.

Sometimes too close is very tough.

BigJIm

[Whip]

Jim's comment about confidence is spot on.  If you have a doubt in your mind whether you can make the shot you very likely will miss.  Complete and utter confidence that you WILL make the shoot is critical no matter what the distance.

That being said, I've done a fair amount of western hunting. My longest shot out there was probably 30 yards, but the average is definitely under 20.

[Bowwild]

Last 6 with a recurve: 21, 16, 8, 8, 8, & 8 yards.

[Ron Vought]

Jim's comment is right on. Just to add...I try to set my treestands up so I have a close shot within 10-15 yards. I hunt in areas where the animals are somewhat predictable due to different types of funnels, terrain and my years of experience hunting these same areas. On average my shots are 15 yards or less but I normally have no set distance...like Jim said its all about confidence.

Ron

[sonosheepeater]

My first time out with a bow I passed up on a now easy to me 9 yard shot because I wasn't sure I could make it count. I have since shot a doe at 21 and snap shot grouse at 2-3. I agree that confidence at the time of the shot is the biggest limiting factor.

[LB_hntr]

8-18 is my most common range and how I like to set up. I have killed critters farther and closer. But that is my zone I set up for. From a tree stand anything under about 7 is too class and risks a one lung hit. Anything beyond 25 risks animal movement with my slow heavy arrows.  I have killed animals farther than 25 but I won't think about a shot that far unless situation is perfect.

[LB_hntr]

I will also add that I have missed as many at 8 yards as I have at 20. Close can be deceiving tricky sometimes...lol

[doctari]

Under twenty, my home tree stand is 12 yards and less. An old big red oak 17 feet up.

90% of my critters are taken between 10 and 15yds. The confidence thing mentioned above is spot on and If everything feels just right, I will shoot farther.

Bisch

[DanielB89]

I have limited experience here as I have only killed 1 deer(22 yards) 1 hog(19yards) and 4 squirrels, but LOVE shooting competitions.  

Recently I have been shooting at about 35 yards from my tree stand and have been very consistent.  

So i agree with everything that Jim and others have said.  I think the most common distances are closer than 20, but i want to be ready for a shot at 30 if everything feels right.  Hunting public land doesn't help, sightings are far and few between and a deer at 30 may be the only deer i see for the day.

[Gen273]

I have taken deer out to 35 yards, but the shot and situation has to be perfect! 99 present of my trad kills have been around 12-18 yards. For me, it is like Big Jim said, it is all about how I feel about the shot.

[Dave Lay]

20 yards is a long shot for me and where i hunt, i normally try to set up for a 15 yard or so shot, that way the angle is still pretty decent. to me, anything under 10 yards is getting iffy on shot placement and trying to get both lungs. Same as some others, some shots just feel right, others dont. but most shots that have gone bad were at longer distance or the animal was alert..

[fnshtr]

My average shots have been "about":
12 yards for bear
23 yards for elk
15 yards for deer
10 yards for small game
I like all game ACAP (As Close As Possible)

Big Jim said it well.

[PUDDLE JUMPER]

Interesting comments about confidence being so important. Being that confidence is going result from practice, skill, experience, no surprise. I had not thought a lot about that aspect.

[Wolfshead]

Originally posted by PUDDLE JUMPER:
Interesting comments about confidence being so important. Being that confidence is going result from practice, skill, experience, no surprise. I had not thought a lot about that aspect.

Absolutely true about practice,skill and experience!
But, also I believe that "Gut feeling" that you get sometimes. When you know that it is perfect or even something just does not feel right about it.
Now, I have yet to get my first traditional harvest, but I know from practicing and shooting that sometimes I just don't have "it".

[Bowwild]

I know this for sure, I will never take a shot that is at a distance I've not proven to myself I am competent. (The only exception is if I've wounded an animal and there is chance to place another arrow.)

The points about practiced-earned confidence and commitment to the shot I agree with 100%.  However, confidence alone will not add to my effective range.

Being a ground hunter, sometimes a still hunter, sometimes a sitting hunter, my average is around 20 yards. I have had more deer spook at real close range than at long ranges, I have to stop talking to myself when I draw. Just kidding, but I bet on a quiet morning a deer can hear elevated breathing if they are getting in real close, it seemed like it happened a couple of times with me.