Velocity of Arrow Vs Speed of Sound

[AF Hunter]

Another post got me to thinking:
An arrow travelling at 270 feet per second at 60 feet takes approximately 1/5th of a second to get to the target. Sound travels at the speed of 1129 feet per second. It takes 1/20th of a second to reach the target. So if you shoot at a deer at 20 yards it has 3/20ths of a second to react.

At 30 yards, the arrow takes 1/3rd of a second to get to the target and the sound takes 2/25ths of a second to get there giving the deer at 30 yards 19/75ths of a second to react.

At 40 yards, the arrow takes 11/25ths of a second to get to the target and the sound takes 1/10th of a second to get there giving the deer about 1/3rd of a second to react.

So the longer the shot, less time to react. Even though I'm talking a fraction of a second, I always see the buck duck when the shot is taken. I just think its amazing how fast they react to a single sound when I know no human being could react the same way. I guess it comes from living their whole life always on guard for predators.

I know the preceeding information was pretty much useless to anyone, but once again I was over analyzing.

[Bowtech 360]

Thanks for crunching the numbers for me. Always wanted to do the math.

[GMMAT]

How do you know how fast the arrow is traveling when it gets to the yardages you cite?

[Huntinman23]

that is pretty cool ive always wanted to figure that out but never really did it. thanks lol
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[BobCo19-65]

A deer walking slowly and steadily at 2mph at 40 yards can move 1 foot in 1/3 second. Just think how much he can drop within 1/3 seconds.

[kickin_buck]

ORIGINAL: GMMAT

How do you know how fast the arrow is traveling when it gets to the yardages you cite?

I know the point you are trying to get to AF, but GMMAT has a valid point here. I do remember a video I seen once that showed a miss on a deer. They drew a yellow line on the deer that cut the body in half. The shot was 23 yards. The arrow passed thru the yellow line, but over the back of the deer. It is amazing how quick their reactions are. Now, put a deer on edge and they will react to the snap of the string even quicker. I always laugh when I hear people say they are shooting too fast for a deer to jump the string, man their arrows must be blazing.

[AF Hunter]

ORIGINAL: GMMAT

How do you know how fast the arrow is traveling when it gets to the yardages you cite?

The arrow leaving a bow at 270 feet per second will slow down the further from the bow it gets, but when you are speaking of fractions of a second, I don't believe the drop in speed will be that measurable for the average person. For every arrow weight the terminal velocity and then the rate of decent would be different.

All I was saying after doing the math was that is FAST for a deer to hear the sound of the bow shot and react.

[GMMAT]

The point is......a chrono'd 270fps is about 2' in front of the bow.

Put the chrono now at 20yds and measure that speed.

Put it at 30yds and do the same.

Put it at 40yds and do the same.

NOW crunch THOSE numbers.

I ask these questions to find out for myself if the below IS true.....

So the longer the shot, less time to react.

You ARE speaking in fractions of a second in regards to reaction time.

but when you are speaking of fractions of a second

[AF Hunter]

Well, if we could all get a bow that shot at 1140 fps, the deer would be hit before he heard the shot, or it would be simlutaneous if the arrow slowed down 11 fps in the distance shot. Now all we have to do is all start doing upper body strengthening excercises and lots of them.

[gutshot]

I'll let you know this year because I've got my Drenalin shooting right at 1140 f.p.s.....