I respect people who say a 40 yard shot on an animal is too long. I have a personal range of 35 yards on a deer but have decided I will take a 40 yard shot on an elk because of the 14 inch vital area. It will pretty much come down to whether or not I feel comfortable with the shot. I may not feel comfortable with a 15 yard shot because of conditions. On the other hand I might have a bull standing at 42 yards broadside with no wind and no obstructions. It all depends on the situation for me but I try to stick to 35 on deer and 40 on elk.