There are a lot of "if's" in this one.

It wouldn't bother me to shoot 50 yards...if:

-it was pleasant weather with light hunting clothes.
-I knew the EXACT yardage
-the deer was not alert
-the deer was feeding and relaxed-not moving at all

30 yards is my max during the winter. With lots of clothes, crisper air, tense deer, and crispy trees and treestands, there are too many things to go wrong.

I've shot over 30 deer with a bow, 1 at 45, 2 at 35, 1 at 30, and the rest 15-25 yards. My worst shots were all at the closer ranges.
I know some won't believe me on this one, but a deer is much more likely to not jump the sound of the bow when the shot is 30-35 yards or more. Think about it...If a grouse flushes from a foot away-you jump. If a grouse flushes from 50' away, it probably wouldn't bother you at all. The point is that there is some distance in there in which the sound of the bow is not enough to cause "panic" in the mind of the deer, causing it to bolt, or "jump" the string. I personally feel that this distance is somewhere around 30 yards, as opposed to 15 or 20.

As far as the 50 yards goes, I am an accomplished tournament archer, with years of practice in high pressure situations, and 50 yards wouldn't be that big of deal FOR ME under the right conditions.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.