When I put 60 yard max down, I should have specified the situation. When I am hunting whitetail back east, I would never imagine taking a shot that far. There is much greater opportunity for closer shots.

Now put me into another situation on spot and stalk for antelope. You may hunt several seasons before getting a shot as close as 40 in open grass country. I have spent an entire day crawling with a herd getting no closer than 80 yards. And when I was at 80, there was no way to get up to take a shot.

Hunting late season mulies in the open sage brush is another story. According to a study done here in Idaho, the average shot was 49 yards.

Shooting past your max distance is only irresponsible within itself. To better my max yardage, which was about 10 feet many years ago, I decided to start practicing. I have been shooting 3 nights a week for the last 10 years or so and blind bail in my garage 1 or 2 nights a week. I shoot around 25-30 tournaments a year, and never take my hunting bow apart including broadheads which I try to shoot once a week during the off season.

Practicing longer shots will increase efficiency greatly. If I can group my arrows with broadheads in a 3 inch circle at 60 yards, why would I pass up a shot on a relaxed animal at 60 yards? Last year I had a better shot opportunity on a 62 yard mule deer than I did at 20 yards. I took the 60 yard shotafter Ipassed up a huge 4 point mule deer buck at 20.

Call me irresponsible for taking longer shots if you want, but the only 2 animals that I have ever lost were in my very early years, and both were under 20 yards.

I agree with the fact that hunting is different than 3-D, It is very important to read the animal in each situation, notice that I said that I take the long dogs on RELAXED animals.

If you ever get a chance to hunt the big sky country and have a limit of 20-30 yards, there is a good chance that you may be taking your tag home......