ORIGINAL: bigcountry
For the record, I have only taken one shot over 30 yards in the feild on game after killing dozens of animals. So I am just reporting what I have seen.
But I have watched a few people take some long shots in fields etc. a few times. And one thing I notice is the animal does not spook at the report of the bow, near as bad as say up close. In fact, I have witnessed one 60 yard shot, and noticed in the time the arrow took to get there, the deer did not duck, or flinch, just looked at us before getting nailed. Could be a few things. Newer bows are much quieter. My old PSE is very loud. My Commander doesn't hardly make a noice. I remember my old PSE whitetail hunter used to scare me to death at the shot. No wonder deer would jump before the shot.
But I have taken shots at deer at like 15 yards with my old old compound, and the deer is alert looking right at me. And I know when I release they will jump forward and down. And sure enough they do.
Has anyone else noticed this or witnessed a long shot.
I agree, back in the early 80s, when i started this game, I had deer jump my string at 10 to 15 yards. Happened with my recurve, black mamba and the old compound i used back then, black bear. I have yet to have an animal out past 20 every jump my string. Like I said, you need to know the animal. If you shoot at a tense animal, its going to jump, you account for that and aim low. If it is relaxed, its going to look first, not jump. Simple as that.
And for the record, ive shot only 2 animals out at 60 yards, hogs. Hogs dont jump period. And if you have ever hunted hogs, you will have no question on the action of a hog. Deer, my max has been 45 yardswith a compound, 20 yards with my recurves. Most of my shots are at 35, I live in west Texas and if you wait for a 15 yard shot, you will wait all season. Its not unusual to be hunting in nothing but tall grass. Go up to the Texas pan handle some times to see how many trees we have.