I prefer a 30 yard shotor less... on whitetails,40 and in on elk

Experimental data back up my claims. 40 yards is a slam dunk. I have taken a lot of animals at 40-45 yards. Granted, none were whitetails, but a couple were mule deer which are comparable. If you have no experience with it besides what you saw on TV, you have no argument at all. If you don't want to shoot that far, fine, but I make the shot consistently so don't think you know me, my abilities, and what I have seen and done better than me. I have only wounded one animal in my life, which I grant is lucky because I have missed animals before at all ranges, and it was a shoulder shot at 25 yards.

Doe taken last week at 35 yards, double lung, 30 yard "tracking" job. I got a deer, you would have passed. Who's right? NEITHER OF US. That is just the way it is. I do what is right for me, you do what is right for you.

My ideal distance... 7-10 yards.

I have killed 3 deer with my bow. One last year and 2 so far this year. The closest was 7 yds the farthest was 15. That is the shot I would prefer. That said, I would shoot with confidence out to 40yds given the right conditions.

Whoa, slow down there cowboy. You asked me to give you some FACTS as to why my arrow was going to land in the chest cavity at 40-50 yards and I provided said facts. You then ask about reaction times. One point at a time. I provided you with the facts that you asked for, now please provide me with the factual information that the probability of me wounding a deer is 50% greater by taking a 40 yard shot. After all we are talking facts not opinions so I'm sure you're going to be happy to divulge your source to me on this issue. We shall get into the reaction times of deer after we finish with your 1st point.

If conditions were right I'd shoot a deer at 40 yards. With the wind we've had in NE Ohio this year, I've also had nights when I said 10-15 yards max. I don't know that you can just say my yardage is XX, period.

In the same breathe if conditions were right I'd shoot a coyote at 60 yards..smaller target..why do we put less value on wounding a coyote??...A question I ask you as well as myself..is his life, as a predator, to our beloved deer, any less important.. hmmmm

I got you beat. I shot one buckfrom the ground at a measured distance of 7(that's right SEVEN) FEET(measured from where I crouched to where hespun out taking off after the shot.

I won't shoot at a deer past 35 yards because my eyes play tricks on me looking through a sight past forty yards.

For me, it depends on the situation. I feel pretty comfortable shooting out to 40 yards. But if it's a further shot than that, then the situation needs to be just right, in order for me to take it. A deer can do a lot on a shot at 50 yards. Weather, Deer Language, and archery gear, would depend on whether I'd take a shot over the 40 yard mark.

Also, using a rangefinder to be exact in the distance would be a "Have to do" thing. Like most hunters, I have a hard time distinguishing the exact distance that far. 46 vs 49 yard shot, is tough to acurrately range, without a rangefinder.

But like everyone else, I prefer the 30 or less... everyday.

Huntingson & Metz....

You guys are right I should cool it. I just got a little riled up when I heard that it's ok to shoot a WT. deer at 50 yards. It's my opinion I guess, that this is to far to shoot for a deer. I've based this opinion on my 17 years of bow hunting. I didn't just come up with this from out of know where. I have learned from my own mistakes. My second largest buck came at 40yards, it was perfect conditons and I took the shot and spinded him because he started to dip to take off before the arrow was there. I have also witnessed in person a deer duck an arrow at 40 yards.On my deer I got extremely lucky. I learned from that experience thatlong distace shots are risky no matter how good you are.I am a bowhunter therefore over my years of hunting I have wounded deer and It makes me sick that I have mortaly or even non-mortaly wounded a deer and it suffers for any amount of time expecially days at a time and then is waisted. I just don't have the concious to deel with letting an animal lay in its bed sick for hours before it dies, I hate it. So I guess that is the basis for my opinion, is that from my experiences it is more likely that the deer can react to the sound of your bow and become wounded from at far distances.

Your right menz there are no facts about anything, it's just what i have seen and experienced that makes me think this way. I just hope you guys aren't the kind that doesn't really care if they stick one and don't find it, because that aint cool. And if you shoot deer at 50 yards I have a hard time believing you aren't.

I wish I could say further, but 30 yards in the woods is my real limit.