Now that the weather is warmer i was outside practicing shooting .
iput the target out at 40 and 50 yards to try and be able to shoot better because i figured that way the 20 -30 yard shots would seem real easy to make. Any way it got me thinking about a lot of post i've seen here askinging what is the farthest shot you would take . I would agree with the farthest someone should shoot is at a range that you can consistantly hit your mark on the target . 99% of the time hunting the shots have been at 20 yards or so . My question is this how much deviation from the bulls eye is acceptable to know your limits . I was grouping my arrows no more than 2 1/2 " radius from center at 50 yards . Is this an acceptable deviation from where i'm aiming ? or should it be tighter ?Like i said i have never taken a shot hunting that far so don't crucify me about taking long shots .I was just wondering what size group you would use to determine your range to establish your limit to be confident about shooting a deer and not wounding it

This sounds pretty good for hunting scenarios. My criteria for accuracy is reliably hitting a tennis ball at 20 yards and a grapefruit at 40 yards. I get lucky sometimes andshoot a sub 2" group at 40 yards, but it's not something that can be counted on. At 70 yards, I can reliably hit a paper plate; but given the amount of time it takes for an arrow to travel that far, I would try to limit my shots to 40 yards with few exceptions.

I don't think theproblem is hitting, but the amount of time that the deerhas to move around before the arrow reaches the target.

I agree with bow huntert
The longer the shot ... the more time that deer has to " jump the string " , next thing you know ... you've missed.
If your shooting three to five arrows in a 2 1/2 inch ridus at forty yards , you souldn't have anything to worry about.
Thats some mighty fine shooting and a pretty tight group

I'm not worried about the shot i am curious as to the size of the grouping that is acceptable in determining how far out would be peoples range






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Oh ... well since you put it that way , I'm real happy with putting three arrows in a bottle cap at forty yards.

I shoot a group about the size of a grapefruit at forty yards, most of myshooting is at35 in to about 20.

that is what i'm shooting 2 1/2 radius or 5" diameter . about the size of a grapefruit . I'm very happy with the way i'm shooting






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Old 'traditional' wisdom said an 8" circle was about equal to the kill zone on a deer. I'd personally exclude the shoulder area and therefore drop that estimate to 6" on deer sized game for determining effective range. I myself get pissy if my arrows leave the 5 ring of an NFAA target at 40 yards with broadheads which is I think about 4". If you're hitting a grapefruit every shot at 40 yards then it's well within your effective hunting range, as long as you can do it with broadheads...

I can not do it everyday, some days I do notthink I could hit the broadside of a barn, that when I take off for3 or 4 days from shooting.