Stonewall308

Hey all. I used to shoot fish back in high school with my compound, now 10 years later I am going to attempt to get a deer for the first time with a bow.

I've read on here that keeping your arrows within 1 inch at 10 yards, 2 inches at 20 yards, etc. is "good" or "what you should be able to do."

Well, I've been practicing at about 10 or 12 yards, and I am grouping about 1.7 inches on average. I am not sure if it is because of old equipment or if I just need more practice, but it doesn't seem to be improving much.

Anyway, so here is my question. I've read that for whitetail, your maximum range is the range at which you can keep all your arrows in a 9'' paper plate. Simple multiplication tells me this puts my range at 53 yards ((9/1.7)*10). For me this isn't adding up because I know some people say they'd never shoot beyond 40 or 45 yards. My groups appear to be subpar, yet multiplication tells me that a 40 yard maximum range would be conservative. What is the deal? What maximum range would you assign to someone who shoots 1.7 inch groups at 10 yards?

I know momentum of the arrow and wind play a roll. Am I missing anything here?

GMMAT

Only way to know if you can put a group of arrows in a pie plate (or whatever your criteria may be) is to go back there and shoot.

I'm thinking you'll realize your groups expand as you go backwards. You won't hold that grouping, constant to 50yds.

Just go back and shoot.

You should be practicing 75% of your shooting from 2X the distance you hope to be using as your max ydg, anyways.

Good luck.

Stonewall308

Thanks. I didn't figure I would be able to shoot at 50 yards. Practicing often at longer ranges isn't possible for me because of where I live, however I will have an opportunity soon, so I guess we will see. Thanks again.

wingchaser_labs

I agree with GMMAT. A group the size of a pie plate will kill everytime as long as the shot angle is proper. A hard quarter shot may not get the job done with that kind of group but your a newbie and should know when to shoot and when not to shoot based on your skill level and shot angles and when to take a shot is always factored in when taking the actual shot at an animal no matter what skill level. Saying that if you cant shoot a 2 inch group at 20 yards every time then you shouldn't be in the woods hunting is garbage. A deers heart is a little smaller than a pie plate and that doesnt even include the lungs which are much larger (which a double lung shot is just as good and an easier target than a heart). I personally aim at the top of where I think the heart is so I'm basically aiming for a double lung maybe catch top of the heart and if my shot is a bit low then I get heart and if the deer ducks a little or my shot is a lil high I'm getting a high double lung. Aiming just at the heart reduces your chance if you mess up a lil and shoot low. Some will disagree and say they always aim heart which is fine I just like to try and reduce the chance of error on things I can't control like the deer or just a miss judged distance, ect.. Just practice those 20 and 30 yard shots until you are confortable you can kill the animal every time. Once you get those down keep backing up or like said practice 40 yarders and those 20s will be that much easier. When I practice long range shots out to 80 yards gettin ready for an elk trip I'm confident I can kill every time if every one of my arrows is within a group the size of a regular paper plate (much bigger vitals on elk than deer). Same with the deer and a pie plate out to 65 yards for me. Although I never use plates for my target. Always use something small like a white dot, maybe 2 or 3 inches or smaller the better you get, in diameter for practice unless your practicing your 3D/2D animal targets. Aim small, miss small. I'm sure youll be fine as long as you practice and find your lethal limits with your shooting. Good luck. WCL

wingchaser_labs

Just get out and shoot. Numbers are numbers and don't factor in how each person or bow shoots. The further you get the more nervous people get unless they are confortable with it and the only way to get confortable is practice. Also a bow shooting faster would have much less error out to further distances than a slower arrow due to how much the arrow arcs.... Two bows shooting next to one another (that shoot essentially the same size group at 10 yards because there is basically no arc to the arrow), one with a 2 ft arc at 50 yards and one with a 1 ft arc at 50 yards, both flinch a 1/32 of and inch at shot which one will be further off?? The one that is shooting a 2 ft arc will be off by twice as much as the 1 ft arc bow....I would doubt you could shoot a 9 inch group at 53 yards being a newbie and having never shot that far but with practice and the right set up it could easily be achieved. weather or not someone feels confortable shooting at an animal at that range is the decision of the hunter and weather they think their nerves and all other factors can get the job done with an clean shot. Paper and live targets are two completely different things when it comes to taking a shot. Thats where numbers on paper and actually shooting don't even compair. WCL

johnl

Stonewall you are starting off on the right foot by practicing now and not the week before deer season . If you can get some 50 plus yard practice in great if not shoot what you can .
most hunting shots are 30 yards or less so if you can hit a pie plate at 50 you will have no problems good luck

ahunter55

This fall is the start of my 53rd year of Bowhunting & I say I've managed Whitetail & Mule Deer, Elk, Buffalo, Rams, Hogs, Caribou, Black Bears to name a few . I've shot a few Perfect outdoor NFAA field rounds back in my day & also a few 300 rounds at 20 yds.
99.9% of these animals were taken at 25 yds or less.
I killed 2 Whitetails last year 1 @ 25 yds & 1 at 10 yds & 2 Hogs on a trip to Oklahoma-1 at 5 yds & 1 at 10 yds. All tree stands, double lungs & 1 Deer went 30 yds., the rest less.
I can put every shot in a 9" styro circle from 45 yds & closer WITH my Broadheads.I credit that to many years of Past experience. Practice is the key & KNOW where to put that arrow on your animal according to it's body position-they don't always stand BROADSIDE. I "DO" practice from an elevated stand at home. I'll be 68 this Nov & hoping to bag another Big Buck.
Good Luck-practice will tighten those groups. I'm guessing IF you become proficient at 25 yds & under you will do just fine. I have ONE pin good for 25yds to Zero asI shoot 60#s & a heavy 29" 2216 Aluminum shaft & 125 gr. 3 Blade Rocky Mountain Broadhead.
Longest shots that I remember are 42 yds on a Cow Buffalo-complete penetration. 40 yds on a Bull Elk (Heart-almost a miss) & 45 yds Bull Elk (Lungs). Couple 40 yarders on Deer. I'm guessing I have shot at nothing over 25 yds in nearly20 years except 1 Elk & the Buffalo..
I hope it's not like bragging-just trying to show what many years of Bowhunting has shown as far as "how far". 38 of these animals were taken with recurve Bows. My 1st Deer was taken at 35 yds. in 1958 (2nd year of hunting) with a 45# recurve & wood arrow.

Keep practicing & good luck.

BGfisher

I see some very good info for you to digest. I can only add to it by saying that shooting at pie plates and animals are two different things. You can't compute your accuracy level at 50 yards by using your averages at 20 yards. YOu just have to get out and shoot and see what you can achieve. There are so many things that enter into the equation and your accuracy level is just one of them; about the only one you can control.

Animals can and do move. Shot angles can be different (broadside, quartering to or away, shooting from elevated positions). Can you say with certainty just what the distance is? These are a couple things that make bowhunting the challenge it is.

Something I would like to address is all the TV videos you may watch. Have you ever noticed that in many the shooter will grunt or bleat to get a slow moving animal to stop? This might seem nice, but it's for TV. Yes, by bleating or such you often get the animal to stop, but what you've also done is put the animal on alert, something that you don't need to do most of the time. Also there's always the editing factor. I do video and know that you can edit out anything you don't want seen, like the misses or poor shots. So, although entertaining, don't put too much stock on what you see the "PROS" do. They're in it for the money.

If you haven't done so do some looking around or ask at a nearby shop. There almost has to be a local club around somewhere where you can go shoot, meet other people, get help, ask questions and make some new buddies. Get some honest to goodness real world practice and see just what your capabilities are, especially if you can get into some local 3D shooting. It all helps. Builds your confidence for those 10 to 25 yard shots at real animals. Confidence is the name of the game and good form and practice, learning your own limitations builds confidence.

Good luck.

lightfoot52

Most tree stand shots are between 10-30 yards.Dont take the shot unless your sure of a clean kill.BE calm and pick your shot.I agree that shooting at a target and shooting at a deer Are two diffrent things.(buck fever) The best prastics you can do is get into 3-D shooting.and shoot-shoot-shoot.Need a good range finder too. Lots of LUCK and have fun Lightfoot

piketon_hunter#9

i think youre making it too technical bro.... if youre confident that you can put an arrow through both lungs, then make the shot.. whether thats 15 yards or 50