Kill Distance
 

Maby this has been discussed in length, but I would like some opinions.
How do you classify your kill distance?
By this I meen, how do you judge weather or not you can kill at that particular range.
Do you say I can kill efficiently if you shoot 10 times at a deer target and get all arrow in the vitals, 30 times, 40 times, every time I shoot?
Is it the grouping. If I can group 3" at 30 yards with five shots, 2" at 40 yards wtih three arrows, etc...?

How does everyone gauge how far they should be shooting at animals?

Just curious.

ya have to be confident, that you can deliver a quick killing shot.
has to feel good. if ya dont feel good about it, ya shouldnt shoot.
<feelin good is not thinkin to yourself that ya think ya got the animal in your sights and your arm is tired from holdin the bow drawn and ya just have to send it.>
<IMO anyone shooting their 1st , lets say 10 big game animals, i would suggest you stay around 20 yards, not 30 and 40. get a few notches under your belt and a little experience, instead of going and wounding 5 deer as the experience.

I agree you have to be cofident in your abilities,but even then every shot opportunity is differant! I am confident out to 50 yrds,but very rarely take shots at that range! Only a broadside shot with NO limbs or obstructions(ie. a open feild shot) from a blind or treestand I don't go pass 30yrds and have let nice bucks pass at 40! I would rather pass and hope for another chance,then to wound an animal!

ive killed 2 bucks. i shoot 20 yards, 25 maximum. i get like a grouping the size of my fist. should i shoot longer ranges?

I am a nobody so take this with a HUGE grain of salt!
At 20-25 yards I think I would like to see all the arrows a little tighter before moving to a greater distance.
I am like you in the sense that I try an NOT shoot farther that 25-30 yards but I can usually get all my arrows within a 50 cent piece at 30 yards.

Like I said, just my 0.02. whatever range you are comfortable at is where you should shoot. Keep in mind, an iffy 35 yard shot in your back yard is NOT the same as a 35 yard shot from a stand when your knees are shaking with buck fever! There are too many "I wounded a deer" posts on here at the start of every bow season. If you feel good enough to increase your distance do so on the target until it's second nature.

Good luck and post pictures of your monster!

BDB

hey thanks! its good to know that there are shooters similar to me in range. i read about all these people killing deer a 40 yards and im like shocked, i felt like i couldnt compete with that at all. also might be im still using a youth bow :) but im getting i think a martin bone hunter. here are some pics of my 9 point saturday! 6 yards away!!! lol

Great job on a great deer HKPA!!! I would rather see someone like you who KNOWS what his extreme distance is and know to stay with in it than read about some of these people who THINK they know what their distance is because their cousin said they can kill a deer at 800 yds with their 35# bow using whatever arrow and broadhead and then go out and wound and loose a ton of deer THINKING they can do it as well!!!! Again, great job and great deer!!! Just stay with it and you will up there KNOWING you can do before you know it!!!!!

I agree, GREAT job on your buck!!!
Ya know what.... I am in my mid 40's, can shoot 6 arrows from 60 yards and put them all in a spot the size of a CD, and I have NEVER killed a buck with a bow!!!

Good for you buddy!

Keep up the good work, and keep practicing!!

I killed a 9 point 190# this year at 20 yards. It was my first deer kill with a bow and my first deer on the wall. I have been hunting several years with a bow (gun hunting about 20 years). When I shoot my bow, I can put the arrows in the kill zone on my decoy at 20,30 yards every time. I can put it in the kill zone at 40 yards about 90% of the time and 50 yards about 75% of the time. I am trying to get opinions on how do you know when to take a further shot?
Right now I feel my kill zone is 20-30 yards.

ps I have seen plenty of deer in my life and killed many with guns, but I did not realize I shook that much until I shot that last deer at 20 yards......WOW

However I far that I feel comfortable depending on conditions, I'll take a 50 yard shot at a deer any day of the week given the right conditions. But not a lot of places around me can you shoot 50 yards unobstructed.

Ryan.

Great question. There are lots of variables that come into play.

On a calm day with no wind I can put every arrow I shoot in a 6 inch circle at 30 yards. Past that, I begin to lose both accuracy and confidence. Therefore, with all conditions being perfect, I limit myself to 30 yard shots.

If there is a strong wind it will play havoc on a flying arrow and I limit myself to 20 yard shots. Especially if the wind is in the 20-40 MPH range.

I have friends who are deadly accurate out to 60 yards and regularly kill deer at 40-50 yards. I have no problem with them taking these long shots as long as they are accurate.The deer deserve a quick, humane death. My abilities and selected treestand sites, make 30 yards my limit.

The last 4 bucks that I have killed with my bow were taken at 12,14,15, and 18 yards (ranged). In fact, I have only taken 2 deer at 30 yards which is my limit. 90% of the deer I have harvested were within 20 yards.

BIG DONNIE BRASCO i agree with your posts.. everything changes when that deer is 20 yards away. even more so at 30 and 40 yards. its hard to duplicate that with practice. buck fever sets in and epinephrine pumps through your body those fist size groups will be hubcap size. at 20-30 yards a fist size grouping should be a little smaller. most of my 3 shot groups are touching at 20 yards. but i practice out to 60 yards so a 30 yard shots become chip shots. theres so many variables in bowhunting and a leaf or a unseen twig at 30 yards will cripple animals. i think as a hunter you owe it to your prey for a humane kill and bowhunting is about getting as close as you can. in woods and cover i limit my shots to under 30 and if you look out west in the plains with pronghorns people take 50 yards shots or more. circumstances and your individual ability should ultimately decide on the shot