How far would you shoot?
 

I was just curious what everybodies max distance was. When you see that deer step out in a clearing on a calm day what does your range finder have to read before you will take the shot?
For me its 45 yards.

somewhere between 30 and 40, just depends on how im feeling that day, the angle of the shot, etc

Thats basically the way I am. i have a 45 yrd pin I practice with alot and am fairly comfortable with but it all depends on the day and how confident I feel in the shot. As we all know you shouldn't take the shot if you don't think you can make a good one.

30 is my longest shot so far but if the deer was relaxed and I was on the ground with a broadside I would try 40.

I am very comfortable at 50, and can hit pretty good at 60 yards, BUT at that distance its not really if you can make the shot, its how much that deer can move before your arrow gets there. 1 step goes from a good lung shot, to a gut shot deer that you may not find. SO, i would say between 40 and 50, depending on the circumstances and the alertness of the deer.

I prefer to keep them within 30...would not shoot at a deer beyond 40. I practice well beyond this, but targets don't move unless you pick them up. Targets also, as of yet, don't get my blood to boiling.

in the woods, 50 yards for me. I'm also very comfortable at 60 yards, but as someone mentioned, the deer could move and a good shot could turn into a bad shot very fast.

I like to keep my shots under 25 yards. But if conditions were perfect, I might go out to 35.

usually set up for 20-30 yds. cant believe there isnt a hero on here who says 75yds or something cuz they did it before

All of our stands are set to allow no more than a 35 yard shot, the whole thrill of the bowhunt is seeing how CLOSE you can get to the deer.

Of course we have stands on fieldlines, however 45 yards would be my max limit there...

most of my shots are at 20 yards but i feel comfortable out to 45 but have never had to shoot that far. usually there is to much stuff in the way out that far where i hunt.
the woods are to thick

Ideal = 25 or less, but I'd go to 35.

45 Yards max with calm wind and still deer. Can shoot fairly well out to 60 yards but the deer deserve better than fairly well.

As many have mentioned, being an excellent shot out to 60, 70, 80 yards really doesn't have much to do with shooting a real flesh and blood animal. As someone mentioned, the target animal can easily take a step or two that could prove disasterous. I feel confident in shooting at a relaxed animal out to 50 but after that, quaility shots become a LOT more difficult!

However, regardless, bowhunting for me has ALWAYS been and will ALWAYS continue to be a close-range, in-your-face, sport!

I have taken deer at 40-45 yards and that will continue to be my limit. Of course we're talking perfect conditions being present.

in a wide open field, i'd take a shot out to 60. note i'd only do this for a 100%, no doubts shooter.

I can shoot 60 yards but have never even came close to shooting at one at that distance. My longest shot on a deer is 32 yards. I feel completely confident to take a shot out to 40 yards. Where I hunt it is so thick 40 yard shots are almost unheard of. I like to practice at 40 to 50 yards that way 20 yard shots are like chip shots. Also gives me the oppurtunity to take a shot at that range if it would present itself.

I 100% agree with everyone else though, condition need to be right to take that shot. Worst thing any hunter can do is take unethical shots. Long shots are always under scrutiny of being unethical. I feel that every hunter has their own limitation and need to stay with in those limitations. I know a few guys that shouldn't shot past 15 yards but they think they can shot 50 yards. I am sure there are many other guys on here that have experienced or witnessed the same nieve thinking.

Sorry for the rant!! To many watch hunting programs and hear them talking about taking 50 or 60 yard shots in 30 mph winds. They make it sound like it was no big deal. Don't get me wrong I enjoy watching these "TV shows" to. I can tell you that my hunting is allot different than what I watch on those shows. I can only dream of having hunting that good!!

I am absolutely 100 percent confident at 50 and hope i get a chance to smoke one at 40+ this year!

My only deer with a bow so far was at 12 yards.

Last season I had the biggest deer I've ever seen walk in within 20 yards, but he wouldn't turn broadside. Then he spotted me and bounded off, turned broadside at about 45 yards. I just eyeballed it and said it was way way too far. After he walked off I ranged the spot where he had stood broadside and it was 46. I couldn't imagine taking a shot that far with your blood pumping.

I would say my max distance would be 40yds. I have 3 pins but have never sighted in the 3rd pin. Top pin is 25, 2nd pin is 40. The 3rd pin is spaced about the same so I assume it's probably close to 50 but would not use it until I sighted it in.

I practice with my 40 yd pin all the time and hit very well but my max distance would probably be 35 yds. I know its only 5 yards closer but it just feels more comfortable for me. 21 yds is the longest shot i've had to take so far.

i did not think before last year i would shoot a deer past 35 yrds but i was hunting some river bottoms in arksnsas had a 10 pt and a doe come in behind me about 40 yrds the doe was acting spooky and i thought if i was going to get a shot at that 10 pt i was going to have to take the shot so i did nailed him through the heart, he run 30 yards fell dead in a small slough, he was 41 yards from me.i did not practice from that distance a lot but i did a little bit, this year i practiced more.

30 yrds for me.

40 yards is my max range.

I practice regulary at 50 yards but 40 yards max comfortably on a deer.

Under absolutely undoubtedly perfect conditions, 65 yards. That is no wind, no rain, warmer temperatures, deer has not been alerted to me AT ALL, and he is eating or looking away. Otherwise id be perfectly comfortable out to 50 yards. The Monster XLR8 gets the arrows there pretty darn fast.

Whatever the situation calls for. But Ideally 20yards every time would be wonderful.

I try and shoot them at 20, from a climbing stand up high, Ide rather shoot them at 20-30-40 then be aiming straight down at them at 10 yards. But 20 seems ideal angle for double lung shots from my typical climbing height. Ide probably not take a shot over 40, maybe If I spotted one bedded.. and there was no wind..

I practice out to 80 yards all the time. I would do it at 65 if it was right. I have shot an antelope further than 65 that was broadside and it was my best shot ever on an animal. I like/prefer the 25-35 yard range though.

70 yards if conditions are right. I prefer to stay under 50.

If conditions are perfect, I can feel confident taking a shot out to 40 yards. That said, MOST of the time, I limit myself to 30 yds or less because there is so much that can go wrong when you're vastly more excited than you are shooting at a stationary target in your back yard. That apparently relaxed deer can easily turn, or take s small step forward just as you release the arrow and your "confident longer shot" will suddenly become a nightmare when you have a gut shot deer to attempt to recover. Everything has to go perfectly for that long shot to pay off, and the chances of something going wrong go up exponentionally as the range increases.

prefer under 30yds but will reach out to about 40-45yds or further if he is big enough. if its a doe i will wait her out or get closer next time. but thats just me, and i dont mind sitting and watching a few deer til i take a shot

40 yds is pretty much going to be max for me this year... I've learned my lesson trying to shoot any further than that in a hunting situation.

I was watching bow madness last night on the outdoor channel, and one guy took a 50 yard shot at a whitetail. The deer not only moved, it turned 90 degrees and was facing directly at the hunter at the moment the arrow struck. It was so bad, they didn't show a replay like they usually do. If the deer had turned in the opposite direction, he would have hit him directly in the butt.

They ended up recovering the deer the next day. From the looks of things, it was after 12 noon when they found it.

I would have to say 35 to 40yds is max. To much could go wrong after that..

50ish yards

40 yard max..can shoot further but not as comfortable

How far???
 

Where I hunt, I can't see more than 60 yards. I can't get an arrow thru without hitting something up to about 40-50 yards. I will only attempt a shot from 30 and under. Thats just my self imposed rule. I'm happy with it, and I tag out every year.

First deer I eve took was with crossbow at 35 yds. That would be my max I think. I usually take them at less than 15 because of the way my stands are set up and the way the woods are around here. At 10-15 yds, they don't get much chance to jump the string.

30 yards tops for me. Practise everyday up to 50 yards but wouldn't think about shooting that distance at an animal. To much chance of wind drift or deer jumping the string.