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-   -   Maximum range for deer? (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/bowhunting/395878-maximum-range-deer.html)

bronko22000 11-26-2014 10:02 AM

I've bow hunted for a long time. Even before compound bows. Back then a 25 yard shot was a long one. Today with as you say the fast speed bows longer shots are possible and practical provided you as the shooter are capable 100% of the time. And many on here are probably speaking of whitetails in the woods or over a food plot. If you bow hunted out west for mulies, elk, or pronghorn you will get much longer shots than 25 yards. I practice out to 70 yards and I would not hesitate to take a 50 yard shot at an animal (60 yards on an elk or moose) if conditions were perfect. That being said, my longest shot on a whitetail was 43 yards but every other one has been 25 yards or less. I try to set up so my farthest shot is 30 yards.

iayotehunter 11-26-2014 11:17 AM


Originally Posted by fingerz42 (Post 4172106)
And knowing WHERE they will move. You must be a fortune teller! :violin:

IA... How many bucks have you shot with a bow at 50 or more yards?

Been stated already

iayotehunter 11-26-2014 11:20 AM


Originally Posted by fingerz42 (Post 4172108)
Even using your argument, if a deer STARTS moving it's limbs upward in after .2-.3 seconds, that allows .2-.3sec for the body to fall(load it's legs and rebound) if shooting 50-60 yards.

So using the equation 1/2at^2:

at 20 yards the deer cannot react (.2 flight time, w/ .2 reaction or .3 reaction)
at 30 yards the deer cannot react (.3 flight time, and .3 reaction time) or 1.92" body drop (w/ .2 reaction time)
at 40 yards 1.92" body drop (.4 flight time, .3 reaction time) or 7.68" body drop (.4 flight, .2 reaction)
at 50 yards 7.68" drop (.5 flight time, .3 reaction) or 17.28" body drop(.5 flight, .2 reaction)
at 60 yards 17.28" body drop (.6 flight time, .3 reaction) or 30.72" body drop(.6 flight, .2 reaction)

Now obviously a deer will not drop 30", as it will just load it's weight to bound away but anything over 30 yards becomes a guessing game and is dependent on guessing our shot placement and hoping the deer moves as we anticipate.

Please tell me more about how this isn't enough time for the deer to move prior to the shot...

Reaction time will change also. The sound of the bow will take longer to reach the deer.

Nomercy448 11-26-2014 11:54 AM


Originally Posted by fingerz42 (Post 4172108)
Even using your argument, if a deer STARTS moving it's limbs upward in after .2-.3 seconds, that allows .2-.3sec for the body to fall(load it's legs and rebound) if shooting 50-60 yards.

So using the equation 1/2at^2:

at 20 yards the deer cannot react (.2 flight time, w/ .2 reaction or .3 reaction)
at 30 yards the deer cannot react (.3 flight time, and .3 reaction time) or 1.92" body drop (w/ .2 reaction time)
at 40 yards 1.92" body drop (.4 flight time, .3 reaction time) or 7.68" body drop (.4 flight, .2 reaction)
at 50 yards 7.68" drop (.5 flight time, .3 reaction) or 17.28" body drop(.5 flight, .2 reaction)
at 60 yards 17.28" body drop (.6 flight time, .3 reaction) or 30.72" body drop(.6 flight, .2 reaction)

Now obviously a deer will not drop 30", as it will just load it's weight to bound away but anything over 30 yards becomes a guessing game and is dependent on guessing our shot placement and hoping the deer moves as we anticipate.

Please tell me more about how this isn't enough time for the deer to move prior to the shot...

Let's both recognize that this entire discussion is assuming that the deer's unabashed reaction is to get the he11 out of dodge, rather than simply LOOK for the origin of the sound. It has never been my experience in killing deer with a bow that they immediately bolt on the shot unless the shooter took a foolish shot with an alerted deer looking right at them.

More importantly for this discussion, you've wholly neglected the travel time of sound. Unless the shooter is very stupid, they don't shoot a deer looking at them, so the only stimulus that they'll receive is the sound of the shot.

(I'll enter into argument here, without discussion, that having listened to modern bows at range to see how much sound they put off, at 40-60yrds, the sound of the shot is quite low, definitely not enough to cause instant flight for most deer - as has been my experience in shooting a deer out of groups in the field).

You cannot neglect the sound transfer time in this, as it's a substantial contributor to the overall reaction time and movement time of the deer.

60yrds = 164milliseconds for the sound of your string to reach the deer
300milliseconds to start moving AFTER HEARING THE SHOT
464milliseconds before the deer STARTS moving

Flight time is 600milliseconds

136milliseconds using a 1G drop = 3.35"
Using a 2 1/4" cut on a 6"x10" vital, that's plenty of margin for error.

Shooter accuracy tends to be a much more relevant contributing factor than "string jump". Way too many guys blame $hitty shooting on "string jump" as it hasn't been my experience that deer BLITZ OUT OF TOWN as soon as they hear a bow shot.

ojibwa 11-26-2014 01:18 PM

absolutely nothing wrong with a longer shot 50,60 or even 70 yards as long you practice religiously and are proficient with your equipment and the deer is relaxed and not alert..

I choose to limit myself to 50 yds beyond that as stated before I don't practice.. I do shoot every day at least 15 to 20 shots.

bronko22000 11-26-2014 02:41 PM


Originally Posted by ojibwa (Post 4172147)
absolutely nothing wrong with a longer shot 50,60 or even 70 yards as long you practice religiously and are proficient with your equipment and the deer is relaxed and not alert..

I practice out to 70 yards as that is all my 5 pin sight is set for. Those who are not capable of making longer shots on deer should not try to enforce their limited capabilities on those who can and have made these shots.

fingerz42 11-27-2014 07:53 AM


Originally Posted by iayotehunter (Post 4172127)
Been stated already

You're hesitancy makes me think zero. Is it zero?

iayotehunter 11-27-2014 10:38 AM

I've never taken a shot at a deer over 20 yards.. Yet I've never had a chance or a time where I've needed to. Just because I can shoot a deer at 60 yards doesn't mean I need to. I have two bows one I won't shoot over 30 yards with because I am not confident with it and I know it's too slow.. My other bow however is fair game.

fingerz42 11-27-2014 02:24 PM


Originally Posted by iayotehunter (Post 4172297)
I've never taken a shot at a deer over 20 yards.. Yet I've never had a chance or a time where I've needed to. Just because I can shoot a deer at 60 yards doesn't mean I need to. I have two bows one I won't shoot over 30 yards with because I am not confident with it and I know it's too slow.. My other bow however is fair game.

So you have zero real world experience with shots at a live animal at fifty or more yards. That's all I needed to know.

ojibwa 11-27-2014 02:29 PM


Originally Posted by iayotehunter (Post 4172297)
I've never taken a shot at a deer over 20 yards.. Yet I've never had a chance or a time where I've needed to. Just because I can shoot a deer at 60 yards doesn't mean I need to. I have two bows one I won't shoot over 30 yards with because I am not confident with it and I know it's too slow.. My other bow however is fair game.

if I was shooting a Mathews I wouldn't shoot beyond 30yds either ..lol

Just ribbing you....


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