A new swing on things!!!
 

Okay guys,

With the post going around about how far is your max shooting distance, I figured I would post something a little different.

Why is it that alot of guys brag about how far the deer/animal was when they shot it? I hear guys say things like "Man, I smacked that bad boy at 45 yards, it was an amazing shot"

It seems that some guys just brag about these shots because they can "accurately" hit a deer at that distance, but they don't take into consideration, that having a deer at 10 yards and getting a shot is typically more challenging just because the animal is that much closer to you.

Okay guys, lets hear your thoughts and opinions!

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

Well,
I've had deer (Does) bed underneath my tree stand.:D 15 feet up, I guess thats 5 yards. Didn't shoot it though. Just watched it for about 45 minutes. Also didn't have any Scent-lok stuff on. Just paid attention to what I was doing.

I'd rather shoot a deer between 15 to 20 yards though I practice out to 50.

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

I agree, ....I think.
I haven't had too many shots at anything. I did have a chance at a doe from approx. 6-8 yards, I couldn't (didn't want to) move a muscle. It sure was cool being that close though!
Then again, I kinda believe that any "good" shot is worthy of a little bit of braggin.

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

Really it is two different things.


Making a good shot at 45 yards requires good shooting ability and/or luck.



Getting a deer into 10 yards takes a lot of hunting ability and /or luck.


Sometimes a deer just isn't coming in NO MATTER how good a hunter you are so you either need luck to bring it in the rest of the way or be able to make a good shot at that distance.

I prefer to rely on my abilities first and then have some luck.


I actually prefer deer beyond the 20 yard mark because drawing isn't as hard.

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

I agree Buck. I'm definately one for getting them "in your face." I like to see the steam coming out of their nostrils in the early morning light. At the same time, it is pretty cool to have a long shot and see your fletching crossing out the "x." I honestly haven't had a long shot like that on an animal.

Well said TFOX.

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

Perhaps because where I usually have my stands, most of my shots are within 20 yrds, and getting close is more challenging to me than making a long shot. My longest has been 35 yrds., right through the lungs......a passthrough. Not any more thrilling than a 5 yard shot.

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

To piggy back on what Cougar said....Alot of shot opportunities come about by how and where you setup your stand. It's more than picking a tree that's in the vicinity of a deer trail and hunting out of it. Trying to understand where the deer come from and which direction they come on that trail really helps out. Example...if most of the deer come from right to left and a trail, I will setup my stand so that I have some cover inbetween me and the deer coming so I can pull back without the deer being able to see me. And then when the deer gets within my exceptable range(25 and under), I'm ready to go when he/she gets there. Sure that's a perfect situation, but I think you get the point.

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

I agree with TFOX. I have never hunted from a tree stand before though. The hunting I do is spot and stalk. In the places where I hunt, it is some timber, some sage and some just plane open ground. You don't always get a 20 yd shot. I figure the closer the better but sometimes a 30, 40, or even 50 yd shot is what you get. In the real world the elk don't just come right to you with calls like in the hunting videos. Alot of times the elk are call shy and go the oppisite direction of the calls.

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

I hunt in over populated areas. Every hunt I have deer from 0yrds to 40yrds out away from me. Normal hunt is 12 - 24 deer. Twice I had 4 dozen all with in 35 yrds. My last hunt I had over 60 come by with 30+ bucks with several large ones not huge.

It isn't very challenging with only one or two deer underneath your stand unless you don't climb high enough. It gets way more challenging when you have a herd underneath you. Where I hunt you need to be 30'+ in the tree. Deer do look up.

As far as shot distance, it depends on my mood that day. 90% of the time I hunting for the huge deer. I don't care about large ones I want the huge one. The other 10% of the time, when I hunt late in the season or a spot where I don't feel the big one frequents, I may feel like taking deer. I can say that may be my atitude before I hunt, but most of the time I convince myself I don't feel like dealing with the deer after the kill. Therefore, I don't kill something that day.

What makes my choice of shots? Sometimes it's the first Bambi other times I pick the deer with the bad attitude. Either way I don't care if it's 5yrds or 50 yrds. If I made up my mind to clean a deer that day then I will drop the deer I'm shooting at.

I will end this with the most difficult shot of all. The one where the deer is right below you. Before you attempt this shot, you better practice.;)

RE: A new swing on things!!!
 

I have a buddy who consistantly shoots deer at 40-50 yards. [&o]

He says he'd rather have it that way. Personally, I think it's more of a thrill to have them in my face.