Little different spin on a common question
 

Everyone asks what your max range is, but only sometimes do people say WHY that is thier max range. So why is your max range what it is?
Accuracy level
Terrain restrictions
Fear of game movement
Energy of your bow downrange
Combination of reasons

Did I forget any other reasons?

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

You forgot the "Pucker Factor" ... ;)

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

I try to keepp shots within 30 yards but a deer at 35 is just as likely to get stuck. I am confident I can hit my mark out to 40 but a lot can go wrong at that distance. The two main reasons I limit myselt to around 30 yards is a living deer will likely not stay still and give you the shot a target will. You have to find your mark and put the arrow there before the animal takes a step or jumps the string. 1 step means the diffrence between a quick kill and agonizing long and sometimes unsucessful tracking job. If you've ever lost one you know what I mean![:'(]
The second is terraine features. Most of my bow hunting setups are in fairly heavy cover. I have a few lanes I can shoot through out 35 or 40 yds but for the most part the animals that pass will be within 30 yards. This is how I pick a location to hunt and I do so with shooting situations in mind.

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

I won't shoot a deer over 20 yards and most I have shot within 10-15 yards. My reasoning is that I want a perfect shot and even with the fastest compound bows a deer can jump the shot and duck your arrow. I don't want a deer running around the woods with my arrow through his backstraps. Maybe after I shoot a few more with my ultra quiet AR31 and I see that they don't jump at the shot I will change my distance but not for now.

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

Aside from the ethics involved-

In my woods 25yards would be the maximum range simply because of all the trees and limbs - 15yards even better.

When i first started shooting my bow (not hunting but shooting my bow) I was practicing out to 100 yards and was getting 6" groups with field points. I was practicing getting my group tighter when a buddy of mine who had been bowhunting before told me that I'd never get good penetration out that far. He was probably right because i was shooting a really old bow without much poundage. So I started practicing 15-25yards instead and have just stuck to that.

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

Mine is a combination. I shoot a "light" setup. I have about 33 ke. With my 328 grain arrows I shot 209 fps. I can put 3 arrows in a half dollar target all day at 20 yards, and at 30 yards I can put 3 shots in a tennis ball circle. I will only shoot out to 20 yards. I do this for four reasons. 1. I have a fear the deer will jump the string. 2. My bow will lose a lot of energy at a longer rang. 3. If I shoot out to 30 yards and I'm off by a couple of yards, I will likely wound the animal. 4. It's just more fun to get them in close.

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

I'll second that!!!

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

I missed a monster last season to limb deflection, AT 25 YARDS!
I should have known better, (I did but forgot).
Lucky for us both I just shaved hair, no blood or tissue on arrow.
Anyway, deflection and string jump keeps me at 30 yards max. I like the thick stuff.Plus the fact that I like when there is no delay from the WHOOOSH to the WHAAACK.

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

My preferred range for loosing an arrow is as close as I can get. At the other end of the chart 40 yards is my max on deer sized game. However, the individual circumstances of the shot always control my maximum range. Terrain is a key factor. Are we on level ground or are we in the air? What type of cover are we coping with... any obstructions? Is my intended target relaxed, feeding, or kinda hinky... looking like a mouse that just smelled a cat? Anything that takes odds away from a clean, ethical kill will cancel my shot immediately.

RE: Little different spin on a common question
 

I feel extremely confident up to 25 yards, plus the woods i hunt that is the maxium shot i can take, usually just 15-20 yard shots. Like the others i like to get them close[8D]