shaner72

I have been hunting with a Parker Tomohawk (320fps) for a few years, never shot anything. This past Oct. i did pass a shot at a 145" 9pts at 37yds quartering to. Should I have taken the shot or did I do the right thing?
Also I have a giant i am getting pics of 45 yds from my tree. Will a buck "jump the string" with a crossbow at that distance?

Cossack

I'd be less worried about jumping the string - albeit a real possibility with the deer looking at you; I think they can SEE the arrow coming - than a wounded deer. Front quartering is a tough shot because the shoulder bones protect the vitals; and the opening into the chest cavity from head on takes real precise shooting. At 37 yards I'd likely pass too. Just sayin....

craig

37 yd quartering toward you shot,

Only YOU know your skill level, how accurate you are in a hunting situation. That's a good deal different than off of sand bags & target bench.

My bow is a Scorpyd 165, 105 fps faster, but no chance I'd take that shot. At 17 yds,......perhaps, I'd have to be there, but no way at 37.

And if this is from a tree stand like your second part of this question, then I do not believe anyone should take such a shot. That's a tough shot at anything over 20 yds at ground level for most, and just a plain no way if in a elevated location. 15-20'+ elevation even at shorter 14-18yds, is just wrong. The angle change to the shot makes a already hard shot a NO shot.

45 yrd. shot

If you have a chance at this buck while broadside or slightly quartering away, I'd take that shot. Your bow is plenty strong enough to give a full pass through at that range. And the farther away from you the deer is, the lower the chance/odds of a instant reaction (dropping to load his legs "jump the string").

Once again however YOU are the only one who knows just how accurate you are at that distance from a tree stand. If you've any doubts, put up a stand in your back yard & practice that shot in any & all conditions you'd be hunting in. Practice making full use of your sling & your stands shooting rail. Should not take long for you to be sure you can nail him at that distance if you've doubts right now.

EDIT:
I'd also look for a different & closer tree. A buck like the one you describe is one worth making adjustments to your set up for.

It sounds like you've some nice sized animals where you hunt. Given a bit more time you'll get some of them.

Best of luck!

Wilcam47

quartering to is always a bad shot IMO...broadside is best or quartering away..if quartering away aim for the opposite front leg...while I think theres enough energy in a CB at 40yds the bolt drops significantly after 30yds...so for me 40yd would be max with a CB for me..

Uncle Nicky

A crossbow is just a bow, just slightly more accurate. It's not a rifle. I wouldn't take a quartering to shot, just too high of a chance on crippling & never finding the deer. You did the right thing.

d80hunter

I have taken quartering away shots with crossbows and the bolt gets stuck in the back shoulder after passing through the chest.. The bolts still strikes the vitals first, it is a clean kill shot. I wouldn't try try a quartering to shots with any bow or crossbow.

FlDeerman

I think you did the right thing passing on that shot.

awshucks

Not true, check 3-D scores common to both......

oldsmellhound

You did the right thing in passing on that shot. 37 yards with a x-bow is pretty long to begin with, and quartering-to shots are very iffy. I once took a quartering-to shot with a x-bow, but the buck was 7 yards away, not 37. I was fortunate that I cleanly took that deer (it fell within sight). It is best to wait for a broadside shot or a quartering-away shot, regardless of distance.

craig

Free hand the compound usually wins.

But in a hunting situation, where you can use a tree stands rail, or a mono, bipod or tripod, sandbag from a built in shelf of a permanent blind built for this, to make you rock solid vs the compound archer standing with at most a arm/shoulder against a tree the better shot accuracy comes from the crossbow usually.

3D isn't the same, even though they use animal targets at unknown ranges on many of them.