effective range
 

I was wondering what everyone's effective range with their bows? me being new to this side of archery was wondering. Now be honest if its 10yrds then say 10yrds if its 70yrds then say 70yrds. The only reason I say 70yrds is because I was reading that Fred bear and the Pope and Young guys were taking game at 50yrds+.

RE: effective range
 

I feel my effective range to be anything out to 30 yards for my longbow.

Dan

RE: effective range
 

Mine is 150 yards, and 100 if there is a good cross wind. You want to talk about arch.

18 -20 depending on the shot. On small game I would go out to around 25 yards.

RE: effective range
 

My bow's effective range is probably around 100 yards. Problem is, MY effective range is closer to 20 yards. A whole bunch closer.;)

RE: effective range
 

20yds.......... But I plan on holding my shots to 15yds until I get a tad better......

RE: effective range
 

I feel very confident from 20 yards in on shots at whitetails. Maybe 25ish if conditions are perfect.

RE: effective range
 

Depends on the situation, the target, and how I'm feeling on a particular day. I've had good days on targets where I could hit the bull at 65 yds, and I've had days where it didn't seem like I could hit a barn from the inside. Generally speaking, for deer--if things are right--I like 25 yds or less. I know I can shoot further, but I can't control what the deer might do while the arrow is getting there.

Chad

RE: effective range
 

I'd shoot at a deer up to 20 yards. But only if the conditions are right.

RE: effective range
 

20yrds is what I figured everyone would say but I was hoping someone would comment on Fred Bears range that he has taken animals. Was he great or unethical. I think he was one of the greatest hunters that we know.

RE: effective range
 

You've got to remember something about Fred Bear. He, along with all the other old pioneers of modern bowhunting, were determined to prove that big game animals could be taken with a bow and arrow. They couldn't do that without putting arrows in the air. The reason for it was the game commissions didn't believe it could be done, and they had to be shown the bow was an effective hunting tool before they'd sign off on setting up bow seasons. So, a lot of the shots they took back then would be considered unethical today. Like Howard Hill killing an elk at 175 yards with his longbow.

They also did a lot of shooting at much longer distances than most people do these days, so they knew how to take long distance shots. Top that off with the fact they didn't have to deal with PETA and all kinds of other 'animal rights' wackos. If those old timers hadn't made shots like that, we wouldn't have bow seasons today.

In the same way, I never used to think twice about sailing an arrow 50-60 yards at an animal if I thought I could hit it. I even took shots over 100 yards at jackrabbits, because I knew I'd either miss or the arrow would pin the rabbit to the ground and I'd be able to just walk up and finish it off if the arrow didn't kill it outright.

When you get right down to it, you simply cannot judge the hunters of yesterday by today's standards. In fact, what we learned from them has gone into forming the code of ethics we go by today.

On the other hand, I think way too often we forget what might be unethical for one guy, at his skill level, would be an easy kill for someone else with superior skill. Each one of us has to decide what we consider ethical for ourselves and not be too quick to judge someone else's ethics. Especially when that someone else made a clean shot and quick kill. That's the final determining factor if the shot was ethical, in my book.

RE: effective range
 

about 20 yds is my range,
also i hunt thick forest and rarely have a line much further than 20-30 yds,
for practice shots am capable of 30 yd shots, but in the field stick to 20,
would alsolike to keep it in 5 yd range, but rarely get that close

RE: effective range
 

20 yards. If it is the last day of the season and I have one of those $130 out of state tags to fill, I wouldtake a longer shot.

RE: effective range
 

20 yards max in the woods, although I would much prefer 10 yards or under.;)

RE: effective range
 

inside of 45

RE: effective range
 

15 to 20 being my max.. for now

Tim

RE: effective range
 

I've never done archery hunting before. But I think 5 to 10 yards would be a safe bet for me.

RE: effective range
 

Last night I was down right deadly at 25 yrds.:D However, I'm under no illusions that it was anything other than a huge FLUKE!:eek: I'd be comfortable at 15 yrds in a coulpe of weeks. Right now I'm with Noob, 5-10 yrds![:o] That's for deer of turkey...

For Bull Frogs, squirrel, or rabbit, I'd let em fly whenever I see them!!!! you either hit or you don't, and let's face it, that's some real fun too!

RE: effective range
 

I practice daily out to 50 yds. but haven't shot a live animal over 18 yds. in 15 years.

RE: effective range
 

When I am shooting regularly my self imposed range is 40 yards and I shoot very well at that yardage, but while I have been here in England I haven't shot as much and now my best yardage is 30 yards for consistancy right now.

RE: effective range
 

Just started so....... 10yds for now!

RE: effective range
 

I thought I was good out to forty, Missed a bear at 40. I new I was good at 20,missed a 6X6 elk at 20.[:@](that one hurt) FYI first year hunting with a recurve. In years past (26) I hunted with wheelie bows and Have ( I hate to say this ) Killed a elk at 96 yards. but that was a 89lb bow that I new very well and could put 6 arrows in a pie plate at 100yards. I wouldn't try half that with a stick bow. even If I could put 6 out of 6 in a plate at that range.