fuzzydog

Being new to traditional archery I am wondering what distances are you guys killing things at?

My buddy who shoots compound killed an elk @ 40 yards and a deer @ 60 yards...(of course he couldn't draw at a bigger elk at 15 yards and missed 2 deer at 20 yards or less)...

I am hoping to be comfortable taking 20 yard shots for next season...is that reasonable?

Josh Sorensen

20 yards is a good distance. I don't like to limit myself with a concrete yardage as a maximum. Every shot is different and if you listen to that internal computer that tells you when you can and can't make a shot you will be just fine. I have taken shots at over 30 yards and turned others down that were less than 20. If it "feels" right then take the shot, if not let them walk.

Longbow Bowhunter

I practice to 50 yards with the hopes of stalking in for a closer shot.

FLHunter

Fuzzy,

Josh said it pretty well. I practice all year long to be hunt ready shooting not only 3-D, but target archery out to 80 yds. I pretty much limit myself to 20-25yds when hunting. I also think it depends somewhat on what type of game your hunting. A shot at a 100# whitetail is much different than an elk or moose where the kill zones are larger.

As far as your friend missing that happens to us all. There are those who have missed, those who are going to miss, the rest are lying! When I shoot compound I'm a whole lot more accurate at longer ranges. Where we hunt a shot over 40yds is unusual, but out west its quite common.

Taureaunoir

The question should be "how close can I kill a deer ,moose ,elk etc?"I am a bowhunter with 44 years behind me And I still beleive 20 yard to be the longuest shot and one yard to be quite close.Too many thing can turn a nice shot to an horrible shot.I avoid practicing
30 yards cause I am human and if I get accurate I might try those shot in hunting season and hunting is not target shooting.Take my advise be a perfect shot at 20 yards and less and you wont feel sorry for a poor shot and a wonded animal that will suffer before dying.Don't fuel the antis with questionable shot.That is the way I am .
Now I am 58 and still do 20 and less shot.
The real trill in bow hunting is to get your quarry to less than 10 yards.
Try that and you will always be a bowhunter.
Many quit bowhunting due to malpractice this lovely sport.Think about it
Taureau Noir

LBR

Know your limitations and stick with them. It might hurt your feelings to let one pass, but it's a whole lot worse to make a bad shot.

I practice shots at distances that are a lot further than I will take on game. Being a good shot at 40 yds makes 20 and under easier. Practicing at 80-100 yds will really show you how consistent you are and is a good exercise for working on your form.

I've been tempted to take a long shot on a live animal, but I've never done it. Even if I'm feeling good and know I could hit a target at that range, the animal doesn't know it's supposed to stand still until the arrow gets there.

Chad

gapshot

Hunting and target pracice present different risk, a lost or broken arrow vs a wounded animal, there is no comparison. kwowing your own limitations comes from practice at various distances and also under a variaty of conditions. You not anyone else has to be confident you can make the shot at that moment under whatever circumstances are presented, and the only one thats going to know whether it was right at the time is you. I have been haunted by making a bad shot and wounding an animal and I've still not forgotten it. someone said it earlier "listen to your gut instinct".

Happy shooting

Jim

ewolf

I like the gut instinct rule. Also I would never shot over a range you set. Then use the gut rule inside of that range. I know a very respected longbow shooter, that was at the top of the IBO, and passed a 200 class buck at 28 yards broadside. He had a bad feeling. I never really liked the guy until I heard this story about him. My opinion went up, that takes a real ethical person to make a decision like that.

Taureaunoir

I can shoot al my arrows in a pie plate at 40 yards my guts tell me I can make that shot
but my brain tell me that there no easy shot in the wild.
So I stay to the 20 yards distance even if I get angry at myself to have left a perfect broadside shot at 30 yards.Dont forget that there might be a twig in the arrow's path,deer might move at the same time of the shot.In a milsecond wind can turn around and the deer react to a drift of different odor etc.Keep it to 20yards and you won't have to blame either your brain or your guts.
Happy hunting
Taureau Noir

LBR

I can understand that, but I rely on discipline as well as my brain and my gut. I've had shots at less than 20 yds. I wouldn't take, but I'm not going to limit my shooting to the least possible distance. Just this past season I had a shot at about 15 yds, but the other conditions were bad--very foggy, on top of it being darker in the woods anyway. I almost did shoot, but noticed a branch in the way just in time. Limiting myself to practicing at 20 yds or less wouldn't have changed that scenario at all.

I'm not saying you are wrong in your reasoning--as long as that is what works for you, that's great. What works for me is practicing at longer distances, which makes me more confident on closer shots, and disciplining myself to not taking longer shots on live animals.

Chad