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How far would you realy shoot?

I've seen multiple hunt videos lately of guys taking a 40 yd shot, every one missed there target spot at minimum 6-8", sometimes it works but I bet alot more are lost or missed all together at 40 and up.
 
Boy, I find myself agreeing with 90%+ with what you post. Very entertaining. Love ya brother. Gotta put down the Miller Highlife. Pretty broad statement Nutter.
lol. I have killed most of my bow and crossgun deer inside of 20 yards. Usually it's so thick down here I'm not going, "Come closer, come closer." I'm going, "Whoah now. Hold up a minute and just be still!"
 
I have a hard time believing some of you all would not take a 31 yard shot. I have killed at 40 with a compound but I practice for it. If I feel comfortable with the shot I will take it every time. A rushed low percentage shot on a tense animal probably needs passing at any distance. I practice to 50 with my compound. With a fast scoped accurate crossbow and a rest aim and clear shot, I would let one fly well past 50.

Since I have been crossbow hunting, I always have a rest. Which means my crossbow is always steady on my shots. Determine the distance, line up the scope, let it fly. If you miss, you miss. Chances are your gonna hit what you aim at if your using a rest though. I know I usually do.
 
Interesting observing this discussion on a west vs. east forum. Very different perspectives. When I started archery hunting 15 years ago I lived on the west coast. I can’t remember talking to a single archery hunter that wouldn’t shoot 50 yards and most regularly took deer quite a bit further.

East coast guys are looking for a tall tree and a short rope if you admit to taking a 60 yard shot!


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I have never archery hunted out west, but when I see guys on yt or other shows take bow shots out west the deer, antelope, or elk barely flinch. Every deer I have shot at here in VA have flinched on the trigger pull. I let 2 doe walk 2 Saturdays ago at 40 yards, because of that.
 
My younger brother killed a 150” 10 points this year on public at 68 yards with the Mathews Triax and self filmed a 76 yard kill on a doe with the Triax one shot kills in the lungs . I kill several deer , 57 yards ,64 yards and 67 yards with my Mathews Triax and recovery every one .
We practice from 20-80 yards, but I do prefer a 20 yard shot over a 55 yard shot on a booner...
 
But I did miss one at 80 yards with my Mathews monster safari my draw weight was 90 lbs and I was shooting a 750 grain arrow setup...needless by the time the arrow got to him he was already running off.
I know a lot of guys frown on further shots, but there have been plenty of deer that have been missed or hit and never gotten at 15 yards or less.
It all depends on practice ,staying calm, and good judgment on the circumstances around you...
If your comfortable shooting farther then go for it, if your not then keep it closer. You’re the one behind the bow, not me, not your buddies, just you...
 
Correct, I answered how far I feel comfortable shooting. I have had a doe completely duck my arrow at 40 yards. A lot happens in 40 yards. I also have no problem shooting my 30.06 400 yards. My bullet gets to 400 yards faster than my arrow gets to 40 yards. Crossbows are loud and slow comparably to the speed of sound. If you feel confident take the shot. I limit my shots from personal accounts, not something I read or watched. Will I ever take a shot outside if 30 yards, Yes I will, but EVERYTHING has to be in my favor.
 
Generally speaking, 40 yards with my bow. But I am comfortable to 50 yards on a broadside deer, depending on conditions and if the deer is calm or on high alert. And that is only if I have been practicing regularly. Most of my deer have been taken at 35 yards or less but my longest shot was 50 yards on the dot. Conditions were calm, the deer was alert, but wasn't alerted to me or my position. It was a 10 point buck, nice but not a giant. After evaluating the shot for quit some time, I ranged the deer and drew. I was totally relaxed. I released the shot and the arrow hit the boiler room and the deer literally dropped where he stood and rolled down a hill. The placement of that shot was perfect, better than many I have taken at 30 yards. It is rare to get a shot like that at 50 yards in KY unless you are shooting to an open field. This shot happened to be in sparse timbered woods, and I had a clear shot to another ridge where this buck stood for a long time. Im not suggesting that anyone shoot that range, you must be comfortable and confident in your abilities and understanding the conditions of the shot. I practice to 60 yards and like others have said, to make me better at 30 yards. Practice is paramount. The average bow hunter who dusts his bow off when season starts and shoots 5 arrows in a target and calls it good, should stick to close range shots. I don’t take a shot at any yardage unless I’m confident.
 
There's a lot of "it depends" for a decent reply to your question. :rolleyes:
It depends on: calm wind, position/angle of the deer, calm deer, clear shot to the deer and the difference between the equipment's abilities and the shooter's abilities...at any yardage.

A hunting buddy of mine shot his buck at 74 yards. Clean pass through and a 25 yard blood trail.

BowhunterH2
 

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