What do you consider an acceptable 40yard group to feel confident on an animal.

[tailgunner]

Had a buck jump my string at 26 yards.thought it was a myth befor that.hear deer can jump over 11 hundred feet a second when startled.elk and bears can give you longer Windows without moving however.gets trigger Fingers itchie.especialy in the desert

 

[raisins]

I know it will vary per situation and person, but for you is it baseball sized groups, softball, paper plate? what is considered a "good" group at 40?

i wouldn't go off group size on a flat target

i would limit myself to the distance where i can shoot 1 arrow rounds at a deer 3d target and hit the killzone (or your acceptable kill area if it doesn't match that of the 3d target) 90% of the time and when you miss a shot you can call it (jerked, rushed, wind, etc.....meaning you aren't doing it somewhat at random without knowing why)

even then, i'd still probably take 10 yards off this distance

i only hunt out to 40 yards but can do the above out to 50 yards

 

[raisins]

If you can’t hit a softball at 40 every single time. Don’t shoot that far, I mean every time too. I stick to around 30 yards.

not to be disagreeable, but hardly any non-pro archers can hit a softball every single time at 30 yards

a lot of people claim it on the internet, but if you can do that then you should shoot perfect indoor rounds at 20 yards

 

[Plebe]

not to be disagreeable, but hardly any non-pro archers can hit a softball every single time at 30 yards

a lot of people claim it on the internet, but if you can do that then you should shoot perfect indoor rounds at 20 yards

I don't follow pro-archery, but that's shocking to me.

 

[131north]

I honestly have a hard time picking a spot with my pin at 40. I think that's your big issue. The pin is going to cover so much of the animal that you are basically aiming for center mass. I recommend practicing shooting these groups at a completely blank target, since nothing in the woods has a bullseye on it. Then decide what you're comfortable with.

 

[Bowtie747]

not to be disagreeable, but hardly any non-pro archers can hit a softball every single time at 30 yards

a lot of people claim it on the internet, but if you can do that then you should shoot perfect indoor rounds at 20 yards

yea I guess the word every should be changed to most. I’ve not shot with a lot of people but I can think of 4-5 people I’ve shot with that can hit a softball at 30 most of the time. Most of the time would include an off shot every now and then.

 

[Plebe]

I honestly have a hard time picking a spot with my pin at 40. I think that's your big issue. The pin is going to cover so much of the animal that you are basically aiming for center mass. I recommend practicing shooting these groups at a completely blank target, since nothing in the woods has a bullseye on it. Then decide what you're comfortable with.

It's not a matter of covering up the animal with the pin, for me anyway. But, yeah, it's hard to see the details, like shoulder profile and rib outline. Especially when the animal has a full coat.

I totally agree, work with a bullseye target and an unmarked deer silhouette.

 

[raisins]

I don't follow pro-archery, but that's shocking to me.

well, i shouldn't overstate things too much

the nfaa 300 round x ring is 4 cm across converting to inches and multiplying by 30/20 to adjust to 30 yards (keeping same angular deviation) then that's a 2.36 inch target at 30 yards, roughly

a softball is 3.8 inches in diameter

key ideas for me is every time (way harder than 90%) and also we aren't talking softball sized groups but rather a target that size, which is significantly harder

 

[Lowg08]

I shoot known forty which maxes at 43 yards. I feel like my bow and myself are ready when I can group 3 arrows in the lower 12. I’m not a pro but shoot competition archery. ASA I need to be able to hit the 12 on command at 43. Now add a deer in im hoping for a pie plate. I feel
Good with these type groups at 40 yards the bag with the cross is a 60 yard final adjustment, one is a scoring ring pick. Of course. I can’t hit the 12 everytime but I scare it pretty good as you can see on the kitty. Lol. Now I am not a pro but I do shoot all year. All the time a couple thousand arrows a year or more.

 

[woodsdog2]

I’ve discussed this before on this forum but it’s important to discuss it each time this topic comes up. In my opinion, the most reliable method to determine YOUR maximum effective range is group shoot testing until you can no longer consistently group on an average kill zone sized target. I agree that the best target is a 3d target for your group testing. I use five arrows to determine this. Typically if you can shoot “softball” sized groups at x distance consistently, you are withn but not necessarily at your maximum effective range. I have no problem increasing target aiming point size at further distances but your kill zone size should remain consistent. For all North American game I would arbitrarily say that an 8” kill zone for all game would be appropriate. Small game and turkeys a four inch kill zone, elk and larger ungulates, 10-12”

 

[NMSbowhunter]

The only time I shoot groups are to determine if the bow is mechanically correct, properly sighted and that my arrows are properly tuned. Training myself for hunting I am much more concerned with what I call a "cold shot". This is walk out to some distance between 15 and 30 yards, draw the bow, aim for a spot and shoot. No warmup shot allowed. I try to imagine this scenario as "the deer has stopped in an opening feeding on acorns but won't be there forever. Make the shot count". I try to draw slow like I am in the presence of an animal, etc. For real world hunting with a compound bow I want that animal inside 25 to be sure. 20 is better. I also aim for the exit, if that makes sense.

 

[woodsdog2]

The only time I shoot groups are to determine if the bow is mechanically correct, properly sighted and that my arrows are properly tuned. Training myself for hunting I am much more concerned with what I call a "cold shot". This is walk out to some distance between 15 and 30 yards, draw the bow, aim for a spot and shoot. No warmup shot allowed. I try to imagine this scenario as "the deer has stopped in an opening feeding on acorns but won't be there forever. Make the shot count". I try to draw slow like I am in the presence of an animal, etc. For real world hunting with a compound bow I want that animal inside 25 to be sure. 20 is better. I also aim for the exit, if that makes sense.

I try to do this randomly throughout the season but I should do it more. “First Arrow” analysis.

 

[Robert loper]

Now hear me out.​

This is just me.​

I shoot alot and I mean alot as much as i can. Especially right before dark in the yard, woods, friends, etc.
Grouping is good but I rely on being in that kill zone. I dont do any type of competition at all so robin hooding or scuffing expensive arrows is not for me lol.
The only thing that keeps me from shooting is a super hot and sticky day.
it seems to just spawn the evil blood suckers that just eat you alive while outside.
(thermacells do work).
I know guys shoot bucks all the time and kill bucks every year outside of 40 yards.
I hunt or try to hunt specific animals.
I find one and immediately start collecting info any way I can on this selected animal.
“with that said.”
I would never be comfortable taking a 40 plus yard shot on an animal.
Now of course I am sure I could do it especially in the yard or at the range.
Not much pressure there.
very different scenarios in the yard or range compared to an actual hunting situation
I believe the reason why i wont is, I live on the east coast and it is super thick super flat.
now-hill contry is obviously a different story. where i hunt I really think if im getting a 40 yard plus shot on a deer that i am probably not after and I am most likely not in the right spot to get that shot lol
But, thats me. After 30 years of bowhunting my confidence at live animals past 30 yards goes south only because there are so many things that have gone wrong for me in the years doing just that lol

 

[Weldabeast]

U guys are nuts....too expensive to shoot groups. 1 at a time for me.
I think it's kinda silly to talk in "absolutes"....I'll tell u my max is 25-30yds, I'll set up for 15-20yds but if the situation is right, I'll break my own rule just like the rest of u mugs

 

[Bigfoot522]

On a whitetail, none.
On an elk a differnt story.

I have helped people track 30 plus yard deer and many of those didn't end well.

Its a touchy discussion for many people to be sure but every man has to follow his own conscience.

 

[Bowtie747]

Just gonna shoot this out there. Most of the people Ik who shoot 40 plus and do it “successfully” arnt telling you about all the times they missed and or wounded a deer to not find it. Not saying this is always the case but I find it happens a lot.

 

[BTaylor]

What happened to "if arrows aint flyin deer aint dyin"?

 

[Nutterbuster]

I try to do this randomly throughout the season but I should do it more. “First Arrow” analysis.

I know by now yall are sick of hearing about Bob Sheppard, but he mentions in his book that he rarely practices beyond shooting 1 arrow or 1 bullet, but he does that every day of the season. Walk outside, shoot one bullet at 200 yards, walk back inside. Or walk out, shoot 1 20 yard arrow, walk back inside

He says that because he's religious about it, he is very, very persistent searching for deer, because the idea of a miss no longer makes sense to him on a gut level

 

[Buckhole75]

It kills me to hear guys talkin about all these absolutes Every situation is different Every guys abilities are not the same The single biggest factor in max range is reading the deer and the situation Have shot deer really close that were amped up that dropped and i have shot deer over 40 that did not budge before the arrow arrived Many Many Many archers today are capable of making the shot on a bag IMO if you have not killed many deer you are more apt to be nervous and some guys just are not I like to say those guys Got Blood In Their Eyes

 

[Plebe]

I know by now yall are sick of hearing about Bob Sheppard, but he mentions in his book that he rarely practices beyond shooting 1 arrow or 1 bullet, but he does that every day of the season. Walk outside, shoot one bullet at 200 yards, walk back inside. Or walk out, shoot 1 20 yard arrow, walk back inside

He says that because he's religious about it, he is very, very persistent searching for deer, because the idea of a miss no longer makes sense to him on a gut level

What does he do if he's off the mark?