What is acceptable accuracy?

[Buckmaster7600]

Interesting discussion at work today that I figured I would bring up to you guys.

What do you guys consider acceptable accuracy for hunting?

It varied among my coworkers anywhere from 1" groups to in the "pie plate"

Me personally I don't care about a group my max range is 10 shots at 10 different times within what I consider my kill zone "within a couple inches of where I'm aiming." For me that is 65yds.

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[stubby68]

For me it is one inch at 250 yards. I do not think there is a wrong answer though. What ever someone is comfortable with and gets the job done for them. When I started hunting inside 6 inches at 109 yards was good.

[Lawdwaz]

7 minutes ago, stubby68 said:

For me it is one inch at 250 yards.

OK stubhub, I ain't buying that one.

[Buckmaster7600]

For me it is one inch at 250 yards. I do not think there is a wrong answer though. What ever someone is comfortable with and gets the job done for them. When I started hunting inside 6 inches at 109 yards was good.

I was referring to bow hunting, but if you have a gun that will shoot a 1" group at 250yds I would love to see it!


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[BizCT]

I was referring to bow hunting, but if you have a gun that will shoot a 1" group at 250yds I would love to see it!


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1" group at 250yds with leadsled rest can be done by anyone with a decent gun.


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[nyslowhand]

Hell, I can  barely see a 3" bullseye at 65yrds, let alone consistently put arrows into it....

Okay, so every bow hunter wants to be Robin Hood, but then there's reality. My philosophy has been to consistently put arrows in a 3" bullseye at a specific range. That sets my max ethical kill distance, be it 20, 25, 30 or whatever yardage. Beyond is basically a hail Mary shot and generally cringe worthy.

JMO, but bow hunting to me is an "up close & personal" encounter, so shots out beyond 40-50yrds are counter-intuitive to my type of bow hunting. Naturally every bow hunter is different....

[Hock3y24]

i can shoot approx 6 inch groups at 70 yards, I don't hunt deer past 40. its all what you feel comfortable with. for hunting i believe you should be busting nocks at 20 and within a few at 30, however there was a time when i was not as good but kept my shots in closer. 

[stubby68]

2 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

OK stubhub, I ain't buying that one.

So don't I didn't ask you to.

[Doc]

Interesting question. If you have a deer target with the kill zone marked on it, is it adequate to be able to put every arrow inside the defined kill area? That can be a pretty big area. But is it good enough if your arrows are scattered all over the extreme edges of that area? A kill is a kill right? Well, if you are using the very edges of the kill area on the target, you have not allowed anything for even the slightest movement of the animal. How about after hours on stand and your muscles are all tightened up and aiming conditions are not exactly optimum. You can do things on the nicely measured out flat and level archery range that somehow come off a lot different when you're kneeling, sitting, or working from just off the side of a tree. What I am saying is that it probably is not really great to be accepting edge or marginal shots. Leave something for contingencies of things not being completely perfect like it is on the range.

[Robhuntandfish]

with bow my longest distance is 45 yards.  I set a cutoff there.  Have a 40 yard pin and am pretty good at 40 but not guessing a shot over 45 yards.  Too many variables .  less accurrate, less speed from bow, longer for deer to jump string....

[BowmanMike]

I practice out to 40 yds and my groups start to open up beyond what i feel comfortable with would kill a deer quick every time. It is a very personal decision though to limit oneself to a certain yardage,and mine is thirty,maybe 35 if everything is perfect. That being said I havent shot a deer further away then 20 yds yet...

[Robhuntandfish]

and if its anything 40 or over am aiming low.  Cause if they jump string dont want to make a high shot.  If miss will then miss low and not high.  I generally aim low for all shots anyway not dead center deer 

[Doewhacker]

8 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

8 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Me personally I don't care about a group my max range is 10 shots at 10 different times within what I consider my kill zone "within a couple inches of where I'm aiming."

 

Same here, however it would have to be the picture perfect scenario to get me to consider shooting long range. I prefer to be as close as possible.

[stoneam2006]

For me it's within 4 inches at 40 and a pieplate at 60. Above 40 yards is strictly follow up shots on wounded game for me. But practicing that far makes the close ones seem really close

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[chrisw]

You can't put a number (group size) on this in my opinion. It's just something everyone has to know for themselves, we all know when we are getting close to our comfort zone and from there we either choose to shoot (and accept all risks involved) or not. I think it's more to do with ethics and respect honestly. Every situation is different and I've never liked the pieplate theory, because honestly a pie plate group should not be what anyone strives for. I think chasing accuracy is a constantly evolving beast and we should all do our best to achieve the highest level of accuracy that we are capable of. When we accept less than quality accuracy and say "good enough" or "I can keep them on a pieplate" is when you are complacent in your ability, not seeking to improve it, after all, we aren't hunting pies. What's acceptable to me? Not wounding or losing animals.

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[Daveboone]

Ya gotta hunt where the deer are....

One of my most successful stands was only about 75 foot off the road. 

Some of the best spots I have found recently are about 1/2 mile in, and in times gone by I wouldn't have blinked at that. I am not as young (hate saying that) as I was, so that is a consideration. In days gone by, a mile or more was fine.

You also have to take into consideration your own safety, and getting the animal out. Stand sites with good sign within 15 minute or so walk are my preference now, only in that my time is more limited and less time walking is more time hunting.

[BowmanMike]

Soo,i just shot a nice group at 42,now i am gonna shoot at deer up to 50 yds...

Just kidding..

I am getting more comfortable at long distance though,doesnt mean i will take a shot at deer that far out though.

Edited September 13, 2017 by BowmanMike

[growalot]

acceptable on a deer is a line from shoulder to ham....now read this carefully... I say a line and that length because, depending on angle of the deer or a bad mishap(experience) on said "line" an arrow can kill a deer. IF the shot is not broadside between rib and ham. On said line a bad mishap on ham can cut a femoral artery and they drop fast...had a nock stay on the string at shot, arrow went way far left hit artery and deer dropped 30yrds out. On that line if you hit the shoulder it will drop the deer in their tracks. On angled shots that line will take out lungs and or liver and heart depending on the angle. Above or below can of course kill them BUT more risk of lengthy recoveries unless spined.. Now that said Just my experience and the angles of shots

I prefer 3" back from the shoulder blade

[Culvercreek hunt club]

9 hours ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

1" group at 250yds with leadsled rest can be done by anyone with a decent gun.


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That is 0.4 MOA. Your comment is just wrong. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I agree with the 3" group scenario. Once that establishes you range you have to evaluate your equipment and make sure there is enough energy. Look at some of these target bows. deadly accurate but at low poundage some wouldn't  have the needed penetration. It is a multiple factor question. 

This is also a target practice scenario. start rotating a deer and adding elevation differences, then less that ideal shooting position, cold, clothes....that 3" can open up and if you open up  "pie plate' accuracy you have wounded deer. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

If I can't keep a softball size group or less at a given distance, I'm not even considering shooting that far. At this point, my max hunting range is @ 45 to 50 in perfect conditions shooting at a calm feeding deer. I will target shoot at 60, but that is just to make shorter shots easier. Last year I killed my buck at 40 yards in the woods, and it felt like a hell of a poke even though I knew the lane was completely clear, I had practiced that distance a ton and the deer was at a dead stop completely broadside. I hit that deer about an inch from where I wanted. 

[growalot]

Have you guys seen this?  It's long and bloody but good.

BTW....... WNYBuckHunter...your deer anatomy post no longer has pictures

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6cLLHsMnL4

[WNYBuckHunter]

9 minutes ago, growalot said:

Have you guys seen this?  It's long and bloody but good.

BTW....... WNYBuckHunter...your deer anatomy post no longer has pictures

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6cLLHsMnL4

Yeah I figure most of my older posts don't have them anymore because Photobucket became a crap pay service that I won't shell money out for. 

[sethf11]

I hit very consistent when practicing at 45 yards. I had a buck at 47 yards and I didn't take the shot last year. That 47 yards through the woods was a much much more difficult shot that I didn't feel comfortable with. It also looked like about a 60 yard shot as well due to not being an open shot.

I judge a lot by feel and in the moment. But "acceptable accuracy" I would label as softball size at 30 yards.


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[growalot]

Dang I have to say that video...dedication..lol