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Distances you've killed deer with ? Archery that is


turkeyfeathers
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Looking forward to deer in nice and close this year.  Although most gun deer I've killed weren't all that far either

Have only taken one shot with the bow over 30 yards so far and from what I hear most will be inside that range anyhow. I'll keep practicing at 20-30 yards and hopefully all will unfold ok for me

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First year , I killed a BB at eight yards , in the thirty years since, my farthest shot was twenty five yards . Most were around 15ish .

that first year tree was luck, turns out one can kill a deer every year from that tree, I just randomly picked it.

Plus my hard woods is 225 yards wide, not hard to pick a tree where a deer will pass within 40 yards ( 20 each side of tree ) . They tend to run just inside the edges, or diagonal and cross in an X in the center . Three stands and I could cover 90% of the movement .

Edited by Stay at home Nomad
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Have taken them from 5 yards to 35 yards.  My longest was last year at 35 yards, heart punched a doe.  I took a 40 once and got string jumped.  I always aim heart now just in case for anything over 30.  But most of my bow kills have been 25-27 yards.  And that's for a reason though.  I try to setup my stands where it's most likely for a deer to come up a trail and be about 25 yards away.  That way I'm not too close to the trail and yet am well within bow range.  Of course they don't always cooperate, but I like to be setup so that most of the time this works out.  

And only shoot what ypur comfortable at for distance.  Enjoy the up close action.  It's so great.  Gets the adrenaline going for sure!

Edited by Robhuntandfish
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I killed one at 42 and one at 37. All others have been at 25 and less. The majority of my stands are set up for close shooting. I am a woods guy, and don't set up on field edges. Not that field edges can't be effective, it is just my preference and style of hunting. I also prefer my shots to be 15 yards at least just because of the shot angle from the height.

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I use my range finer to place ribbons at 50 yards, in various directions, around all of my stands, several weeks before the season opens.  That is the maximum range that I would shoot at a deer with my current crossbow.  With my vertical bow, I never shot at a deer over 25 yards.  If I still hunted with that, I would use the range finder to place a second ring of ribbons around each stand at that range.  I might have to do that anyhow, depending how this afternoon's practice session goes.  It is nice to have those known range markers at your hunting locations. Live deer seldom hang around long enough to give you the time to use a range finder on them.     

Speaking of that, it is time to put the batteries in my range-finder and crossbow red-dot site, find my foam block target, and go sling a few bolts off the back deck.  October 10, opening day of NZ crossbow season is coming up pretty fast.   I used my last mechanical broadhead on a 46" CG buck last season.  I am too cheap to buy more, at the current high prices, so I need to determine which fixed 125 gr broadheads: Muzzy, Wasp, or Allen, hits the closest to my field-tips at 50 yards.   If they only hit well to 40 yards (or even 25), then I will move that ring of ribbons in a bit to compensate.  2/3 of the bucks that I have taken with that crossbow and mechanical broadheads were inside of 25 yards anyhow.    

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I keep it under 30. I practice in the yard at 50 daily because my pins are 20,30,40,50. But in a stand with the angle, canopy, nerves, trying not to get busted, string jumping, random twigs.... the 30 yard shot in the woods seems much harder than shooting my 3D target at 50, sitting in a chair in my garage, nice and bright site picture with no canopy, and sipping an adult beverage.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Farthest was at 46 yards, big doe that wandered in and just stood there broadside for what seemed like 10 mins or so. I pulled my range finder out of my pack, ranged her , put it back , clipped my release on , drew my bow and settled in on the shot. It’s like she wanted  to be shot, I had been shooting a ton of 3-d and paper leagues that summer so I was very comfortable shooting long range. Closest was at the base of my ladder stand,  big bodied spike, aimed to right of his spine above his heart. He ran maybe 20 yards.

you're going to wonder why you waited so long to bowhunt, the deer are totally differant animals . And wait till you experience a good  rut before the opener  of firearms, I have some really fond memories of non pressured bucks during the rut.. 

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