Long shot's

[Geno C]

i would love to practice some long distance shots...

[Doc]

i would love to practice some long distance shots...

I often do practice some ridiculously long shots. You can learn a lot from them. Just watching the flight can tell you a bit about tuning problems. Plus it's just plain fun. There is also that confidence you get when you step back up to realistic hunting distances. It makes the shorter shots seem real easy. One other thing that I found out is that when I am having problems with "follow through", stepping back seems to help out with that for some unexplained reason. At any rate, long distance shots on the archery range can be a lot of fun.

[nyantler]

Practicing long shots is fun.. I did a trad shoot once where every shot was over 50 yards.. I had more fun... I also lost a ton of arrows as well..lol

[erussell]

OK got a new one, was watching a show the other night and this guy was hunting antelope. He had a 100 yrd pin. Thats right a 100yrd pin. He was complaining he couldn't stalk closer than 115 yrds and he didn't want to shoot because unless they were 105 yrds away he would have had to hold over the antelope and he wasn't sure of the shot and that wouldn't be ethical. Seriously? Not ethical huh! Well thank goodness he went back to camp and got his rifle and polished off an antelop.

[mt624]

IMO hunting shows are getting close to NASCAR. Does television coverage of people sitting in traffic during morning rush hour sell cars? No, but guys racing around a circle at 200mph does. Hunting shows are just a big commercial for the most part now and like the NASCAR mantra that guys racing in circles at 200 mph will sell cars on Monday to everyday drivers (which is proven), hunting shows try to pack in extreme action, shots, etc. It's entertaining but certainly not a real view of hunting in general. Look at "reality" TV and what it's become, I can't get over the number of hunting shows now that are using this model and making hunting competitions of some sort. It's laughable, I don't think anyone got into bowhunting because they thought they could outscore their buddy (in some drummed up category) so they better run out and buy a license.

For the record I like NASCAR but I don't make my automotive purchasing decision based on anything related to it. Hunting shows are entertaining and hopefully people realize there are hundreds (if not thousands) of hunts filmed for every one (usually successful) shot that gets aired. And yes, they have tracking dog handlers on speed dial. I can't believe some of the unethical shots they take and air sometimes, but it does probably show that modern equipment does give a slightly larger margin for error in many cases... Good or bad.

Doc you've made many great points (along with others) about long distance shots but think about how and where (a computer forum) you're preaching and then maybe you'll understand why you don't get an overwhelmingly similar response to yours. That's not intended as a slam against anyone, but my guess is that forums appeal to a younger (less experienced) audience for one, secondly a more tech type crowd (more adaptable to new technology), and so on. Always exceptions but... Generally if someone agrees with you and everything you say on a forum they aren't going to take the time to post much. But if they disagree, sit back and get ready!

There's no hard number to put on an ethical bow shot just like you don't go to the gun shop and buy a 120 yard shotgun instead of a 100 yard shotgun, although the slugs used could easily give you that type of margin in your effective range. There's certainly hard data to show effective ranges for gun/bullet combinations, bow/arrow combinations etc. but with guns the marksmanship of the shooter plays a much larger role in the effective range of a gun shot whereas with a bow, due to the conditions already discussed throughout this topic, marksmanship is less of a factor in the hunting woods when determining an ethical shot range. Plain and simple, but I do agree with 25-30 yards being toward the upper range for an ethical shot at an eastern whitetail due to arrow velocity and the amount of time that passes from release to impact.

Funny thing is most people who have never shot a long bow or recurve probably think the cams are all about speed. I thought we started hunting with compounds to allow a longer hold on a deer to take a draw when the deer is looking away or behind cover, then have the ability to hold for a period of time to walk into range, take aim and stop the deer, etc. To me the whole thrill of bowhunting isn't how far away I can shoot an animal, but how close I can be to the animal when I kill it.

One other constructive criticism aimed mainly at Doc and WNYBuckHunter with all due respect: Seeing that you guys are listed as monitors, I can only speak from my own very limited experience on here, but when I see you guys go off on each other and start calling each other names or make accusations of smoking things it's a real turn off to me who doesn't know if this is an attempt at humor or a real rift. Here's a good post that I read and decided to register and reply to because it is a great discussion and there were some responses (not yours in particular) that just about made my blood boil. I have only looked on this forum every now and then and am admittedly not a big forum guy. But there's some great information here and the forums are very useful for exchanging ideas and having discussion. But when you as moderators start singling each other out and debating on such levels it really is a turn off to me. And it just makes it harder to weed through the content listed under the topic. My apologies if I'm misreading this, but if nothing else please try to keep on topic...

[BUCKrub91]

If you practice to shoot that far and have a shot at an animal why not take it?

[njg0621]

My buddy shotts a Monster and is dead on out to 70. I personally won't shoot at a deer over 40, I have a 50yd pin dailed in and I guess if the right opportunity was there I might use it but I try not to!

[5.9cummins]

I am seriously re-thinking my yardage. After my experience last night missing and last year with a lost deer.

[mt624]

If you practice to shoot that far and have a shot at an animal why not take it?

Were none of the reasons discussed previously in this topic not good enough?

5.9cummins, I read about the doe with your daughter and felt terrible for your situation and the last thing i want to do is rub salt in your fresh wound, but honestly when I read the 40 yard shot part I thought that was the first problem. Sorry.

[5.9cummins]

Were none of the reasons discussed previously in this topic not good enough?

5.9cummins, I read about the doe with your daughter and felt terrible for your situation and the last thing i want to do is rub salt in your fresh wound, but honestly when I read the 40 yard shot part I thought that was the first problem. Sorry.

No problem. 35 not 40 and I practice and have taken deer at that yardage before without issue. I never questioned it till now.

That being said i always held myself to 35 as a max and would not even consider shooting 50-60-70+ due to the above reasons.

[arrow nocker]

not me.I dont carry a range finder.Past 40 is too much guess work.Hell,sitting in a treestand and guessing yardages is tough enough as it is.So you would have to have a range finder to pull off a shot like that.I may be wrong but i don't think i am.Shooting 50 yards through wood without a range finder takes mega practice IMO.And then theres that chance he is at 57 yards not 50 and you hit low.Especially if you use a 10 year old bow that only shoots 285 IBO like me.Hahaha.

[dave6x6]

I shoot at all my deer left handed inside 30 yrds to make it more of a challenge.. Or i'll just let them walk out to about 40 and give them a whistle just before i let her fly.