Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Shooting distance

Even when I was practicing out to 50-60 yards, I never shot a deer over 25, and 95% were under 20 yards. I was always fine with that.

I was a decent shot, but judging yardage in the heat of the moment was something I couldn't do well.

I shot 3D and indoors pretty hot n heavy...........have decent form.
Did switch to a bigger peep for being able to hunt in the woods in lesser lighting.
It opened my groups up a bit past 30 yards.
Still OK for hunting, but not for 3D.

Pick a spot, draw and hold...........when it looks right, then it goes.
Sights, no sights, wheels or no wheels, fingers or release...........doesn't matter.

HOWEVER......sometimes things are done faster (but having to hold for a while doesn't mess me up).
I draw slow and smooth, everything relaxed. My release trigger isn't set light either, I hit the stops and pull a teeny bit more while squeezing the trigger.
Works well for me. Been shooting like that for 30 yrs.
Have had to hurry and shoot deer on the move that way..........same deal, just "compressed" time wise

Never been a snap shooter.

I don't shoot nearly as much as before.
Shoot lesser # now too.
Minor injuries take longer to heal these days.
Banged hand at work.........3rd day of nuthin'.

A friend has a range finder on his bow. There has been times it would have been helpful.

OK for the life of me I can't see this happening unless people are drawing their bows with their fingers while the release is attached to the lower limb? Why the heck would someone do that?

I don't see how a person could do that either

Lots of bows get drawn when not actually in the act of shooting an arrow.

Usually it's a kid, son in law or buddy that draws another's bow and blows it up...........the story goes like that anyway .

Just sayin "hang it high" and lessen risk.

Drawing a bow to check something, without an arrow........with a release on............I have seen way too many people do that and put their finger on the release trigger.
A few went "POP!"
To avoid the possible dry fire, some folks draw without their release...........fingers.

Maybe they're doing so to illustrate a sound that's popped up, or cam lean or something.

Of course, with newer designs of big cams, short ATA some folks have done "roll offs" pulling bows with fingers.
The first edition Mathews Monsters were kinda notorious for that.
Shops put up signs saying "do not draw without a release" and have the blue Tru Flite fake release on hand.

People still blow em up by ignoring the signage.

guess that's why even microwaves have warnings on them stating, "warning contents may be hot"...duh........

So you can actually destroy one by pulling it without a release. Makes me glad I never went back to wheels.

For a foolproof track record, we NEVER shot if they looked up... held off and let down once they looked away. Shooting while they are looking could lead to wild chases.

IIRC the meaning was using a tripod to set the "bow" on.... IE a joke.

We hunt pigs on the ground all the time. Pigs don't do anything to you. Don't be scared of nothing. I've probably killed more archery off the ground than in the air.

Mountain lions also are not a bother and could get to top of a tripod in a quick hop. False sense of security.

And just flinging long shots at turkeys to finally kill one, well in my personal ethics book, that sucks.

I like to hunt in a tree or tripod. We have feeder pens around our feeders. It wouldn't be ethical to shoot through the fence. I like trying to Indian up on a turkey close enough to take an ethical shot. I miss because I don't judge the distance correctly or I get excited and shank the shot. I have been fortunate, I haven't lost an animal I've hit with my bow. I try to take close shots that's the ethical thing to do.

Big acorn crop this year in Hill country. Deer aren't coming to feeders at all!

Farthest deer I've taken was 38 yds totally relaxed ,actually exhausted from chasing a doe around me all morning ,most I kill between 25 to 30 yds shooting a compound ,targets are another story but a living animal we owe the respect of using good judgement ,one marginal /poor hit should cure most any hunter with good ethics from pushing the window too far

Acorns at my place finally (not last 3 yrs).
Moved a stand...........trail from the bottom coming to oak flat...........10 yarder.

A little cooler this am. A freezing 62 degeees.

Moving tripod close to trail where deer and aoudad jump fence.

I'm hoping for an ethical shot.

I don't like looking for wounded deer, lots of rattlesnakes and skunks here. Cactus too

20 to 30 yards.

I've killed whitetails out to 68 yards. most of my kills are @ 30 or less. I practice out to 100yards regularly, and out to 125-130 on occasion,. makes the shorter shots really easy.

Anywhere from 5 feet to ~60 yards. I can make that shot anywhere in between and have regularly.