Shot distance survey
Equipment
Ok guys, here we go!! Lately I've heard lots of talk/complaining from rifle hunters in Colorado who think that archery season is too long. They say it's not fair we get a month and they only get 7 days in some instances. Their argument is that with all the advances in technology on compound bows we don't need that long to hunt because we are able to shoot so much farther these days. In my opinion, the technology available has increased shot distance some but has not drastically changed the average distance at which most animals are actually taken.
1) I would love to hear others opinions on this subject. 2) For you compound guys, what is your average distance for which you have taken most of your animals and what is the farthest distance in which you've taken an animal?
This is not meant to call anyone out or bring bad light to the bowhunting community. I truly would like to know if there's guys out there who are skilled enough/willing to take these supposed long shots on animals. I know guys do demonstrations on shooting compounds at long distances but does the average Joe attempt to shoot an animal at 100yrds +??
Personally my avg is around 25 yards and the longest shot I've taken on an animal is 45 yards.
Average 20 yards longest 60 yards on a caribou
I'd like to know where all this talk is coming from. I'm around all types of hunters and I've yet to hear this topic from rifle hunters.
The only group I can say pushing this propaganda is the hard core traditional groups along with Internet forums.
If it makes a difference, 18 yds would be my average. Top pin.
Average probably 24 yards. Furthest 36 yards on a turkey.
I would say my average is 30 yards. I have a couple of 70 yard kills but I also have a 3 yard one as well. I am more proud of the 3 yard shot than any if my other shots. What's the average archery success rate for elk in Co? 9%? What is it for rifle? 30% I would say that's reason enough for 28 days compared to 7 days.
Average would be between 20-30. Closest about 7 on a bull last year, farthest 53 on a whitetail. Just depends on the situation. Alertness of the animal, time of weather, weather, and my confidence level at the time
I agree, it has nothing to do with archery "shot distance".
The argument might be valid it bow hunters were killing a high percentage of the elk but that is not true with a over all 10-15% success. We do kill our share as do the rifle hunters. Bow hunters might kill 5,000 elk in a year. If a "rifle" hunter wants to hunt in September, then pick up a ML rifle and hunt for 9 days.
Of all of the Wildlife Commission meetings I have attended, this issue has not come up from the public except for one Commissioner as he tried unsuccessfully to shorten the archery season. I believe it might be discussed as more "bar room" talk.
A few DOW surveys has shown a few rifle hunters may question the 30 days archery season as unfair to them personally but statistics have proven them wrong. And we surely know that new technology has not come to the rifle industry,NOT!. Long range shooting at 500 - 1000 yards.
Shot distance with a compound bow. Of 10 elk, my farthest was 32 yards and shortest was 15 yards.. Others, in between.
Fulldraw- you nailed it. That was a large part of my argument with this particular group of guys and they couldn't deny the facts on the success rates. Even though we have a 28 day season and (most) shoot these "highly advanced" compounds we STILL only have a 8% to 10% success rate! Fact is even the most powerful compound out there is not even in the same league as a high powered rifle. These guys are out there shooting animals at ridiculous distances. Not to mention that with 4 rifle seasons they get just about the same amount of days as archers. Only it's broken up to spread out the crowds and pressure. They seem to have a hard time understanding this.
Paul we must have been writing at the same time. And yes your right about this conversation being brought up by individuals in more of a personal setting. But over the years I have heard a handful of rifle hunters complaining about the season length for archery. My response is usually the same. "If it's so easy then pick up a bow and prove me wrong" most of these guys have never even picked up a bow and have no clue what they are saying. Drives me nuts.
Average is 25. Longest was 63.
I spoke with a gentleman in Colorado last year (great guy too) who has hunted elk with a rifle for years and said that he had been focusing on long shots himself and his daughters in order to boost their success. He mentioned their last three kills which were all 600-700 yards! I would say that archery equipment has become much more effective since the late 90's but it can't come close to that! I'll be hunting elk in Colorado with my recurve this year for the first time and my maximum effective range is 30 yards in perfect conditions. I'd say from 3d shoots that most practiced compound shooters are deadly out to 50 yards...gets sketchy after that. What I mean is that my accuracy with a recurve at 20 yards (I practice nearly every day) is their accuracy level at 50. I think it's kind of an issue of popularity with elk in Colorada...everyone wants to hunt them. The best solution would be to raise non resident tag costs in my opinion.
I learned a long time ago that shot distance and equipment capability are not as closely related as some would have you believe. There was a study done some years ago. The average deer kill WITH A rifle in the north woods was under 40 yards. This study was first done when open sighted rifles were common. Twenty years later the study was repeated with much the same result. The tool had changed . Now most deer rifles are scope sighted with the capability to kill cleanly at 300 yards. What does this have to do with bow hunting??? Everything. The animals we hunt are not mere targets. We must get a calm animal in range. We have to evaluate the animal without being detected. When we decide on a shot we must move into position again without being detected. For the record My bow kills average less than twenty yards but I have taken deer at closer range with a rifle.
Whitetails only. Average 14 yards. Longest 40.
I would counter that ballistic technology should shorten their season to 4 days.Guys are taken half mile shots now.
Best 6 whitetails avg 33 yards Best 4 Mulies avg 42
Bears and other hoofed critters much closer.
The best thing about a compound is you can set stands up further away and allow yourself to hunt with less impact....but it's a little more pressure as 10 yards more in the deer woods look like a long way.
Average is 18. Longest is 54. Shortest is straight down.
Good comments from Cazador & Paul.
I have to chuckle when hearing the term "Rifle Hunter" and "Bow Hunter". And "YOU GUYS" get this or that, and "WE" don't. As if we're discussing two separate species, or totally different races of human beings. If a "Rifle Hunter" touches a bow, does he instantly go limp, the way Kryptonite nails Superman? As far as I know, archery seasons are open to all. No special DNA required.
LUNG$HOT the next "Rifle Hunter" tribe member who complains to you about your tribe, the "Bow Hunters" getting special seasons...ask her about the Kryptonite, would ya?
Oh yeah I almost forgot. Average 20-25, longest 47.
60 yds on whitetail last oct. Before that only about 35yds
Compound-average distance 20-yards. Longest-caribou @ 52.
Crossbow (last 6 years)-Average distance 20-yards. Longest 36.
Sicksender- I agree that separation between the two different "tribes" as you call it is totally ridiculous. I try and explain this point that WE as the hunting community are faced with persecution from the general public more and more everyday and that WE as hunters need to stick together weather rifle, bow or both to preserve our rights as hunters. Hell I rifle hunted for years in my teens and early 20's. It's what I was brought up on. Lots of guys still do both. It's for that reason that I know how much harder it is with a bow (even a nice compound) than a rifle, thus the month long season.
Whitetail- under 20 for all of them
One hog killed at 45 yd. the rest under 20
One antelope at 47 yd., the rest under 30
Whitetails most under 20 yds many under 15 yards. Including straight down. Turkey, most under 20 yds.. Bear under 20 yds..
There is a pattern in there somewhere.
Average distance 14-18 yards One kill at 31 yards
Well said lung$hot! I hunt with whatever weapon is legal for the season and agree that there is no right or wrong method of harvest as long as its legal and etiical.
Rifle guys still have a much higher success percentage, take many times over the number of game and do so in far fewer days in the field. The real world facts are a slam dunk.
I'd just say if they wanted to hunt the archery season and it's so high tech and easy it's a simple matter to go buy a bow and join us. They would be welcome and encouraged. Nobody is holding a gun to their heads, so to speak, but themselves....
What Caz said. I hear time to time from rifle guys, not so much the length of season but in places it's easier to draw archery tags and there are archery only areas. I hear this more from the hard core trad guys wanting their own special season all to themselves, cut out of the general archery season of course.
18 yard average. Longest 40 yards. Longest recurve 19 yards.
There will always be bickering when people are looking after their own interests, and hunting is certainly no exception. As long as the resource is kept at a level it generates sufficient revenue, seasons aren't likely to change one way or the other.
There will always be those that take shots beyond what most of us would consider responsible, regardless of weapon or technology.
My avg shot distance would fall somewhere between 25-30yds. Furthest have been a couple just past 50. I will say that as I've gotten older, my shots have been closer. Might be a lesson in there somewhere. ;-)
"Their argument is that with all the advances in technology on compound bows we don't need that long to hunt because we are able to shoot so much farther these days."
The technology for rifle hunter has advanced at a far greater rate than archery. Guys shoot 1000 yards now. With "all of today advancements" archers max out at maybe 80-100. Far cry, from rifle. Only 1/10 as far.
Peer pressure is a little different also.Archers shooting 100 yards at an animal are considered "Hacks" in most camps.Rifle guys making 897 yard shots are just plain skilled and athletic
The longest shot I have ever taken was 31 yds. on a water buffalo hunt. I think my closest shot is around 8 yrs on a hog.
Most of my shots are 20 yds or less. I am a firm believer in proper shot placement and sharp BH'S. My comfort zone ends at around 25 yds. I make no apologies and am not trying to be a "hero shots" that I know are beyond MY proficiency.
Whitetails, average 14 yards, farthest 23 yards.
Overall about the same.
Killed my one elk at 20 yards.
Sorry my bad.... forgot the OP...
Average I'd have to say 25 or so? I have 2 at 62, a pretty good buck and my biggest mouflon, my farthest. Farthest elk 45-46 or so.
The closest was inches not yards, literally just off my string, almost stabbed a smallish buck. Closest elk in the low teens.
Average is probably 15 yards, Longest - maybe 30.
average around 15-20 yards. longest on game animal 45 yards, but downhill and rangefinder gave me shot of 40 yards, which is my personal limit for deer and elk. longest was coyote at 63 yards.
My average is about 15 yards. Longest ever was 42 yards.
The 2 moose I have taken were shot at approximately 17yds, my average on deer is approximately 20yds, farthest shot on deer was 43 yds.
There was a similar survey done on a different forum last year, one that caters mostly to western hunters. The results were quite different than this one. Much longer average shots, and many admitted to killing animals at 80-100+ yards.
I've heard the complaints Lung$hot references at two different public meetings to discuss five year season structures. Including the one where the CPW official sided with the rifle hunters marching to the podium, and lectured bowhunters on how we are no longer hunting with "primitive weapons". There were a couple photos at the bow shop with 100+ distances written on them at that time. Not sure if he was referencing them, but when we have YouTube videos of guys popping balloons at 150+ yards, it can add to the perception.
We get the gun only hunters whining about only having a 9 day deer season here in WI. The first thing I ask them is how many days of the 9 did they hunt. Most answer 2 to 4. If they don't make use of the days they already have, why would need more? As far as the OP's question, my average is about 25 yards.
Forgot to address the original question. In my limited compound experience the average shots on elk and deer have been around 25 yards. Longest maybe 35.
With trad I've taken some deer and elk at 35-40. Centerpunched a red deer in Oz at 45 when he stopped after an iffy first shot.
I will admit that back when I started bowhunting with trad gear in the early 70s our role models were guys like Howard Hill, Fred Bear, etc.. so we flung some arrows at wild distances because those guys did it. Thankfully we didn't hit anything.
The old time bowhunters shot at long distances and just hoped to get an arrow in them. Ethics were different then, as was the public attitude toward wildlife.
My avg. shot is 29 yards.
Longest was 50 on an elk, which is the outer edge of what I consider my effective range.
I personally don't consider a shot a whole lot further than that to be a very ethical one. No matter the shooter or circumstance. No offense intended, just my opinion.
Same with rifle shots out to 700 or 800 yds.
Average on Whitetails of 15 yards. Longest was 40ish... On a squirrel. And I had to put a kill shot on him cuz the 1st shot only pinned him down :-)
I try to set up for 15 yard shots. I've been doing the same thing for 30 plus years. So my average shot distance hasn't changed with the changing technology. My average shot is probably around 15 yards. Where do I like them, well, look at my handle. The thrill of bowhunting for me is getting them close. I don't care to be proficient at 60 yards unless I'm going out west. In the whitetail woods, 40 yards looks like a mile to me and if most of my shots were that long, it would make my hunting less enjoyable.
These complaints are easily dismissed by comparing success rates in the same units between archery and rifle hunters.
The difference is typically many multiples and that's with current season structure.
In some cases, I can see having a "primitive only" part to the archery season, but that just opens up a whole can of worms with a bunch of guys taking up stickbows who can barely hit a barn with a compound to begin with.
The older I get the less likely I will take a longer shot even though I am a better shot now.I am mostly a whitetail hunter now so I set up my shots for the most part under 30.Hunting elk years ago all my elk were also shot under 30,mule deer were different, I hunted them in more open areas and shot several over 40.Shooting that far you really have to pay attention to there body langwitch.
According to Bowsite Trophy pics, my average shot distance is 22 yards. That takes into account 24 animals, 20 different species, and 8 African harvests (which are somewhat closer due to set-ups over there).
My closest archery shot was 1 yard (pronghorn out of a windmill), and my longest two shots were Shiras Moose (50) and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Ram at (49).
Back in 1985 when I first started bowhunting with a Hoyt Ramhunter Compound, my bottom pin was 50 yards- other than arrow speeds (generally shot around 175 fps) and trajectory changes (pins are a bit closer now), there really is not much of an advantage now versus back then, it still takes hunting knowlege to harvest game- the bow is not the biggest factor in that equasion...
Average whitetail under 20 yards. Longest whitetail was 40 yards. Longest ever was a pronghorn at 62.
Average length of kill all animals combined I would say is about 17 yards. Longest ever was 53 yards on a whitetail and I most likely would only attempt that distance again on a wounded animal if necessary even though I practice and am proficient out to 80 yards.
Well folks, the averages aren't as important as the longest shot in the equation. I bet if you averaged lethal shots at elk with rifles they would be about 100-200 yards. It's not all the shots at close range that make a difference with more modern equipment it's the accuracy attainable at longer range and the subsequent improvement in accuracy at moderate ranges that comes with long range accuracy and ease of use. If rifle hunters want to maintain the seasons they'll probably have to be like muzzloader in Colorada who aren't allowed to use optics...the situation isn't much different for bowhunters using modern equipment in my opinion.
In my opinion all you guys saying the equipment hasn't improved effectiveness are just as full of it as any person popping elk at 500 yards. Nothing personal but just don't think its not going to effect things.
Thanks for the input and responses to the question. My fear is that most who have taken long shots on this site will not mention or admit to the distances, based on the fear of being scrutinized by other members (maybe should have made debate free). I understand that most folks on here frown on taking shots of this nature and label such as unethical. However, I'm sure the statistics from this survey so far (which represent a very small % of the bow hunting community) are fairly accurate. Most guys are taking ethical shots in their effective range and aren't killing animals at 100+ yards. Resources such as bowsite also help new hunters to understand what is or isn't ethical before they ever have a chance to shoot an animal. I know there is always the exception and you have village idiots in every "tribe" who make the rest look bad, but in general I dont think much has changed in effective archery range over the past 50 yrs or so. Just fancy looking gear and more resources, info, etc...
Avg Elk; about 30yds
Avg mulie; 40-45 yds
Avg whitetail; 20yds
avg hogs; 25yds
Some longer some shorter but most of my shots are real close to the above distances
No more no less I make sure evert shot is 114 ya%ds...
"In my opinion all you guys saying the equipment hasn't improved effectiveness are just as full of it as any person popping elk at 500 yards. Nothing personal but just don't think its not going to effect things."
Cottonwood- I agree that modern equipment has improved effectiveness. Especially in the area of making clean kill shots and improved accuracy therefore a slightly higher success rate. But the statistics speak for themselves in the overall success rates of archers compared to rifle hunters. Not much has changed in the distance of which most animals are taken or the total % of success. I would actually argue that advances in firearms technology has had more of an impact on their success rates than archers. As already stated guys are popping animals out to 1,000 yrds with rifles. Almost unheard of 20 years ago.
I look forward to the "survey results"! When will you publish them?
Average on 8 animals- 28 yards Longest- 45 yards. Average on 3 elk- 33 yards, Longest- 45.
White tails - closest; straight down -1yard (was a bit worried that my arrow would hit the stand - had to lean out from the tree), ... longest; 35ish
Elk - closest; 10 yards, ... longest 45 yards
Target; fairly decent shot out to 70 yards - confident of a "killing" shot out to 50 yards.
shortest 8yds, longest 25, Like to keep it a close range sport. Big part of the thrill of bowhunting for me is getting them close.
Whitetails average 20 yards. Longest 42 yards Elk average 25 yards, Longest 56 yards Turkey average 15 yards, longest 32 yards
15 to 35 give or take 5 yards. Longer shot depends on animal if I had no chance of getting any closer.
I have 7 pins sight killed things at 5 yrds to 80 plus average 32 yards have my resends to shoot at long yrds and it is not that I could not get closer just had to
Maybe all this is going to prove, in spit of the improvements in bow and rifle technology, is that hunters are hunters, some are a lot better and modivated than others and as the saying might be "correctly" stated, " 80% of the game is killed consistently by 20% of the hunters".
Not the "lucky" hunter but the ones that work their tails off to improve their hunting skills over time.
My best, Paul
I just added up my average from the shots I could remember, 57yards is what I came up with.I hunt the desert here in Idaho.When I was rifle hunting in the same areas it was normal to shoot 4-500 yards. 57 yards feels like I'm touching them
The vast majority of my bowkills are midwestern whitetails....average shot distance well under 20 yards.
I killed my 1st whitetail at 40 yards and missed a caribou at that same distance. I don't recall shooting more than 35 yards at any other animal.
When I first began elk hunting, I was told to practice out to 50 yards. Under the right circumstances, I would probably take a 50 yards shot at an elk....just has not been necessary to date. Average shot distance on elk has been 21 yards. Took my first moose in 2013...15 yards.
Like wyobullshooter said, it seems the older I get, the closer my shots become.
I'm primarily a WI whitetailer, with some Wyoming trips tossed in.
That said, in my compound days my longest was 35 yards...paced it off...this as a younger fella in the late 70's. Otherwise, most shots were under 20.
After returning to the recurve circa 1990+/-, very few shots over 15 yards. That was in conjunction with the best grunt call I've ever had..."twin tube" made years ago and out of production for a long time. No kidding...brought countless bucks right to my stand...amazing results...even cost me a few due to coming straight in FAST, offering no shot, getting right to my tree and pegging me.
Of course...my kid took it over a few years ago and it's "no longer functional"...lol. go figure.
I used to hear the pi$$ing matches 'tween firearm vs bowhunting, but haven't for a long time.
White tail deer all between 5 and 25 yards. Longest elk kill was 55 yards. Shortest elk kill was 30 yards.
Stupid claim from a hunter. If your upset about the rifle/archery advantages then pick up a bow and go for it. Your right to free choice and they still whine. Lol.
Longest elk shot 20yds, Deer 65yds
bear, whitetail, turkey... avg 16 long 39
Whitetail. Avg 17 yards. Longest 30
Average is about 25 for me. Longest is 45 yards. "Those that can't HUNT, just SHOOT further"...
ELK
You got that right 25 yards? can't HUNT that's a long shot. Shoot farther
My average is 23 on whitetails. Longest 45. I keep saying I'm going to change my pins from starting at 20 to starting at 25. It seems that I'm always splitting pins.
If I covered all critters, I would say my average shot is between 15 and 20 yards. Longest is 34 yards on a WT.
Longest elk shot-30 yards.
Europe bowhunt: roe deer tree-stand mostly, a few drive ( with dogs so lots of running animals not bow shootable) mountain big game ( sheep and chamois) 50/50 ambrush and talk. I'm a compound bow hunter About 150 kill Average for roe deer 20,yards, longest 35, closest 1 ( roe deer is a small target, about 60 pounds) Average for mountaiin game: 20 yards, longest 55, closest 2 yards Have hunted about 15 time africa ( mostly french speeking: burkina, CAR, cameroun), only stalk. Mutch longer shoot. Average 40 yards, longest 55, closest 15...would be very difficult with a classic bow i think. 15/29 north america : closest roosevelt elk 2 yards( stalk), longest mountain goat .and muskox: 45 yards ( stalk) average 35 so longer than in europe for me...perhaps i don't know the game so good like european?
Average 15-20 yds.
Longest 60 yds (small muley buck)
Longest on elk...45 yds.
Closest on big game (elk)...8 yds
Both of those long shots are a rarity for me...luckily they both went down quickly.
Best of Luck Jeff
Average: 20-30 Absolute max: 40 yards
My longest shot on a deer was 42 yards and I'll never do it again. The shot was perfect but the deer took a step. It went from a great double lung hit to a gut shot by the time the arrow got to it. My longest on a woodchuck was 80 yards. I just sorta launched at him and nailed him. I shot a bunch of turkey with my furthest being 30 yards,, most of them were within 10 yards, the closest being 10 feet. My average deer shot is between 17 to 22 yards. Good luck in the woods this year guys. God bless you all and stay safe. Jay
If we're counting Woodchucks and the like I may need to revise my average... ;-)
Results of the survey should be posted soon:)
Average is around 12+ yards. Furthest was 22 yards. This is with compound and recurve both. This is midwest whitetail farm woodlot hunting BTW.
I likes 'em CLOSE......
I thought we were talking about elk only? Whitetail hunting is another ball game.
Was it for elk only? Sorry! I re-read the opening post but I didn't see anything about elk mentioned.
My average for everything I've hunted with a bow has been 16 yards. My longest shot has been 41 yards on a mountain goat and after that, my second longest shot has been 30 yards. The majority of my shots have been inside 15 yards.
Less than 25 yards, probably around 16 to 17 yards.
Farthest shot with compound 29 yards. Average 12-15 yards. I last used a compound 20 years ago.
Farthest shot with homemade selfbows 26 yards. Average 10-12 yards.
Hunting in Pa.
It's plan and simple...some just don't want to address it. As technology develops more efficient compounds that entice some to shoot at longer and longer distances AND become more successful in filling their tags the more some will call for decreased time in the woods. Out west this is a major concern. Back east of in the south where you might get 5 deer tags not so much. Technology is coming around to bite you in the rear. Doesn't taste good does it?
my closest shot on a bull elk was 9 yards. That elk was spotted at 3:30pm, at 80 yards. It took till 415 to coax him that close,,,,, very exciting.....
My farthest shot on an elk was 30 yards on a cow elk, and I got complete penetration........
for me, on an animal of this size, for the poundage I shoot, 35 would be my farthest attempt, and even than I would probably wait..........
you have to know your equipment, and what it is capable of doing, and your own ability...........
LUNGSHOT, are you planning on sorting this data and giving us an avg of the long and avg shot. If I missed it I apologize
With one exception, all of my game was taken between 6 yards and 50 yards. The exception was an Alaskan Yukon Moose, which I shot at 66 yards.....however, I would submit that a moose at 66 yards is about the same size target as a deer at a much shorter distance.....
52 yards on a cow elk, arrow never slowed down, she dropped within 50 yards. closest was 10 feet
"...you have to know your equipment, and what it is capable of doing, and your own ability..........."
THIS! Cast this in stone!
