Contributors to this thread:
Is too far? Seeing and hearing more and more about folks saying they are taking shots at 50+ yards. I believe to each their own, but I also believe we as hunters need to ensure we do our best to provide the game we hunt the respect it deserves to make a clean ethical shot. I practice out to 80 yards, I shoot 50+ at the 3D shoots, I love the challenge, but the targets do not move. I thought bowhunting was about the challenge of getting close. Maybe I am just getting old. What do others think about this trend to shoot at long range while hunting?
I have not taking a shot at a deer more than 20 yards away for along time - have had the need too.
Then you watch some of these shows on tv and seeing them taking long shots or the ones that get me are the ones with deer quartering towards them! I don't watch a ton of tv but one night this week I could not sleep and turned the tv on for a bit which normally puts me to sleep. I bet a saw 4 or 5 shots with the buck angle towards the hunter and they shot - and it was not the angle of the cameraman - because you could see the arrows angle sticking out of the deer!
Most of the time it's 10-12 yards for me. Wait til the crossbows start flinging. Lots of guys will br shooting more than 50 yards.,lol
I would like to see a required bow hunter's education class for any new archer before they can go bow hunting. This should apply for vertical bows and crossbows.
Talk about energy loss of an arrow or bolt, angle of shots, vitals of an animal, treestand safety, etc. I believe it would same lots of crippling of animals and people.
I am comfortable shooting out to 30 yards with my recurve but conditions must be near perfect, open shot and the animal must be calm and not moving. Now with a compound , if the hunter is confident up to 50 yards I don't see a problem. With a crossbow I would think anything that far there would be a loss of energy with such a light bolt that would be my thinking.
When I shot compound for hunting, I routinely shot 60 and 70 yards practicing. All of us did. We were good at it too. But, a target is no deer. And, while deer at that range feeding or, one that doesn't know you are there will not jump the string, it is too easy to mess up. Whether they move, you move, etc.. doesn't matter. Emotions are high and, bad things will happen. I say that from experience unfortunately.
It has little or, nothing to do with being lazy. It is Human nature. Hunters have been doing it since God put us here. As the the tools that stretch the distance to shoot accurately have been perfected, hunters think they can do it. Unfortunately, just like me, will learn that it isn't like shooting at targets after something goes wrong.
The crossbow WILL not contribute to this. They CANNOT shoot NEARLY as far as the MODERN COMPOUND. That is FACT based on PHYSICS. The guys contributing to this are the ones carrying COMPOUND bows.
We need education on the weapons we are allowed to use in any season. That includes older hunters that seem to be confused about some of the modern equipment. God Bless
On my compound I have pins for 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 yards. When 3D shooting I have had to use all those pins at some point and time. While hunting I do not like to shoot anything over 40 yards and really strive to keep it under that.
I agree Mtneer. But some of the guys that are new to the crossbow think it is a longer range weapon. Their eyes will be opened soon and they will go back to the rifle. LOL
I love rifle hunting and find it is just like bowhunting. You gotta put in your work to get your animal. I don't discriminate on weapons choice. I don't have the opportunity to watch food plots or fields. It is steep, thick, big country where I hunt. Most of the deer I kill with a rifle I could kill with a bow. No worry from me about what another chooses to carry, as long as it is in season. God Bless
I just bowhunt but I do see lots of deer in bow season I could kill with my rife but not with my bow.
I gave up rifle many years ago when I shot a buck on public lands at 100 yards and there was no adrenaline rush, no heart pounding. Granted, I put meat on the table, but never hunted with rifle again. I agree to each there own, but taking ethical shots should be high on the list. It should not be about if one can make that shot, but should one take that shot.