How far would you shoot with a Bow?

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Wow, I'll never be able to hit beyond 50, of this I'm quite sure. 100 yards with a bow boggles my mind.

You folks are not mentioning an important variable..., impact speed. You might have a bow and arrow set up that you can consistently place into a paper target backed by a straw bale or into a 3D target, but you need to pay attention to what sort of penetration that you have as well as the accuracy. I know that you guys understand this but a newer archer who reads this thread might not so I mention this here.
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Well, I think I'm pretty safe 40 yards and in with somewhat heavy Easton Stalker 2117s from a 60 lb Hoyt compound, but I don't have ANY experience here at shooting flesh. I'm just figurin' it'll work. :D As I'd stated, I'm 100 percent confident at this point from 30 yards and my confidence starts to drop further out, but I''m working on it constantly. :D
 
jmr40 said:
When I was into bowhunting and practiced regular I felt that 20-25 yards was my limit with a recurve. With a compound bow, I could probably double that. I never really worked on shooting farther. Even if I made a hit, I'm not confident in a bows ability to cleanly kill from much farther.
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Pretty much the way I feel. My absolute limit with recurves was 40 yds and 50 is a pretty realistic number on compound bows. I could see a 70 yd shot on a larger game animal like a Moose or elk that you routinely don't get much closer than 50 yds.

I suspect that the same distances would apply with a crossbow. That is something I have been considering getting into just because I don't have the time to practice like I used to but really enjoyed bow hunting.
 
25-30 is about all I want to shoot, used to shoot a little further before my accident messed up my nerves. Given my limited range and the fact that none of my friends bow hunt I did not even break out the bow last season :(
 
Before the time of the compound bow I hunted with a 53# recurve, four flecthed micro flite arrows, black diamond broardheads. My limit was 35 yds. Most generally 15yds to 25 yds were my shots and always complete penetration. Wow, when I think about it it scares me, it was at least 45 years ago
 
My compound will take me out about 30 yards comfortably. I target shoot farther than that, but my property doesn't afford me too many shots beyond that. with my recurve, no farther than 15 or 20 yards, although my treestands only give me about a 15 yard shot at the max.
 
Out west here we can often times have shot opportunities at 40+ yards. For me it depends on how much I have shot during the pre season. Some seasons I feel good about 50-60 yards, some years 30 is pushing it.

Ground squirrels are a great pre season practice, hitting those little buggers is quite the challenge. You learn not to miss real quick when you start loosing arrows that are 100+ a dozen. Taking one off a dirt mound at 50 yards feels pretty good too.
 
All summer I shot a 38# Hoyt Medalist in tournaments, a few weeks would put me i good shape to pull 53#. No bear 5 ft. 8 in 165 lbs Lots of shootin
 
Bow hunting is good preparation for the handgun hunter. Years ago, I had three bucks (2-big 8's and a 6pt) standing about 50 yds from me and I just watched them. That took a lot of control. I'd probably take the shot today if I practiced at 45 yds with a compound bow... but I would have to make that judgement when it happens.
 
I shoot a Bear Montana 45# long bow and a Pearson 50 # recurve with 29" wood arrow and Wensel Woodsman fixed tri blade.

Can keep them in a 4" cluster @ 20-25 yds the farther it gets from there the groups start opening up. Penetration on those arrows drop off along with my accuracy, I wouldn't shoot at over 25 yds !

I can't get used to shooting a compound, especially have trouble with mechanical releases and peep sights.
 
I don't use a mechanical release on my compound, use my fingers, and there's no law says you have to use sights. They help me, though, even though I have to use my nearly blind non-dominant eye to shoot. Well, it's 20/70 corrected, not real good. I cannot read this print on this page with my right eye, why I shoot shotguns and rifles left handed, but I seem to be able to manage aiming the bow and I ain't coordinated enough to try a left hand bow.
 
I've got a Matthews Z-9 with pins out to 80 yards. And I shoot targets with it at 80 yards all the time. No problems.

Shooting game I like to be within 40 yards.
 
Well, I'm getting better. I started out the session today from 35 yards and put 'em all into a 6" bull. When I got tired, I pulled a few left, but not pulled really. I released while I was holding left, were called misses. I moved up to 25 after I tired and put 2 of 'em in the bull and called it quits. :D

I'll be ready for bow season. I can't figure I'll get a shot beyond 35 or 40 considering where I'm going to set up to hunt. A 25 yard shot is most likely.
 
I took one at 30 yards two years ago. That's my limit. I can hit consistently at 50 w/ my crossbow. But that's on a non moving target that doesn't jump when the bolt starts heading it's way. Missing a few shots at around 25 yards this past season confirmed my self imposed limit.


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speaking of, i just pulled out my compound this morning and took a few shots at 20 yards just to get the dust off. it's about that time of year where i starting working my way into shooting the compound. shooting my 55lb bear grizzly all winter has kept me in good shooting shape.
 
Everyone has their opinion and all are valid. However, the one thing that becomes vital with all of us is KNOWING THAT DISTANCE.
Yes with a good range finder or on a range where the distance is known, I can hit pretty darn close at any distance for which I have set up a pin. However, without knowing the distance precisely, the rainbow trajectory of any arrow will destroy any accuracy you THINK you have.
Most of us get pretty good at judging distance to 25-40 yards, plus the trajectory at that range is flatter. Past that distance most of our ability deteriorates a lot.
So the practice everyone mentions should also include REALLY practicing range estimation. Your shots then should never exceed your ability to accurately KNOW the range of the shot.
 
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see it mentioned that deer don't necessarily sit there and wait for an arrow to get to them. I don't care how quiet your bow is a jumpy deer will start crouching in to a run position when he hears it. So, shooting groups at 50 yards is fine, but there is no guarantee that the deer will still be where you were aiming. I don't mind taking a 50 yard shot on an elk which is not so agile, but no way on a deer.
 
This is a normal group at 60 yds it's in the 5" range almost time for a new target they don't last to long. I wish there was some way to make one that would last longer oh well job security for the target manufactures.
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Out West, open terrian...60 yards
Mid West, wood lots/ag fields....40 yards but more likely 25 yards
Aware, spooky animal....30 yards

Here is the rig. Prime Impact 440gr arrow (usually) going 298 FPS.

PO6_zpsbe619403.jpg
 
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