new bowhunter - what range should I be proficient at?

[davinci]

I've gotten into bow hunting recently. I have yet to make it out to the field and I'm just practicing my aim for now. I don't know any bow hunters, so I've gotta ask a few questions.

At what range should an average bow hunter be proficient at? Right now, I'm at very short ranges, maybe 40 feet or so. I'm working my way back, but it's a long process for me. I'm slow, not stupid. It just takes me a while. ;-)

Also, I've heard some real horror stories about tracking deer through the night. Even if I missed the vitals or backbone with a .308 it wouldn't take all that long to track down the animal. Does an arrow guarantee a tremendous amount of tracking while the animal bleeds out? I'm using three-blade broadheads on a high-strength compound bow. I couldn't tell you it's velocity or anything of that nature, I'm sure that makes a difference. From what I've heard this bow is a "good one". It cost $450 at gander mountain.

I'm a long way from hunting with this thing. I'm planning on filling my tags with .308 this year, namely because I've got a longing for venison sausage and I want to make sure that I get my share.

 

[rantingredneck]

Welcome to the passion of stick and string hunting.

You should really work to where you are proficient at any range up to your maximum (30-50 yds depending on your eventual skill). My max is around 40 yds give or take 2 or 3 feet . I've killed deer that were 4 yds from the base of my tree and 40 yds from the base of my tree and many other distances between.

A good exercise I use to help with range estimation and field shooting is to set up my deer sillouette target like normal, then take six arrows and throw them around my back yard in different directions and distances. Then I run from arrow to arrow firing as fast as I can acquire the target.

This does three things:

1) Range estimation practice. The deer will not always be at a known range for you like your target is when you are used to shooting from 40 feet.
2) Angled shooting practice. The deer will not always be perfectly broadside. Sometimes you'll only have the choice to take the angled shot or no shot. Practice the angled shot.
3) Shooting under stress/adrenaline rush. Running that sequence a few times will get your heart pumping if you are truly running.

Best of luck in your practice.

 

[Kingcreek]

Welcome to the sport. It sounds like you are on the right track. The average max range of other hunters isn't as important as staying within your own. Yours will increase as you practice. I could say 40 yards for me, but that would have to be under ideal conditions. Gotta think about things like wind, size of target, moving or still, etc
Just hunt within your proficiency range, whatever it is, and practice to increase it.

 

[22-rimfire]

With recurves I was comfortable to 35 yds. With compounds, you can become pretty good at 50 yds. Good is defined as hitting a 6" paper plate consistantly.

Even if you don't think you will take a shot at longer ranges, practice at those ranges as it makes shooting the closer or shorter ranges easier.

 

[cracked butt]

My ruleof thumb is to be proficient at twice the range that I would take a shot hunting. I've never had to take a shot over 25 yards, and my personal limit is 35 yards, but I practice at 70. Reason I do this is that a 20 yard shot is easy at a target butt, but the same shot at a deer after you've held at full draw for an endless minute with the adrenalin pumping is very tough unless you have a huge level of confidence and very good form- practicing at twice the range will give you both.

Iwould advise buying a bow from a dedicated archery shop. A bow is a very personal weapon, it needs to be set up correctly and the arrows need to be of the right length and spine if you want to get the best performance out of your bow. Chains stores are very inconsistant with the skill level of their archery department employees, while proprietors of dedicated archery shops need to be very good at what they are doing to make a living.

editops I just realized that the OP had bought a bow already- same advice stands, if yourbow isn't shooting quite right or you need new arrows, go to a dedicated bow shop

 

[gunmn74]

The others have already adressed your range question so I throw my
2 cents in on the tracking question. If you take out both lungs they
go down fast. If you dont it can take a while and you can lose them.
It also depends on the size of the deer, with a little buck you can get
away with some bad shot placement that you cant on a big mature deer.
I have taken alot of deer but I have lost a couple of nice ones. I shot one
a few years ago strait in the chest on the gound at 5 yards and tracked
him for 12 hours and lost him. I guy I know that hunts a mile from me found
his skelton while shed hunting the next spring. My father-inlaw shot a nice
160 class last year and only got one lung on a bad quarting hit and we jumped
him up still alive that next morning he ran 100 yards and dropped dead, he is
on the wall now.

 

[sig226]

Bowhunting is true predation. You have to know your game and set up your kill. Preparation is most of the effort. So, you've scouted your area, found a good funnel or another likely spot, and determined where to put your stand. You have just determined the range at which you need to shoot.

It's good to be able to shoot well at long distances, but you don't have to make yourself crazy over splitting an arrow at the slhouette range. When you choose your spot, you'll know the distances you need to learn to shoot. 25 yards is a good long distance goal for the aspiring shooter, but your stand may not be able to use that distance due to trees or other obstructions.

It is also helpful to mark out the distances from your stand to several fixed points. It will help you remember the distances each year and there won't be as much guesswork. As you look at the area and see the distance markers, you'll learn to extimate distance very accyrately.

How far can a deer run? Unanswerable question. Bowhunters lose deer. So do rifle hunters. The worst thing you can do is rush it. Give the deer some time to find a spot and lay down so that he can bleed out. If he hears you coming after him, he'll move, if he can, which leads to one of those all night and the next day tracking sessions.

Once again, preparation is key. If you know the area, you'll know the bedding spots where a wounded deer is likely to hide.

Good luck.

 

[Zeke/PA]

I would make my purchase at a dedicated archery shop first of all.
The bow will then be tailored to your personal needs.
When you do practice, concentrate on your shooting form and basic archery fundamentals so that these things become second nature to you and you can do them automatically.
I personally limit my shots at deer to 20 yards or less.
I practice at 30 and often 40 yards as it seems to make shooting at shorter ranges easier.
Shoot a 3D course on occasion to help practice range estimation and woods shooting.
Treestand hunting is almost a given in bowhunting.
I use Muzzy broadheads exclusively.
Zeke

 

[wheelgunslinger]

When you feel like you've mastered a distance for shooting, try walking uphill or on a treadmill for 20 minutes or so at a good clip. Then, try shooting at your acceptable distance.
The effect of getting your heart rate up will mimic what can happen to your phisiology before a shot. (racing pulse, increased respiratory response, etc)

Then evaluate your max distance based on that.

Also, please elaborate on what sort of bow and tackle you have.

Welcome to bowhunting. I've been doing it for the last 20 years. I'm starting to like it.

A great forum for all things archery is archerytalk.com

 

[Muzzy_B]

rantingredneck

rantingredneck, for a second there I thought you might be my neighbor Then I saw that you're from NC and not SC. You pretty much described my practice in the weeks leading up to bow season. The only thing you left out is climbing onto the roof to simulate shooting from the stand.

davinci, I also like to go out to the farm to practice taking 60+ yard shots with my target in front of a hay bail (or bails) to warm up for my typical 20 - 25 yard shots. The only reason I recommend the bails is to prevent losing your arrows in grass, weeds, dirt, or water else can snag and grab one if you miss (and at times you will). Ask me how I know. Also, practice with the exact set up you will hunt with. Broadheads affect arrow flight and drop differently than field points. Also, different types of broadheads will fly differently from each other (i.e. mechanical v. fixed blade). I would recommend staying away from the mechanical, despite what anyone tells you, and stick with a 3 blade fixed blade broadhead such as a NAP or a Muzzy (though I recommend the Muzzy )

As for tracking, it's all about placement. A good double lung shot will bleed out quickly and profusely. A high or low shot could have you searching endlessly and the deer could be three counties over by the time you give up the search.

When you bought the bow, did the archery staff custom fit her to you? Zeke/PA raised a very valid point. The draw length and weight both need to be set for you while drawing with the release you'll be using. The arrows need to be cut for the length and draw weight. Your broadhead weight will be determined based on afforemention criteria etc... Some of these crucial elements get overlooked by salespeople at large chain stores.

Otherwise, welcome to the sport! Though I warn you. It's addicting. After your first harvest, you'll never look at your rifle the same again. Wait until you take your first turkey. My neighbor had to drive me home I was shaking so badly. Smiled all weekend long.