Yeah, This confirms why I've never shot a cable gun.
Found this question while looking on AT as I was headed for the classifieds.
Can't believe there are actually people out there that worry about things like if shooting 12-13" groups at 110 yards is acceptable.
If I were going to take a shot at that distance...
I wouldn't.
That to me is part of the problem with technology. I got sucked into the whole compound thing years ago... "use technology to help you shoot better. It is more humane, better cleaner kills. better for the critter"
Then we take a real killing machine for 20 - 30 yard shots and we go and push it to 60 - 70 or more yards (and now 110). All of a sudden it is not a killer any more. Especially if you didn't have a range finder.
Nope. We as a species are too competitive. We have to go faster, higher better. Do it with more style etc etc. and especially do it easier....
ChuckC
i can hit a barn at 110yards ;) .. occasionally
Dayum!
At 110 yards I coudn't hit a cow's a$$ with a banjo! I'd be lucky to hit the sky if I shot straight up at 110 :eek: :eek:
removed by me..............
I saw that thread. It was on the General Archery forum, not the Bowhunting forum. Nowhere on that thread did anyone mention bowhunting or shooting at animals. So I'm a little confused as to how that thread spawned this one.
With respect to shooting 100 yards:
Before field archery (shots out to 80 yards) became popular during the middle of the last century (i.e. long before compounds), the standard target round was the York Round.
144 arrows: 72 @ 100 yards, 48 @ 80 yards, 24 @ 60 yards.
Folks in this country were shooting York Rounds back in the 1800's and early 1900's with selfbows and wood arrows, which I suppose were high tech for the day. Saxton Pope even mentions York Rounds it in his book, including scores for himself, Young, and Ishi.
It's somewhat ironic that our recurves, longbows and synthetic arrows are a lot better than what folks used 100 years ago, yet we as a group think shooting anything (including targets) past 20 or 30 yards is something to be shunned. Shooting targets at 100 yards isn't a "cable gun" thing. It's an archery thing – one that's been around a lot longer than any of us has been alive.
....................................................
Caleb,
What you describe in your thread is not what the original poster read on AT and brought up here...so it was not what I was addressing. I thought I was rather clear about that. Perhaps I wasn't. Furthermore, when I wrote "we as a group," it was in the general sense. If you read my post, you'd also know that the remainder of that sentence is not an opinion I happen to share.
QuoteShooting targets at 100 yards isn't a "cable gun" thing. It's an archery thing – one that's been around a lot longer than any of us has been alive.
:thumbsup: :clapper:
It is the respectful hunter who resists interjecting his own, personal limitations into another's ethics. - Me
lol. not a prollem for me. i cant even find a place to shoot more than 40 yards.
At the archery range in CA set up for the '84 Olympics I can get back to 90M. Whenever I'm at that range I can't resist shooting from that far back for at least a couple rounds. The challenge of hitting the target and the beauty of seeing my arrows fly through the sky for an appreciable amount of time makes it a very worthwhile event.
For you guys horrified at this, try envisioning the target as a French knight instead of a deer and maybe you'll see it better.
Guy
Interesting discussion. . .
In addition to standard target archery shooting those longer shots (which replicated military skills), Howard Hill took game at over 100 yds. Not to mention the many we consider legends who took running shots at long ranges. I remember watching Ben Pearson and crew shooting at Catalina goats running at 40+ yds.
I understand the ethical concerns, but it also goes to show that in certain eras and societies- they worked much harder and longer at their craft. What we do as hobby was life to them.
Perhaps our lack of proficiency should not be the ethical standard.
...................................
You ever shot an arrow 110 yards? Its a flat out blast. Even addicting. watchin that arrow move like that, and sometimes even hitting your target, what a thrill!
Back in England, I used to shoot York, Windsor, National rounds etc, with an ELB. It was fun and a great social event. There were two distinct groups shooting. Those of us who occasionally got one on the target but had a laugh looking for arrows in the grass, and the other group who occasionally dropped one in the grass.
Even more fun is clout archery where you shoot at a flag 180yds away. Watching all those arrows fly is quite a sight.
There are lots of different types of archery aside from hunting and 3D, and as Jason mentioned the original thread was on a general archery forum. We have to remember that we are not the only archers around.
i love shooting long distance ...whether it be stumps , targets , or 3D. 100yards shots let me watch my arrows fly .......
Ben
We have our annual shoot coming up this weekend. On saturday.. along with a few novelties we shoot the battle clout and the wand. Clout is 180 yard shot simulating the ole' "over the castle wall" and aiming for a target stake. The wand 2 inch wide by 6 foot tall "castle window". (i'm sure alot of you know that) they are a hoot because, as mentioned it is just fun to shoot and watch an arrow go that far.
Then we do the 3-D on Sunday.. more realistic hunting shots.
Don't know why that adds to this thread but it's fun to shoot arrows a long ways... just not at animals :)
Perhaphs the guy was practicing longer than what he normally shoots?
I like to shoot 40 yards in practice,but limit myself to 20 yards.40 makes 20 a LOT easier. ;)
I thought the range on the Olympics was 30, 60, 90, 120 meters. There was a shot at the archery shop I shot at and they were hitting the furthest target with recurve and compound. That tournament had been running for 90 years straight, way before all this new tech. stuff.
I'm horribly rotten bad at judging size & distances, so I practice very long shots, hoping they're just pygmy deer much closer.
No seriously, shooting far distances is a hoot, especially as in archery golf. It is a blast to watch the arrows sail off into the sky and not have to worry about taking out your neighbour's picture window or cat.
Have to brag on my dad. Back in the 60's we shot tournament archery, the target round, field round, animal round etc. Dad used to shoot the York round instictive once in awhile. 110 yards and he got more than one 6 gold. That would be 6 arrows in the gold ring.
in the book,"the traditional way" there is a chapter covering the yearly deer hunt of fred bear and some of his friends,they hunted in groups of four,with two persons laying in ambush and the other two chasing deer toward the ambushers,most all deer killed were at an average range of 60 yards,and all running.this done with equipment made by each hunter.self bows,drawing an average of 60#s,and arrows with an average length of 25"s.ever one of us must know his limitations,and shoot accordingly.
QuotePerhaps our lack of proficiency should not be the ethical standard.
Better than I said it. :thumbsup:
I concur.
I believe "Clout" shooting has been around for centuries. You shoot at around 180-200yds I think at a big circle on the ground. Nothing like watching the arc of a good flying arrow!
Hell at my age I cant see 110 yards.. LOL
I shot a 2 1/2' end at 90M the other day..... my best group ever at that mark.
Try it sometime.... you may like it.
I second "What a blast". A group of us get together every once in a while and set up and archery golf course. Flight arrows sometimes going over 300 yds!! Add to that guessing how much wind drift to get the proper angle for the next shot. Then hitting your target from 80 yds with you approach shot ... priceless.
its really fun to shoot at a target at long distances , its really disheartening to think some would cares so little for their quarry that they would launch an arrow at it at a distance from which they are no longer acurate.
I'm hard pressed to find a field with that kind of open distance to shoot through and then having the arrow land in grass that's short enough to expose the arrow. If I try it now chances are greater than not that I'd be loosing the arrow.
What you all are mentioning sounds like a blast, and if I could hit a deer at 40 yards on the run my first 2009 deer tag would have been filled last Saturday. MY BAD.
I'd better practice.
It is fun to shoot like that from time to time. When i get dialed in i can stay on an elk sized animal at 100 or so. It is fun to watch the arrows fly.
To me it's no big deal if thats what your in to who am I to tell you different.As lot as your not trying to preach your veiws to me I really don't mind.If you are and I don't like it I'll look the other way.
In the mid eivl times the distance was 200 yards.In the york round it was 80 an 100 yards.
But even then I'm sure when it came down to feedind the family or village they wanted to kill so they keep their shots fairly close.But I'm sure out of surivil if a 50 yard shot came about it was tryed.And they didn't care what the guy next door said because he did the same thing.
Same way with the Indains of the AMERICAS sure they kept their shots to 10,15 yards but if a 40, 50 yarder came about well.Its not like it is now and you look over your hunting partner to see if thinks its ok.It was surivil you just tryed it.
Did HOWARD HIIL keep his shots to 20 yard no.Would you shoot an eagle or an elk at 175 yards.Different times we've grown into a different culter now none of those things would be right.We've been taught differently.
Again as long as no one is trying to inflick their views on you fine.You don't have to follow along.If they are just look the other way.
I once shot an arrow off a mountain in Montana. :) I shot it into the air and off into a clear valley below just to watch it fly, and see if I could find it later that day when I went down there. The shot was totally safe as far as people/property, but I almost didnt do it because it seemed silly. I'm glad now. I'll never forget it. Just my two cents. And yes, I found the arrow.
Both of the outdoor ranges here go out to 100 meters. I am yet to find anything that shows up form problems like shooting at longer ranges. What I see is one in the dirt in front, the next over the top, and finally success. Then one to the left, the next to the right, over the top, and then success. I find it makes you humble and more focused.
Take care
MAP
Depends on how many arrows I shoot at a 100 yds.+ as to how many one arrow groups I have. Now in relation to a particular object of attention..........different story. It is surprising how you can develop and eye for distance shooting, just not going to shoot at game animals out there.
It is fun to shoot out yonder but that doesn't mean I plan on making hunting shots out there even though it is fun to try to hit prairie dogs way out there. If you want to perfect stalking skills on the open prairie, now there's your challenge. One against hundreds.
In the old days though, a cloud of arrows at long distance was one heck of an artillery barrage. Hard on the enemy and I suppose would have been hard on some poor old stag or boar too. But I think a hungry army might not be too worried about philosophies.
I think it was Edmond Burke that said archery is getting as far from your target and seeing if you could hit it while hunting with the bow was seeing how close you could get to your quarry before you shot...
Lucas
FITA (Olympic Round) is 90, 70, 50 and 30 yards for men. 70, 60, 50 and 30 yards for women.
The field rounds that we shot nearly every other week during the 50's/60's and 70's, were from 20 feet to 80 yards. This "close" thing is fine for hunting, and I couldn't agree more with that.
But archery is not just hunting...it's so much more by a wagon load.
The old archers spent much more time on the target ranges; field, hunter, American Rounds, York Rounds, et al, than they did hunting. After hunting season many of them shot indoor Chicago and NAA rounds as well. We loved archery and still do. Bowhunting is merely a byproduct of the archery game. There is nothing any more beautiful than a well shot arrow striking the gold at 90 meters (98.6 yards).
It has nothing to do with hunting.
How many of you have ever shot a field round?
George, I used to shoot field rounds with wheels then went to a recurve. NFAA and TFAA (Texas). Tried it once with a 64# longbow. Not good results at all. But fun. A whole new world then. Like G. Fred said once, you think you're shooting good, put some target faces up and give it a go. Whole new mind game. I was range captain for a long time and sure got sick and tired of gluing up targets. Would rather set up a whole 3-D range by myself than do that again.
Those silhouette courses were fun too (spell check saved me on that one). They didn't hang around long though.
One of the best times I ever had was taking shots at a 2-liter Mountain Dew bottle from 100 paces on a lake shore. Had some interesting misses before finally nailing it. Sure was fun watching the arrow fly...
I'm with a lot of others...I'd never shoot at an animal at extended ranges but I love watching the arrow arc to the target!
Watching them drop in from a distance wondering how close you're going to get...neat!
Josh
once a buddy James "tradman 25" and i where out shooting and when i told him to try a shot at the 3d we'd set up earlier it was about 160yards away...he drew back raised up and let fly... thud he nailed it! Awesome
Im with elk breath I love watchin my arrows fly as far as they possibly can go. The only thing I dont like about it is trying to find them!
HEY, jason you ant string walking at those long shots are you?????????????
I'm addicted to the long shot. Something very relaxing watching the arc. Although 12" groups at 100 are beyond my skill level now, its a goal I like to work toward. To me, after 60yds or so, it really becomes a sensing or feeling of my aim rather than my usual gap based memory aim. Form becomes super critical. And I know the whole process has made me a better shot inside 30, plus I've really learned the importance of using matched arrows.
I shoot at sage rats over 50 all the time. With a little practice long shots arn't that bad.
Shooting at 100+ yard targets is a hoot.
Shooting at critters at long distances isn't. One of these days folks are going to realize that their skill is only about one third of the shoot/don't shoot equation.
QuoteOriginally posted by Jeff Strubberg:
Shooting at 100+ yard targets is a hoot.
Shooting at critters at long distances isn't. One of these days folks are going to realize that their skill is only about one third of the shoot/don't shoot equation.
Exactly! There is no law against having fun.
The problem is the false sense of confidence that some people might have shooting animals at longer distances.
I've always believed that part of the challenge is shooting the animal as close as possible. While some people are more proficient than others, the real sportsman/sportswoman will acknowledge his/her limitations and wave off the shot if it's beyond their capabilities.
Long distance shooting is an interesting prospect, a different discipline.