Ive been working hard to extend my effective range but it seems like im most comfortable and effective at 22 yrds and in.
At 22 yrds and in im consistently inside a 6" circle but any farther and my spread gets bigger.
Ive seen folks that are awesome at the longer shots, but for some of us, this close range sport is closer than for others and im OK with that, after all, the name of the game is accuracy and making a clean kill.
Ive let more than one walk, and im sure this yr will be no different, but ethics and the thrill of the hunt keep me coming back for that CLOSE shot, and im OK with that.
22 yards is a long shot for me. ;)
gregg, 22 yrds is pushing it for me, but ive shot with guys that are at ease at 35 yrds. more power to them, but for me, the closer the better.
My range is 15-18and below.Can shoot out to 25 but not good enough to try on game.
17 or 18 yards is my max, at twenty I start to fall apart. It is funny how a couple yards an make such a difference!
A lot can happen in 22 yards and up. One step from a deer and your in trouble. Plus harder to see little deflections waiting to happen.
I'd rather hear how close you got than how far away you shot it. That's just me though.
Magnus ~ "I'd rather hear how close you got than how far away you shot it. That's just me though."
I By golly I think "you get it" Matt.... :archer:
As i stated earlier, "the closer the better", ill leave the longer shots to someone else.
I practice at 50 and 60 yards almost every day,but do not shoot over 20 yards at a deer.Will shoot a lot farther at rabbits and squirrels.
I've never killed a deer farther than 15 yds and that is probably stretching it. There is an awful lot of air around them deer past fifteen yds. I like them up close and personal.
You know the indians only considered it a good shot when the fletching never leaves the bow...
My personal limt is around 12 yards, but ill shoot 15-16 under the right circumstances.
Paul that wasn't directed at you or anyone else. Just a general statement. The better you are at longer shots the easier the close ones should be. That's also a general statement. I didn't mean to imply anything buddy.
22 is plenty good enough to be successful. In terms of the groups widening, it may be that your arrows are not quiet spined right or your no k height. That or form inconsistencies.
I couldn't have said it any better than Magus. I like shots under 17 to 18 yards.
I need them closer in also. About 20 yards is as far as I feel comfortable.
Just because someone can hit in a 6 inch circle at 35, or even 50 yards does not mean they can make a killing shot on deer or any game at that same distance. Targets dont move, animals do. Thats the main reason to keep shots under 20 yards. I like 5-15 myself, tells me I did my job as a hunter.
Magnus, no offense taken my friend, and your comments are very much valued, and i feel the same as you, if you really want to tighten up your form, theres nothing better than shooting at longer ranges.
I work at 30 and 40 yrds and i do OK, but i find that my confidence is best at 22 yrds. and in.
Maybe someday ill be confident out to 30, but for now ill accept my limitations, and enjoy every second of it. :thumbsup:
I've been doing a good deal of stumping this summer. Myself and a few buds take to the woods, take our one shot at a leaf on a stump or fallen tree and range the distance after the shot. It's been eye opening with how accurate we can be out to 26-28 yards. We doing know the distance before the shot. Just pick the spot and shoot. As for a hunting situation, I'd prefer to be 20 yards or within but if it all feels right I have confidence I could make the shot further.
on the ground 22 yards is getting out there but very do-able... from a tree it seems like 22 yrds is in the next zip code. but that may be just me..
last year shots 7 and 8 yards i can shot further but dont see the need have never shot anything over 18 yards, but with that beging said, each shoot has to feel right not only becaus you can make the shot but we owe it to the animal to make a clean kill
last year shots 7 and 8 yards i can shot further but dont see the need have never shot anything over 18 yards, but with that beging said, each shoot has to feel right not only becaus you can make the shot but we owe it to the animal to make a clean kill
I've been shooting regularly at 20 paces. Ranged it today and found it's 23 yards. I have long legs. My 25 "yard" mark is actually 30. Would never shoot at a deer that far.
All this 16, 17, 18 stuff. :D
I try to practice without knowing or thinking yardage and change it up. It was a nice confidence builder to shoot from 15 foot elevation on about 10 yard shots this evening. I shot a buck at about 20 last year, but guessed it was a little less. Even though I got him, I was fortunate because he turned at the shot, so something to chew on.
When I shoot at most anything I wait for the green light to go off, have faith that I can hit it and don't think much about yardage. For people that are better shots and more experienced than me, it seems like 25-30 is doable under the right circumstances.
The difference between an "archer" and a "bowhunter": An archer tries to see how far he can shoot and still hit his target. A bowhunter tries to see how close he can get and not miss. :archer2:
I didn't even like shooting over 15 yards when I was shooting a compound with sights.
Toms, some "bowhunters" learn that they can't always control everything or get closer, and in some places if they wait for a perfect 12 yard shot they are gonna be meatless. Plenty of great bowhunters take longer shots when the circumstances dictate. I am not there yet, but I'd like to be.