I am wondering what is the farthest you have ever taken an animal with your stick bow, and what type of penetration did you get at that range? If you want, you could even go into your set up.
before you reply, this is not for those guys who think that anything past 12 yards is too far, or for the people who are nay sayers.
I am honestly just curious.
45 yards and that was with a super fast 70 Lb Quillian canebrake and a 30 inch draw.
I was on the ground and the buck was watching me when I shot...he was able to completely turn 180 degrees around prior to the arrow hitting him and by pure luck I hit him in the vitals on his opposite side than the one I originally shot at.
The arrow passed completely thru him, 2216 with a bear razor head.
since that happened I have never shot at a live animal over 20 yards, that incident could of been a real mess
I honestly wouldn't take the shot now with my current bow but from the time I was about 19 or 20 years old until I was about 32, just a few years ago, I shot a Wes Wallace 3-piece Mentor that was 60# at my draw of 28". I don't remember my arrow set up, only that I shot Easton Aluminum's back then. can't recall the head but it was likely a Magnus 2 blade since that what I shot the most of back then.
I used to shoot that bow ALOT and was very good with it. I killed a big 11pt at a ranged 38 yds. He was quartered away and arrow entered right at the back of the ribs on the right side and buried to the fletch with the head lodging in the off shoulder. I seen him go down from the stand. I was about 23 at the time.
Killed a Texas Dall while I was stationed in Texas around 1998 or so that was just over 30 yds with the same bow/arrows/heads and he was broadside and I was on the ground. Hit him tight to the front leg halfway up and that arrow exited.
Steve Clandinin on tradgang here owns that Mentor now, or at least he did. It was truly a great bow and I wish my elbow could still handle it. Wes engraved that bow with "Hit Him and Hit Him Hard".....and that bow sure would do that.
Curious thing! Took my longest recurve shot last month on a nice eight point. 25yds. Also my first pass through. Go figure.
Used my 54# KMag with 125 grn Magnus two blade.
24yds on an impala. Buried the arrow to the nock.
22yds on a kudu. probably only got about 15", but the broadhead hit the heart!
I'll add this too; I did not like either of those shots! I much prefer 15yds!
50# @ 29.5" Sarrles Blueridge longbow, with a 10gpp arrow.
If you have a well tuned bow with good heavy arrows, penetration should not be an issue, even at longer distances.
Bisch
I'm not sure if this counts but I had a pass through shot at just under 80 yards on a snowshoe hare two years ago. I was out doing some small game hunting and stump shooting in late September two years ago and saw an interesting looking clump of grass at about 80 yards across an old gas well field and decided to lob a couple of arrows at it. The first arrow fell about 3 yards short the second arrow hit right in the middle of the grass clump and started to jump around a bit funny after it hit. When I walked over to pick up my arrows I found that the second arrow had hit a snowshoe hare right behind the shoulder and had gone through and pinned him to the ground where he had been hiding in the clump of grass. I had been pretty happy about just hithing the grass clump but was even happier to find the hare being that I had missed three in a row earlier that day. The set up I was using was a 55 pound Martin Mountianeer with ash arrows, the point was a field point on the one arrow that killed him.
On larger game my longest was about 25 yards on a 6 point whitetail using a 50 pound Bear Super Kodiak shooting a maple shaft and a Zwickey eskimo, the arrow went through the lungs and left about 3 inches of the backside of the arrow sticking inside his chest. The deer jumped a bit then just slumped forward and collapsed after I hit him, it was the easiest tracking job I have ever had on a whitetail.
My two biggest bucks were at 36 and 38 yards...not normally a shot I would take but it just happened.
The 38 yard shot was low in the vitals with the 69 pound tall tines, 650 grain arrow with the Muzzy phantom 4bld ...I got a complete pass through.
My most recent buck was at 36 yards. I hit about 8 to 10 inches back from the shoulder with a 59 pound tall tines recurve, 540 grain arrow, and 145 grain snuffer. The arrow buried to the fletching.
That being said, I haven't found penetration to be any issue inside 40 yards, if anything my penetration has been slightly better past 20 yards due to reduced paradox. I don't normally take shots this far but I sure do practice hard out to 35-40 yards so that when the time feels right I'm able to take that one chance.
35 yds on a cow elk. Centered the 10 ring for a double lung. Arrow did not stop. I was shooting poplar shafts and WW heads. My bow was a bamboo backed osage 58 @ 28.
Mike
Many years ago, when I was young and foolish. I had a buck come out in an alfalfa field, angling away from me. I got the bright idea to shoot over the animal, thinking perhaps when the arrow hit it would spook the animal back in my direction. I was shooting a 65# @ 28" Howatt Hunter. I drew back aiming high and forward of the deer. The buck heard the shot and started running, I could see the feathers as the arrow spun, and thought that is going to be close. As the buck, and arrow converged, the arrow struck the buck just behind the shoulder, and went through, but got hung up on the fletch. I could see the broadhead end of the arrow sticking out, along with blood spray as the deer continued running. He went about 80 yards down the field and dropped. I counted 71 paces to the blood trail, and walked down to the deer, and found the arrow stuck through its heart. That was in 1978. I had hunted in 76, and 77 with a Proline compound, and 78 was the first year I went back to a recurve. I've shot many deer since, but never tried a shot like that again.
took a small whitetail 3 point buck at 40 yards from the ground...didn't even think of the distance when I shot as I stump
shoot out to 40 yards all the time...usually try to keep within 30 yards but I was shooting the bow well that week....
the buck initially came to me to 20 yards quartering to...looked at me...I was wearing a plaid pendelton shirt..had my face covered with a camo buff when he looked at me he was a little nervous ...he turned and walked another 20 yards and gave me a standing broadside shot..let the arrow loose and initially I thought my arrow dropped just under the belly but a bright red spot appeared on the chest behind the leg...took the bottom of the heart off...the arrow was a complete pass through...
arrow was a 630 grain (total weight) carbon express with a 100 grain brass insert and 100 grain ferrule and a 125 grain magnus from what I remember..here is the deer
bow was a three piece takedown by BOWRIVER archery
60# at 26" and bow was 62" cocobollo riser with osage lihere is a photo...holding my bow upside down LOL this was in 2009
(http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff383/bte1958/87_zps064d663d.jpg) (http://s1233.photobucket.com/user/bte1958/media/87_zps064d663d.jpg.html)
Red Stag....24 yards...50@28 Dryad Orion..250 gn VPA Terminator...100 gn insert...563 gn total...centered punched one lung... thru the other and BH lodged in off shoulder blade...watched him go down at the 70 yard mark.
QuoteOriginally posted by kstout:
Many years ago, when I was young and foolish. I had a buck come out in an alfalfa field, angling away from me. I got the bright idea to shoot over the animal, thinking perhaps when the arrow hit it would spook the animal back in my direction. I was shooting a 65# @ 28" Howatt Hunter. I drew back aiming high and forward of the deer. The buck heard the shot and started running, I could see the feathers as the arrow spun, and thought that is going to be close. As the buck, and arrow converged, the arrow struck the buck just behind the shoulder, and went through, but got hung up on the fletch. I could see the broadhead end of the arrow sticking out, along with blood spray as the deer continued running. He went about 80 yards down the field and dropped. I counted 71 paces to the blood trail, and walked down to the deer, and found the arrow stuck through its heart. That was in 1978. I had hunted in 76, and 77 with a Proline compound, and 78 was the first year I went back to a recurve. I've shot many deer since, but never tried a shot like that again.
I recall reading a story of Fred Bear doing this exact same thing on something like a cougar or mountain lion one time. Cool stories that sorta make you wonder how it all worked out.
When I was 16 I shot a big buck on the opposite side of a little hollow I was hunting. I had been taking really long shots at squirrels all morning (and missing), and when that deer appeared, he looked gigantic. I drew and shot him after he walked out from behind a big poplar tree. The arrow zipped right through him and stuck in the ground past him. He took a couple of big hops and just stood there confused for a few seconds, blood spurting out from his sides. He finally staggered a little and just fell over.
When I finally calmed down, I realized just how far the shot was. I paced of 30 steps down to the creek, 4 across, and 25 back up to my arrow, which had stuck into the bank behind the buck. This was way before any range finders, but I figure the shot was around 42-45 yards.
Looking back, there is no way on this earth I'd take that shot today, even though I'm a lot better now than I was then. That bow was a lemonwood longbow, backed only on the back with fiberglass. I think it was around 60# at my draw (I used to use my bathroom scale and have no idea how accurate that method was). My arrow was a hickory shaft and a homemade trade point. I think it weighed right at 2 oz (900 grains or so).
In my twenties I shot an antelope buck at 70 yards. The hit was through the ribs. The arrow hung out the off side by the nock. The buck whirled around and the arrow was thrown clear.
The bow was 73# and arrow roughly 630 grns. The broadhead was a Grandpa Specialties Red Rury 4 blade... not designed for great penetration.
Then there was an antelope shot at 55 yds. with a 65# Howatt Hunter arrow penetrated to the fletch. Broadhead was a Zwickey Delta two blade.
Shot a black bear on the run at 40ish yds. The wooden arrow tipped with Bear Razorhead quartered from left hip to right shoulder and out beyond. A second shot at 50ish as it tried to climb a tree passed through the chest and then beyond.
I told the story in the "Bear and The bouncing Bow" in the stories section. The bear had been wounded previously.
Bow was 65#'s about 10 years ago,35 yds on a cow elk quartering away complete pass thru
All impressive shots !
25 yards 45# bow complete pass through.
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65 yards with complete penetration on a mule deer buck in 1972 out in North Dakota. 75# bear T/D with bear razorhead.
Broadside @ 21 yards. Complete pass through lungs with 414 grain arrow (Beman MFX Classic with Helix 125 Grain Single Bevel) out of 47# draw weight recurve. Deer fell dead in sight 52 yards out.
Shot from a 54# Brown Recluse longbow. 32 yards with a 29" 2117 and 125gr Magnus 2 head, 5' fletch, total arrow weight was around 525grs. Centered the lungs of the cow elk about 12" above the leg elbow. Arrow never slowed down on its way through and she never knew she was shot. Walked about 80 yards and fell over.
My longest would be the shot that hooked me on trad. We were in Australia and I got the chance to shoot my buddies Black Widow a bunch.
One day we were driving into a station to hunt and there was a young bull blocking the two track. My buddy handed me his BW and said why don't you move him....so i jumped out and drilled that bull dead center at about 42 yds. No penetration though- it was a rubber blunt
40 yard doe. 55# 70" hill style longbow, 760gr arrow including a Tusker concord BH. never thought about the yardage, I knew it was out there a bit, but knew I could make the wide open shot. Hit at the last rib and burried it into the off shoulder. The arrow worked its way out after 35-40 yards and the deer was down by 80 yards. blood all over the place.
Just this year. 83 step follow up shot. Schulz built HIll Tembo 68 inch, 58#@28 inch, Dacron B50 string, spruce arrow with Ace standard head.
Arrow ranged through last rib, liver, far side lung and penetrated out under the far side leg. You can see the angle in this pic but the head was broken off and not recovered out of the far side.
(http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr180/two4hooking/IMG_1191_zps43aa4d62.jpg) (http://s481.photobucket.com/user/two4hooking/media/IMG_1191_zps43aa4d62.jpg.html)
43 yards on a whitetail with a 45# Bear Grizzly that I was probably pulling about 42#. A Razorhead tipped cedar arrow weighing about 350gr. angled into the frotn left shoulder, fully penetrating to exit the far side gut. The deer was dead within 15 yards.
I shot a Coues deer and a mule deer buck at about 35 yards with WW heads on Easton FMJ shafts that weighed about 675 grains, shot from a 65# ACS - complete pass throughs the lungs.
Shot a Shiras Moose bull in Wyoming a few years back. I shot him 3 times; once at about 18 yards, once at about 23, and once at about 45, with a similar bow/arrow combination as above. All three shots went through him like he wasn't even there and sailed off into the snow. I recovered two of them, but couldn't find the 3rd. The bull went about 100 yards after the last shot.
32 yards, wild pig, complete pass through, 64# Brackenbury Quest, AD Trad arrow with 300 Xtreme 3 blade broadhead.
I shot my first elk at 35 paces. I was on the ground the elk was slightly down hill, with his head behind an aspen tree and the sun was over my shoulder, lighting his ribs up like a spot light.
I don't think I'd shoot that far again. The 525gr 2117 and Zwicky broad head barried to the yellow feathers.
I stalked and shot this young eland bull (close to 1000# though)at 30 meters (33 yards) arrow was close to 800 gr and tipped with a BigJim 3 monster blade. Entry in the belly, exit at the base of the neck. Bow was my RER the Vital, 66# at 31+"
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC00494.jpg)
I chase and shot another eland mature bull, In Botswana this summer, first arrow shot at 40 yards on a walking away animal and extreme steep quartering away angle . Arrow tipped with a wide 2 blade Magnus 1 penetrated 25" blocked in the upper rib same side through the lung (sticking in on pic) and few seconds later a second back up shot 25-30 yard on the walking bull as he turned on his wounded side with complete pass through with a big jim 3 blade.
Arrows were 660 gr 300 gr total tip and bow a Border black Douglas 61# at 31"+
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/imagejpg1_zps18530f60.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/imagejpg1_zps18530f60.jpg.html)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/imagejpg19_zps7b90a367.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/imagejpg19_zps7b90a367.jpg.html)
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North of Ames Iowa, along the Skunk River. I would still hunt to the end of the property, take a shot across a bog at a badger dig walk around the little bog and work my way back. One day a very large buck was standing on my badger dig, I shot him. A rather heavy longbow, a 2117 with a Wasp 3 blade,(they just came out and I got them for free). One blade broke off at entry, one stuck to a rib and about a third of the last blade hung on and went through the heart. The arrow fell out the far side when the buck made two leaps and went down. Approximately 72 yards, at least that is how many captain may I style giant steps it took to cross the muddy little bog. The buck dressed out to 242 pounds on the scale my neighbor had, including the heart and liver.
Great stories fellas!
Any one else? :campfire:
I killed a small muley buck about 5 years ago with a 52# Red Wing Hunter. I estimated the range at around 35 yards but went back later to measure and it was actually 41-42 yards. 600gr cedar arrow, 2 blade BH, went through the rib cage and stuck out the other side. Not a complete pass-through but almost.
I shot a red fox at 80 yards with a 74#Silvertip,cedar arrow and Simmons Intercepter. I had a complete pass through. He was on a round hay bale. I have to admit that I missed the first 2 shots
I killed a mole at 150 yards and the head poked out the other side.
Honest.
I was in the hay field next to the house doing some random shots into the air. When I pulled my arrow from the ground it had blood on the field tip.
My longest intentional kill was a groundhog at 39 yards. The Bodkin 3 blade and arrow went down the hole with the hog so I never got to check for full penetration. :)
Like somebody else put it. Back in 1968, when I was young and didn't know anybody who had ever killed a deer with a bow, I had three deer crossing a filed above me. They were way out there but I pulled up, took a lead and let one go. The deer kept walking and as the arrow came down I started thinking, wow, this could be close! Suddenly the arrow hit the deer and the broadhead came out the opposite side with immediate blood. The deer didn't go 30 yds. before piling up. I stepped off 73 yds. to the shot. It's funny but even with that one figured in I've kept notes on all the deer I've ever killed and my average distance for a bowkill is 18 yds.
Growing up in the Deep South provides a long season in a very target rich environment. With that being said, I have honed my skills and tested my set ups on the animal that I feel God put here for trad hunters, ole Porky. I noticed early on that out past 20 yards I almost always got pass throughs on hogs which is a tough dense animal.
Once educated on proper tuning and arrow flight, I have felt comfortable with longer shots on numerous elk, moose, caribou and other large type critters. One of my longest first shots was 35 yards on a caribou with a 58# Bushman Longbow and the arrow never slowed down. Another cool shot was a follow up shot on a moose in Ontario at 48-50 yards and never found the arrow.
Here's the skinny, out to a reasonable yardage, penetration does not suffer. As the arrow sheds velocity it continues to stabilize which increases penetration. If we could get an arrow to stabilize ten feet from the bow like it does farther out we could all shoot 40# bows and save our old shoulders!