Average shot distance-- Poll

[Brian Krebs]

Jeff- good point! That is about 80% of shooting with a traditional bow on game- knowing their tendencies or mood etc. I shot a whitetail buck that was alerted once at 19 yards; it tried to take off and my arrow hit it in the belly and came out over the shoulder; and continued into the ground!! A nervous whitetail is a different target than a browsing mulie. I went out scouting and looking for a couple of mountain goats today; and took some pictures of a bedded muledeer; which laid there and let me take plenty of pictures; then there were some whitetails and they let me take one photo and it was a stampede of hooves and whitetails. I saw some elk; two of which were boxing; and they stopped when I started to click the picture ( of course) but remained pretty calm after that.
Bears can be counted on for stopping in one spot and checking out scent or a bait; and that allows for time to draw and anchor; and get settled in the shot.
I have missed a couple turkeys because they were on hyper-alert.
To us; I think the distance of the shot is dependant alot on our own knowledge of how close we can get in a given situation; and how the animals we are hunting are going to react.
good thing to mention Jeff      

[Biggie Hoffman]

Since I'ma raptor :-) I find the 0-15 yards from a tree is a little too close. I prefer them out a litte more for better angles to both lungs.
10-20

[Colt]

I've made kills from 5 yds to 45 yds and every distance in between.

My long shots are usually on pronghorns. I love to spot and stalk those guys.

[bowdude]

As close as I can get them.  I typically hunt thick stuff as I believe bucks are more relaxed there as well as more likely to be up and around.  Haven't sat on a field edge in years.  That may change now that I am in my new place the Lord has blessed me with.  Food plots are on the menu!    

[**DONOTDELETE**]

15 is the max at to ground blinds & all tree stands.The closer the better.. I did the 200plus yardage shots... Now I like them Close.

[joel smith]

deer probably average out around 14-17 yards, turkeys much closer, more like 10-12. Haven't killed enough elk yet to say there is an average. Closest was 10, farthest around 35

i do tend to shoot a litle farther with recurves, i shoot them better most of the time even though i really prefer the longbow

[Slasher]

18 is my magic number... real avg is probably less... but a mean avg regardless of weapon over the years has been about 18-22 yds with a couple on both end of the extremes thrown out not to skew the numbers...

[Missouri Sherpa]

I practice 5-45 yards at the target butt and stump shooting.  I like a close in shot as much as the next guy and usually have a 15-20 yard shot at waterholes, bear baits and deer treestand hunting.  Spot and stalk hunting is another matter.  I will take the first shot I am offered that I feel I can make with a high degree of confidence.  I have killed elk as far out as 40 and 43 yards, or bedded mule deer at 13 yards. Hog shot this year during the TxSweat was 45 yards (see avatar).  I don't even think about how far usually until after the shot. If I am roughly within my practice zone of 45 yards and the game isn't keyed up I will shoot at the first opportunity.  When I am hopped up on an adrenalin high from stalking I can think of only one thing, where I am going to put the arrow.   It is fun to be able to get close enough to touch your quarry but I will not blow a stalk getting any closer than I need to.

[Brian Krebs]

Biggie- I agree about the angle thing; but I live in Idaho where either your going uphill or downhill. If I am up 25 feet in the air on my stand; the bear can be almost level with me at 12 yards.....

[Biggie Hoffman]

[Bonebuster]

I rarely get higher than fifteen feet in a tree, so the angle isn`t too bad when they are close.

[3Under]

This past hunting season  my vertical distance (15 ft.)was greater than my horizontal. Shot a mature doe about 8 ft. from my tree stand (double lung/heart). She went about 50 yds.

[bayoulongbowman]

27 yards with my longbow!...

[John3]

Thanks to all that voted in the poll. I am a bit surprised by the modern Longbow results.


Sanderlin III

[myshootinstinks]

This is open country, any shot under 25 yds is a bonus. Never hunted from a tree-stand, nearly always spot & stalk. Plan to try a ground blind this year or possibly a tree-stand.  How could you miss a shot under 15 yards?

[scriv]

Shot at what?  :confused:

[myshootinstinks]

Deer, elk. I miss the tennis ball target all the time at 15 yards.