The 20 yard shot

[reddogge]

If on stand I will pace off a couple of markers within in my comfort zone just to be sure but if stalking and game presents itself I use the 10 yards guessing rule like magnus.

This April while pig hunting I spied two pigs in the road at an estimated 40 yards. I closed the distance to around 30 yards but since the sweet spot on a pig is about the size of a softball and they never stop moving I chose not to take that shot. I felt I couldn't reliably hit a moving softball at 30 yards.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

I am pretty good inside of 30 yards, but it comes from years of stepping off targets after the shot.

Still do better when I don't think about it and just shoot.

However when hunting I try to set things up for a 20 yard shot

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I am terrible at judging distance. Just another reason  I like the equipment I do.

If you only knew how many animals I have passed up because they were "too far" you would get sick after I told you the real distance.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

After having shot 3D with literally hundreds of different archers over the years, I'm a firm believer in the value of distance estimation. The laws of gravity don't change just because your bow has no sights or you shoot instinctively, and if your brain can't equate the proper elevation for your bow hand depending on the distance to your target, you'll get quite an education in vertical stringing. Folks were shooting with conscious aiming systems (including bow sights) and judging distance long before any of us were born. There's nothing nontraditional about it.

[xtrema312]

Many years of shooting guns and compounds mixed with trad gave me decent range estimating ability.  I step off my stump shots all the time so I know what my affective range is.  I will step off areas around where I hunt to get a feel for what my core killing area is.  I can't do that on the move.  However, between a good feel of range, and knowing when my brain gets my bow hand set at a high angle, I can usually know when the shoot is too far even if it feels right.

[imhntn]

What James said makes sense.  I never use a rangefinder, just shoot if it looks good.

[kevgsp]

Originally posted by Jason R. Wesbrock:
After having shot 3D with literally hundreds of different archers over the years, I'm a firm believer in the value of distance estimation. The laws of gravity don't change just because your bow has no sights or you shoot instinctively, and if your brain can't equate the proper elevation for your bow hand depending on the distance to your target, you'll get quite an education in vertical stringing. Folks were shooting with conscious aiming systems (including bow sights) and judging distance long before any of us were born. There's nothing nontraditional about it.

[Jake Diebolt]

I used to suck at judging distances - a lot of stump shooting has cured me. I don't ascribe a number to a distance during the shot sequence, but I do have a 'circle' in my head for when an animal crosses my maximum range - once I know that it's within 20 yards, I set up for the shot, and let the internal computer take over.

Your subconscious aiming during instinctive shooting does the estimate for you - not in actual numbers. But first I believe you have to teach your conscious brain to do the estimates, until enough shots makes it 'instinctive'. Instinctive just means that you've done something enough that you don't have to think about it anymore.

[FOX SQUIRREL NUTS]

I have never taken a shot I feel?know I could not make. No matter the distance.

[PaddyMac]

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
I am terrible at judging distance. Just another reason  I like the equipment I do.

Absolutely.

I've missed too many critical shots because I've been looking at pins instead of fur.

When I practice I wander around shooting at various targets at various distances presenting myself with form problems like kneeling, crouching, etc. I never think any more how far the target is. If I'm confident I shoot.