Typ shot distance

salemons · November 17, 2009, 12:35:00 PM

I hope to get a 45# Quinn Stallion for Christmas. I have not hunted deer yet but hope to next year. Want to use the Quinn and hunt from the ground. I have an older cheap 45# longbow I'm practicing with. I normally practice at 10 & 20 yards. What kind of distances should I plan for in NorthWest Indiana woods?

Old York · November 17, 2009, 12:41:00 PM

Don't really know the area, but I suspect it's like much of Wisconsin.

Honestly, anything beyond 20 yards is a Hail Mary, IMHO.

Deer are fast.

xtrema312 · November 17, 2009, 12:53:00 PM

With wheels I never shot over 35 yd. Even with 60 yd. broad head accuracy. Most all those years my kills were 25 yd. and under with most 15-20. You can only shoot so far in the woods unless you cut roads for shooting lanes. With trad it is 20 and under for me in those hunting conditions. I practice out to 25 all the time and up to 35 off and on. I like them about 10-15 yd. This year they were 17, 20, and 15 yd. kills. I get plenty of deer 20 and closer over th season not to have to shoot past that.

Don Stokes · November 17, 2009, 02:15:00 PM

Twenty is plenty.

rappstar · November 17, 2009, 02:17:00 PM

i hunt in the timber here in MO and it seems like the average shot distance is about 15 yards.

BEN · November 17, 2009, 06:54:00 PM

Last yea's deer-----7 yds.from treestand.
Last week's turkey---5yds.from brush blind.

What can I say----I love a slam-dunk shot

Buckeye Trad Hunter · November 17, 2009, 07:03:00 PM

I like to keep it under 20 myself, but different people are comfortable at different distances. I typically don't know the distances until after the shot. If it feels right I'll shoot, if it doesn't feel right I won't no matter how close.

BEN · November 17, 2009, 07:20:00 PM

I'm with "buckeye trad hunter": I can't say how far untill after and I step it off. I have to go by what "Feels" right at the time. I have shot/killed a coyote at 33 paces---but I didn't know that untill after. I have passed on nice deer at 10, 20 yds----that just didn't feel right at the moment for whatever reason. I was caught unaware, or 1/2 asleep and just didn't feel comfortable shooting.
Because of this, I have passed on a lot more deer than I have shot--even when I used a wheelie bow.
SO......maybe the more successfull guys will chime in, too.