"Ethical" range of a bow

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


buck_junkie
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 4:07 pm
Status: Offline

"Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby buck_junkie » Fri Aug 20, 2010 4:11 pm

What do you guys think is the 'Ethical' range is on a bow? I know the average shot during a hunt is around 22 yards. What about taking a 70 yard shot on a once of a lifetime buck in the middle of the rut. He comes in trailing a hot doe and you know the chances of him making another appearance at a closer range is very unlikely. He pauses in a completely wide open shooting lane to catch his breath for just a minute or two, and this is your only oppurtunity before he continues on his quest of earnining the right to breed his doe. The reason I pose this question is because a good friend of mine and myself were practicing today on our long range shots, 50-70 yards, and were dead on even up to 70 yards. We both felt very confident on taking a shot of this caliber. I also know that Lee Lakowski harvested a magnificent buck last season at 72 yards. Myself, if the above scenerio came about I'm taking the shot. What do you think? Would you take the shot? Do you practice at these distances?


Hill Hunter
Posts: 205
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:30 am
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Hill Hunter » Fri Aug 20, 2010 7:33 pm

I've practiced to 70 and beyond with 3D equipment, but only have a pin on my hunting bow as far as 60 yards. It comes down to the exact circumstance and the shooters ability. There's alot that can go wrong at that distance. Even though I know how acurate I am, last year I had a similar opportunity at a buck in IA at 58ish yards. I drew, settled and it just didn't feel right. I let down and shot the buck about 10 minutes later at 28 yards. I'd have to be in the situation to determine how far I will take a shot, if everything is not perfect, I'm not just flinging an arrow. On the range I am confident to 60 with hunting equipment.
User avatar
Spysar
500 Club
Posts: 3974
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:23 pm
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Spysar » Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:52 pm

Shooting a bow at a stationary target, and shooting at a live animal are two different things. Shooting at a target you are 100% in charge of what happens. When shooting at a deer, you are 50% in control of what happens and the deer is the other 50%. I don't care how good you think you can shoot, you can't read a deers mind and absolutely know how it will react.
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
Treejunkie
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:00 am
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Treejunkie » Sat Aug 21, 2010 12:18 am

Good question. I do practice out to 70 yards every year but it is for elk hunting. Big difference vs. a whitetail. Being honest though, a 70 yard shot, no wind, no obstructions between me and him and him standing broadside not knowing I am there, being honest.....I just might fling one. Being honest :lol:
ramblinman
Posts: 159
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 2:16 pm
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby ramblinman » Sat Aug 21, 2010 12:31 am

i'm with you treejunkie! I have shot an elk at 63 yards in the past. I am ok with an elk in the right conditions, but a whitetail is alot smaller target. To risky
User avatar
Schultzy
500 Club
Posts: 3138
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:46 pm
Location: Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Schultzy » Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:29 am

Bowhunting to me Is up and close hunting. You want to shoot at them ranges, get a gun I say. Just my opinion.
Wrinkleneck
500 Club
Posts: 2078
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:18 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Wrinkleneck » Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:15 am

I don't think I would ever take a shot over 40 yards!! I guess I would wait it out and see if the doe could drag him a little closer to get a better shot. Just my .02
User avatar
Sam Ubl
500 Club
Posts: 1647
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:38 am
Facebook: https://www.carbontv.com/shows/chase-na ... red-slider
Location: Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Sam Ubl » Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:48 am

You know, I'm thinking I want to delete my post. Treejunkie, I'm not on your page afterall... If conditions were dynamite for the shot, maybe I'd imagine it, but would I do it? Probably not considering how many times that was the case and I held back. Maybe if I could edit my post (the flaw of the Beast) I would suggest that it would honestly cross my mind, but would I do it?? Not unless I HAD to, the above post is right, bowhunting is an intimate game of cat and mouse...

Here's a picture of a deer I HAD to shoot at a distance much greater than many of you will believe, which is okay, but the truth is after the first arrow was stuck on the top of this bucks back, I hail-married a 98 yarder that double lung punched this buck and put him down 30 yards later. . . Never would have had a blood trail to follow had that arrow not landed home. I'll never forget it, but again, it was a MUST DO situation.
Chase Nation | Reality Hunting TV | http://www.chasenation.tv
Watch Chase Nation on Carbon TV: https://www.carbontv.com/shows/chase-na ... red-slider
Huntmore | http://www.huntmore.io/
User avatar
Black Squirrel
500 Club
Posts: 4978
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:50 am
Location: NE WI
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:04 am

I believe this is a personal choice. If you have practiced at long range, and conditions are so that you feel confident you can seal the deal, than go for it. I personally limit my shots to 30 yards and under, as I don't believe I can make a good shot beyond that. I practice out to 60 yards on the range and have confidence there, but up in a tree is different. If you just fling an arrow on a hope and a prayer, then I say no way.
User avatar
Casper
500 Club
Posts: 974
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:20 am
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/casper.kohlnhofer
Location: South Central WI
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Casper » Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:16 am

Spysar wrote:Shooting a bow at a stationary target, and shooting at a live animal are two different things. Shooting at a target you are 100% in charge of what happens. When shooting at a deer, you are 50% in control of what happens and the deer is the other 50%. I don't care how good you think you can shoot, you can't read a deers mind and absolutely know how it will react.

Well said, too much can go wrong in that 70 yards. That being said, if I had a deer that I had shot already and they stopped at 70 yards, im flinging another arrow for sure
The Healthy Herd Pro Staff
User avatar
Dewey
Moderator
Posts: 36727
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Dewey » Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:55 am

I personally won't shoot past 35 yards. The only exception was a 45 yard shot on a mule deer I killed in Nebraska. Almost of the deer I have killed have been less than 15 yards and quite a few under 10 yards.(closest shots were less than 5 yards)

The challenge of getting them in close is the reason I enjoy bowhunting so much more than gun hunting. Too much can go wrong on a shot over 40 yards with a target that moves.

I have had enough heartbreaks in the past with deer I lost with a bad shot and don't want to create the situation again due to bad judgement.I feel much better watching an animal walk away rather than taking a "hail mary" unethical shot.
User avatar
James
500 Club
Posts: 1530
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 4:17 am
Location: Western WI
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby James » Sat Aug 21, 2010 4:04 am

Like Dewey I will not shoot at a buck much beyond 30 yards. I have pins on my bow out to 50 but only intend on using those in the event I required a followup shot on a deer I had already hit close (hasn't happened yet). In the spots I hunt in the midwest I rarely have to shoot much beyond 20 yards with 25 yards being the furthest I have ever taken a deer at.

Not at all saying 75 yards isn't an ethical shot, but rather every individual has to decide what an ethical range is for themselves. This is done by drawing on experience and encounters you have had with game along with mentors.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby dan » Sat Aug 21, 2010 4:58 am

What do you guys think is the 'Ethical' range is on a bow? I know the average shot during a hunt is around 22 yards. What about taking a 70 yard shot on a once of a lifetime buck in the middle of the rut. He comes in trailing a hot doe and you know the chances of him making another appearance at a closer range is very unlikely. He pauses in a completely wide open shooting lane to catch his breath for just a minute or two, and this is your only oppurtunity before he continues on his quest of earnining the right to breed his doe. The reason I pose this question is because a good friend of mine and myself were practicing today on our long range shots, 50-70 yards, and were dead on even up to 70 yards. We both felt very confident on taking a shot of this caliber. I also know that Lee Lakowski harvested a magnificent buck last season at 72 yards. Myself, if the above scenerio came about I'm taking the shot. What do you think? Would you take the shot? Do you practice at these distances?


Two years ago I was hunting on Andraes farm in Iowa and a nice shooter cull buck came in. I decided to take a 45 yard shot at the buck knowing I was pretty efficiant at that range.
The buck was walking and did not stop when I whistled and was about to get into some thick brush.
I took the shot.
It seemed like the buck moved before the arrow got there and maybe I flinched a little and pulled right. The arrow hit the buck in the crease of the hind leg. The buck bolted out to about 60 yards and stopped to look back. I took a hail mary trying to finish him off and stuck him thru the middle of the neck. I searched for the buck for 3 days. Never found him.
Andrae watched the footage and gave me a little lecture on long shots and told me he personally won't shoot more than 20 yards and seldom shoots farther than 15... I found that pretty surprising.
User avatar
Schultzy
500 Club
Posts: 3138
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:46 pm
Location: Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Schultzy » Sat Aug 21, 2010 6:25 am

Andrae watched the footage and gave me a little lecture on long shots and told me he personally won't shoot more than 20 yards and seldom shoots farther than 15... I found that pretty surprising.
Why do you find this surprising?
User avatar
Sam Ubl
500 Club
Posts: 1647
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:38 am
Facebook: https://www.carbontv.com/shows/chase-na ... red-slider
Location: Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: "Ethical" range of a bow

Unread postby Sam Ubl » Sat Aug 21, 2010 6:31 am

Simple answer for most, Schultzy... Hours upon hours in the stand waiting for THE ONE, practice stemming back to springtime and confidence in your ability facing a once in a season opportunity with a good buck stand over 20 yards away, say 25 or 30, , even 40. . . Not many can stomach passing a shot at that distance if the shot is clear and safe.

To the average Joe in the woods, such as myself, to think someone with strong accuracy rarely shooting past 15 yards is similar to my aunts decision to drive 10 miles under the speed limit to "be on the safe side", even though she's a competative auto-cross racer...
Chase Nation | Reality Hunting TV | http://www.chasenation.tv
Watch Chase Nation on Carbon TV: https://www.carbontv.com/shows/chase-na ... red-slider
Huntmore | http://www.huntmore.io/


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot] and 103 guests