Unread postby Brad » Mon Feb 18, 2013 3:22 am
I have shot a buck at 48 yards and smoked him, I also practice out to 50 regularly. However, had I known the buck was that far I would not have shot, so i kinda got lucky because I shot him for 35 and held a little high. I intentionally set up for 25 yard shots almost all of the time. I like them between 20 and 25 in a perfect world, any closer and the angle can be tough, any further and the animal controls more of the outcome. I do not care how fast a bow is or how much you shoot once you get past 30 or so the animal can do a lot and you can miss or worse wound them very easy, because they are faster than the bow if they choose to be.
The reason I practice to 50 is simply because if I ever need a second shot on one I hit, I can try it, and on an already hit deer the gloves are off at any range because theres nothing to lose. I will say at 30 yards I shoot just like at 0-25, I am 100% confident, but at 35 I shake a little more and my pin covers more of the target, so my groups open up to 3 or 4 inches which is the most I want.
When I bowhunt for turkeys my max is 15 yards, due to the size of the vitals being so small.
On an elk (if I ever get to go) I will shoot further because the vitals are a lot bigger, so in all honestly there is more margin for error, a 60 yard shot on an elk might me like a 30 yard shot on a whitetail etc.
When I shoot my recurve I am only good to 15, out past that I have zero confidence.