What’s Your Max Bow Range for Elk?

[87TT]

Hoyt Ventum 33, 70#, 29.5" DL, shooting a 530ish grain arrow with a 2-blade Kudu with bleeders. Arrow hit a little high, middle of the vitals, complete pass through, stuck in ground about 15 yards past the elk. Bull went about 75 yards and piled up.

So yeah, good result but I would have preferred a closer shot. The scenario was absolutely perfect though...no wind, stationary broadside elk, I was shooting from the edge of a meadow that he was in the middle of so I had all the time in the world to range, adjust my slider, get a solid anchor and aim point, and let fly. He didn't react until after the arrow went through him, and neither did any of the cows that he had with him.

I do practice with broadheads out to 80 on a daily basis so I was very confident in my ability to put that arrow where it needed to go.

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Almost my exact same set up except I have a Helix.

 

[bozeman]

67 yards MAX! However, much prefer under 45 yards.

 

[Sanchez]

I have hunted elk with a bow for 45 years in multiple states in a variety of situation.

I have shot several elk between 60 and 65 yards with solid broadside double lung hits and quick recovery. Most of these shots were roosevelt cow elk shot as they grazed in a pasture. Plenty of time to range the elk, set up to get my form in place and squeeze off the shot.

I also have had lots of shots similar to the one in post #37 video of the five foot bull coming into bugle, although the bulls were smaller and the country not as open. Results on these situations have been variable without the consistent quick kills I have had from long range shots. .

My conclusion is I personally do better on a relaxed 65 yarder than an inside 20 yard bull coming to a call.

 

[nphunter]

Like a lot of others mentioned, too many variables to draw a hard line. I shot a mature bull at 90 yards a couple years ago. I thought I had hit him with previous much closer shot, he stopped at 90, I dialed and shot again. When I walked up on him I realized the first shot had been a clean miss.
I’m very comfortable at 60, if I had to pick i would say 40 would be the sweet spot. I’ve killed them as close as 14 and had a stare off with one bull I killed at under 10 feet with nothing between us but my bow and his antlers, he finally walked around me after screaming in my face and I missed him at like 5 yards because I hit a branch. Ended up killing him a few seconds later at like 22 yards when he was circling around me.

 

[Soilguy115]

60 yards if 100% absolutely perfectly ideal. 40 under normal circumstances.


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[Rick653]

I think 50 with my compound and 25 with my recurve.

I live out east, so it's typically less than 30 for a shot on a whitetail. Most shots usually being within 15. I only just started shooting past 40 within the last two years.

I practice at 75 with my compound because that's as far as I can get, and I enjoy the challenge. Recurve I work out to 40 but shoot to 25 almost daily.

 

[JSMITT6]

70 yards is my max. I practice out further but want to make sure I guarantee the shot placement. It's all about what you are most comfortable shooting.

 

[sndmn11]

How many of you consider the line of sight distance as well, rather than just the true horizontal distance?

I see some long shots stated, a-ok by me, but a 60 yards shot at a steep angle gives you a target size of 80ish etc.

 

[Bee33]

45 yard is my max and what I'm comfortable at

 

[5MilesBack]

How many of you consider the line of sight distance as well, rather than just the true horizontal distance?

I see some long shots stated, a-ok by me, but a 60 yards shot at a steep angle gives you a target size of 80ish etc.

You can give me a target size of 130........that won't be the limiting factor.

 

[Rick653]

You can give me a target size of 130........that won't be the limiting factor.

I agree, I would shoot at a target less than softball sized as long as I felt confident doing so.

Maybe the question is how honest are people being with their effective range.

 

[roosiebull]

i think this question can only be answered as a death bed confession..... none of us will ever know until that final arrow leaves the string.... the max distance people claim on the internet usually doesn't coincide with real life.

self imposed distance limits are dumb imo... i used to say 40yds for myself until i put some thought into what i was claiming....

example... "my self imposed limit is 40yds" then the next day, here is a bull at 42yds, calm, feeding, just enough breeze to tell it's in your favor, no more cover.... perfect scenario..... if i'm willing to shoot 40yds, will i actually not shoot 42yds? would i expose myself and take 2 steps into the open to get into my self proclaimed max range?

if i'm willing to shoot 42yds on my self proclaimed 40yd limit, would i shoot 45yds? it's only 3 yards after all.... when i really started thinking about self imposed shooting limits, i realized how elementary that whole concept is..... i will decide when i have a bull in front of me and not worry about some petty arbitrary number i make up with little reasoning about it.

better than making up some number that you pull out of your ass, just be honest with yourself and your ability, and don't take shots out of desperation.... no need to overthink it, no scenario will be the same, so it's best to assess when it actually matters.

the furthest shot i have taken on an elk was 54yds, the vast majority have been inside 20yds, and only a couple have been more than 30yds.... i like getting them close, that's fun to me.... only get 1 tag a year, i'm in no hurry, and i will get a shot opportunity inside 30yds, i don't see taking a first shot beyond 40yds in the future, but i certainly will be prepared to shoot further.... not making any claims on max shot distance, it seems fake to me

 

[5MilesBack]

I agree, I would shoot at a target less than softball sized as long as I felt confident doing so.

As long as I have a pin for the distance, I'm confident at shooting at softball size targets. Beyond that, it's all about the situation and given variables.

Although, my first year bowhunting I was using a 5-pin sight set out to 60 and had a bull in an open meadow at 71. I had to use the top of my bubble as my 70 yard "pin", but that was also something I practiced that summer. The next year I had a 7-pin sight set out to 80........and haven't used a pin past 60 on an animal since. But I use 70 and 80 the rest of the year quite frequently.

 

[Phaseolus]

Despite having better equipment now my max range has decreased. My eyes aren't what they used to be, my shoulders and arms don’t have the same strength so my max range is 40-50

 

[Deadfall]

I've never shot a elk at 40 yards. my experience; 60 yards is the tipping point. Once a bull is inside 60 they comin all the way. All my elk have been from 5-30 yards. It's a intimacy game/chess match in my mind. I've also been guiding for almost 2 decades and not once had a hunter shoot at 60. In my mind anything over 40 is a rifle shot. Odds are stacked in the elks favor. I've seen a pile of hunters roll into camp and claim 60 or 80 yards is in their effective range. Can count on one hand the number of guys that can consistently be accurate and pull enough to get it done at that range (under pressure).

My ideas and opinions are secluded to my experience. With todays technology a guy could probably get it done at 150..Why anyone would want to, escapes me. Long range bow hunting has never been my thing. Hats off to anyone skilled enough to get it done at that distance.

 

[N.ID7803]

I said 31-40yds because where I hunt you sometimes can’t see 40yds to get a clear shot. In the areas I hunt a 60yd shot is highly unlikely. Often times it looks clear but guaranteed there is something out there that’s going to deflect your arrow.

 

[southernhive]

I just picked up bow hunting again after 25 years. I shot one white-tail about 25 years ago with my bow at a distance of 12 feet. He was directly under my leaning tree stand. My farthest Elk shot would depend on conditions, but I feel very comfortable out to 40 yards. My farthest pin is at 60.

 

[lukewalmer]

I’m only going on my first elk hunt this year, but I’ve hunted whitetail for years. My max is probably 40… maybe 50 if everything is perfect. But I shoot constantly, especially at 60+ yards and simulate a realistic scenarios for training while following Joel Turner’s controlled shooting guidance. That being said, I really like seeing some reminders here that 40 and in is probably the most ethical distance.

 

[5MilesBack]

my experience; 60 yards is the tipping point. Once a bull is inside 60 they comin all the way.

That might be......if "they're coming to you". Most of the time hunting solo, I'm going to them.....and they absolutely know I'm there. At that point, there's generally lots of eyes, ears, and noses tuned in to my approach and really short ranges generally aren't the norm. Every shot I've taken past 40, that was "as close" as I was going to be able to get.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

In my experiences people have a max range in their minds when at home. Then at times in the field when a giant rack is further than their effective range they fling arrows/lead. We should all strive for self control in these situations. Last season I stuck to this principle on a 370+ Bull in NV when he was at 65 yards feeding. I wanted 55 and in. Never did get a closer opportunity shot nor filled my tag. Then come rifle deer I went past my comfort range and killed my biggest buck to date. It’s a tough mental battle.