Why is there no Long Range Hunting archery section ?

[Shane]

Because arrows fly slower than the speed of sound.

 

[Wilderlife]

Sound is one of many variables, and it's a variable that can't be controlled in a consistent manner. The way some people lean on the sound argument is ridiculous. Makes you wonder how people with longbows shooting 150fps manage to kill anything?

 

[Wellsdw]

"Long range archery/what happened/tracking dog needed" would be a better forum. One stop shop for contributors

 

[5MilesBack]

The idea behind starting this thread was more to see where people’s heads are at on the topic.

The first year I picked up a bow I shot a bull at 71 yards, center-punched him through the back of the ribs quartering away. I never had any doubts where that arrow was hitting. I've shot a lot of elk since then but haven't taken a shot that long on a big game animal since. But on the other hand, of all the animals I've shot with a bow, my average shot distance is right around 47 yards. A lot of bowhunters would say that's long range.

I've had one.....what I would call "bad shot" on an animal, and it was the closest shot I've taken......17 yards on a big bull. In that same situation I would have been better off with a longer shot where I would have had better perspective on where I was aiming.

The bottom line is.......would I take an even longer shot? Potentially. But I've passed on a few shots, longer and shorter, just because it didn't feel right for whatever reason. The situation makes a difference.

 

[Grassymike]

For me it boils down to the essence of Bowhunting is developing the skill and patience to get close to big game animals. Others work on developing shooting skill to shoot farther away so they don't have to get as close. We would all be better overall hunters if we worked harder at developing all of the skills more. Spend more time building your weakest skill and go hunt. I think it is important to only take shots within your skill level . If you have put in the time, who am I to say a shot should not be taken beyond X distance.

 

[HunterGatherer]

Longest first shot on a live bull for me was 68 yds, 45°, quartering away. He turned slightly away to leave as I released. Arrow entered just in front of his hind quarter and buried to the fletches, taking out the liver, one lung and diaphragm on the way. 80 yd recovery.

My longest follow up shot on a bull was 82 yds. The first shot hit near the bottom of the heart but didn’t get good penetration. The follow up shot took him down.

These days, I don’t bother practicing under 60 yds except when I’m tuning. All of my practice is from 70-110 yds at a full size 2D elk target. I stopped shooting dots and I stopped worrying about group size as my POA varies slightly with each shot on a target like that as there’s no “bullseye”. I’m judging my 5 arrow “groups” based on the percentage that are in the vitals, not the spread. Practicing at longer distance reveals flaws in form and equipment that are almost imperceptible at 40yds and under.

The last few years I’ve really been focused on shooting at long distance in the wind whenever possible , up to about 20mph. The biggest lesson I have learned with those sessions is that wind is not as big a factor as I assumed. I place streamers of flagging every 20 yds or so down range and have noticed that with trees and brush affecting the wind at various distances along the arrows flight path, the wind direction is not constant at all. There are spots with a true crosswind, spots where there are air current “eddies” around trees and sometimes the wind is blowing in a completely different direction at the target 100 yds away from me. The biggest effect of wind is actually on your bow itself as you try to hold it steady against it. Lesson : if you’re going to shoot in the wind, get a wind block so your bow arm doesn’t get buffeted. Would I ever take a first shot at 100yd in 20mph gusty wind at an elk ? Hell no. But will I take a follow up shot on an already hit bull at that distance? 100%

Do I miss the vitals sometimes at these long distances? Yes. But through practice I have been able to get proficient at hitting center mass 100% of the time at 100+ yds. And 70-80% are in the vitals, depending on the day. My POA in general has changed and my POA for those long follow up shots is different than where I aim for a close up slam dunk shot.

So what’s the point of all that long range practice- to shoot elk as far away as possible ? No. It’s to be very proficient in follow up shots, which is invaluable IMHO. If I already have an arrow in an animal, good or bad, I’m taking every opportunity for a follow up shot out to 120 and I’m shooting into the elk goes down or leaves my sight and I don’t care if that follow up is a liver shot, heart shot, gut shot, or even a back leg. More holes is more holes to bleed out of at that point and aids in tracking and recovery. My point is, don’t build your whole mindset around what your “effective range” is on your first shot. Make your effective range as long as you’re capable of and then use good judgement on what shots you actually take. There are plenty of shots inside 40 that I’ll pass on if it’s not right and there are shots significantly farther that I’ll take if all conditions are right.