Your Effective Distance

[sanchomaes]

I feel comfortable shooting targets out to 70 but will consider shots at 55 or 60 as my max for animals with my current set up. Conditions play such a big role in shot selection and distance is just a portion of it. Of course I prefer about twenty yards and in, that way all my pins are in the hair!!

 

[Rolo]

As others have said, it depends on so many things at the time of the shot, that it is hard for me to come up with an absolute 'X' yards. Some days, the EMR may be 20 because of the conditions, other days it may be 80. Purely a situational thing for me. Farthest first shot to date has been right at 70 yards. This was with a really slow bow (by comparison) and really heavy arrows. (Hoyt Oasis and 30" 2317s). I practice/shoot at distances over 100 yards regularly in the summer, if for no other reason than it is fun. Highly unlikely that I consider taking a first shot on an animal at those distances though.

 

[vcb]

Its just nuts the progress of archery equipment. I remember shooting my XI overdraw bow back in 1997. I shot big aluminum logs and my effective range was 40 yds....My form is way better now but the biggest difference is the equipment in my opionion

 

[JasonWi]

I normally practice out to 60 yards -- that is my EMR for hunting also. I just bought a Tommy hogg sight so I can get longer range practice sessions..out to 80. I'l still plan on 60 being my EMR for hunting.

My longest shots to date were 49,55 yards both on antelope.

 

[Whisky]

Right now I am at 45-50 yards, depending on conditions. Around 3-4 years ago I got a WICKED case of target panic. Very brutal. There were times I was drawing on my target at 30 yards and I'd fricken punch the trigger before my sight was even on the target. Stuck a few arrows into a wood chair holding up my Block. Took me a long time and a lot of work to get over that, and now I can say it's non-existant for the most part, but I'm still working on building my confidence back up. I intend to start practicing out to 80 here very soon, and will do so religiously until Sept hits. I'm hoping to increase my max effective range back to 60 yards by Sept.

Don't get target panic!!!

 

[sk1]

Right now I am at 45-50 yards, depending on conditions. Around 3-4 years ago I got a WICKED case of target panic. Very brutal. There were times I was drawing on my target at 30 yards and I'd fricken punch the trigger before my sight was even on the target. Stuck a few arrows into a wood chair holding up my Block. Took me a long time and a lot of work to get over that, and now I can say it's non-existant for the most part, but I'm still working on building my confidence back up. I intend to start practicing out to 80 here very soon, and will do so religiously until Sept hits. I'm hoping to increase my max effective range back to 60 yards by Sept.

Don't get target panic!!!

had it when i was a kid for one season, it was horrible. worked one some new focusing methods and was able to shake it quickly and havent had an issue since!


my max range right now is 60. i shoot pretty good at 70 but last season i didnt practice enough to justify shooting an animal at that range. I hope to practice more long range shooting this year and increase my max range to 70 under perfect circumstances. that being said i hold whitetail in a different category than most animals, grew up treestand hunting them in the midwest and they sure can react quick to the noise of a shot, my max on a whitetail would probably be 40 to 45, and that's with a 300 fps arrow.

 

[Jared Bloomgren]

Check out one of my recent blogs in regards to this topic!

http://blog.pse-archery.com/?s=Jared+Bloomgren&submit=Search

 

[ohhiitznik]

My effective distance is 80 yards. I practice to 100 yards but I feel I need more practice before I lob an arrow at an animal at that distance.

 

[realunlucky]

The problem with shooting long distances is arrow flight time and what the animal does between release and arrival. Half step or slight turn can make for a long day. To each there own

 

[a3dhunter]

my effective hunting range is 65 yards, that is my longest kill.
I feel comfortable shooting targets to 80 depending on conditions.

I prefer 50 yards and under.

 

[Lukem]

The problem with shooting long distances is arrow flight time and what the animal does between release and arrival. Half step or slight turn can make for a long day. To each there own

We're all aware of that, but then there's no perfect shot. An alert whitetail can drop 12" on a 20-30 yard shot. It's a chance we all take. At some point, every shot is a prayer in archery.

I just find the process we all go through interesting. In archery, the world of a million choices, it's the most individual choice we make.

 

[Lukem]

Check out one of my recent blogs in regards to this topic!

http://blog.pse-archery.com/?s=Jared+Bloomgren&submit=Search

Excellent!

 

[HellsCanyon]

I shot my bull this year at 67 yards. I practice at 80 and was shooting 4-5 days a week and was deadly this year. Looking to upgrade my release and sight this year and start practicing at 100. Even practicing at 70-80 makes 50 and in a chip shot...

Mike

 

[trophyhill]

each situation will place limits on themselves. it's up to me to recognize that and make the right decision. so far so good

 

[a3dhunter]

each situation will place limits on themselves. it's up to me to recognize that and make the right decision. so far so good

That's makes one of us, bad decisions have helped me to recognize my limitations.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I think I will limit myself to 50 yards this year. Going to drop to 3 pins and have my last pin set at my max distance....no real reason other than I think it will open up my sight picture a bit, and I guess getting to 50 is more challenging for me than getting to 60 or whatever. Of course I might regret that if I see something huge.

 

[Elc1973]

Last year I was better at 50 than 40 and good at 60 I think it's just one of those things you have to decide when the time comes as far as confidence in your ability and the conditions, animals body position and alertness play a huge role for me. Overall I'd say 60 yds but prefer a chip shot at 30

 

[Whisky]

We're all aware of that, but then there's no perfect shot. An alert whitetail can drop 12" on a 20-30 yard shot. It's a chance we all take. At some point, every shot is a prayer in archery.

I just find the process we all go through interesting. In archery, the world of a million choices, it's the most individual choice we make.

I agree with you. It's an individual choice, and hopefully a choice people make wisely. I've seen it more than once where people shoot at animals close to or at their "max effective range" and put a piss poor shot on an animal. Shooting at animals and shooting at targets are completely different. Lots of people just fall completely apart when shooting at animals. And a lot of them don't know it until it's too late and they've wounded and lost an animal, or two.

As long as people learn from their mistakes, it's a success. But I suspect a lot of the people on the internet who claim 60+ yard max effective range, have never shot at an animal that far, only targets.

 

[Lukem]

I agree with you. It's an individual choice, and hopefully a choice people make wisely. I've seen it more than once where people shoot at animals close to or at their "max effective range" and put a piss poor shot on an animal. Shooting at animals and shooting at targets are completely different. Lots of people just fall completely apart when shooting at animals. And a lot of them don't know it until it's too late and they've wounded and lost an animal, or two.

As long as people learn from their mistakes, it's a success. But I suspect a lot of the people on the internet who claim 60+ yard max effective range, have never shot at an animal that far, only targets.

+ 1

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

For me right now 80 is where I put the limit and like a lot of guys practice out to 100 regularly. I've killed animals as close as 7 yards and as far as 97. I have always had better luck with the shots in the 60-70 yard range as in that situation I have plenty of time to range, make sure the shot is perfect and squeeze off the trigger. On an unaware animal they don't react until hit with the arrow, ironically the couple animals I have shot at and lost have been inside of 35 yards when the shot was rushed on an alert animal. Those are the ones I regret and always wonder what I could have done different.