Longest Distance to kill a deer

ejipner

New member
Tonight was the last night of archery season in Vermont and I had the opertunity to shoot at a couple deer. The closest being about 85 yards. I didn't feel comfortable taking a shot that far, but I got to thinking that maybe others would. So my question is how far is the furthest you would shoot a deer with a bow.
 
Definitely not 85 yards. I work on scouting and stand placement so I don't have that problem. I killed a buck at 40.5 yards last year and that's my farthest. I only shot that buck because everything was absolutely perfect for the shot.
 
Like rifle hunting out west bow hunters out west tend to take longer shots. I practice out to 60 but wont take a shot beyond 50. Last year a guy took an elk at 70. At least that's what he said. My wife and I both took elk at 45 this year. Guess it depends on your bow and comfort zone.
 
Haha no where near 85.... I figure about half the distance you practice at a target is a pretty safe distance the farthest I have taken a shot at was 50 and it was a good clean hit. That said the vast majority have been under 15 yards. with a 300 fps arrow that's practically a second of travel time before it hits the deer. A deers vitals can be along way away a second after the arrow is released and it's just not worth taking the chance to me. Not on a doe or a booner.
 
My farthest was 45yds last year. I shoot everyday and am confident out to 50yds if the deer is calm and I feel I can make the shot. I will take 20-30yds all day long.
 
There was no way I was going to attempt an 85 yd shot with a bow, I doubt I would try a 60. I have a Martin lithium bow, I have been practicing out to about 45. I'm new to,bow hunting though and I feel much more comfortable with a gun.
 
My furthest is 77 yards with a complete pass thru. I shot a doe this year at 67 with same results. I practice out to 120 and feel confident in my accuracy at that range to kill a deer. But not confident in all the other variables that go into arrow flight at that distance. I would say 99% of my shots are inside 35
 
I shoot broad heads regularly out to 100 yards. My long shots on animals have been around 50 yards. I have pins out to 80 but would only use those on a follow up shot on a wounded animal. I have days I can shoot 6 inch groups at 100, but I also have days I can't hit my [beeep] with both hands. Even if you do everything right all the animal has to do is take one step and you will have a real bad day. Bow hunting is about getting close. I shoot and hunt with some of the best archery shots in NM and most of them wouldn't take a shot over 60. When I lived back east I never shot over 30. Hunting out of tree stands I never saw the need. Set up properly and you should get close shots. Things are a little different out west where most of the hunting is spot and stalk. Everyone has their own limitations but probably the best advise Is above, keep your hunting shots at 1/2 the range you practice at and can shoot consistently good groups with your broad heads.

drscott
 
Originally Posted By: ejipnerThere was no way I was going to attempt an 85 yd shot with a bow, I doubt I would try a 60. I have a Martin lithium bow, I have been practicing out to about 45. I'm new to,bow hunting though and I feel much more comfortable with a gun.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are?
 
Originally Posted By: yotehunter243My furthest is 77 yards with a complete pass thru. I shot a doe this year at 67 with same results. I practice out to 120 and feel confident in my accuracy at that range to kill a deer. But not confident in all the other variables that go into arrow flight at that distance. I would say 99% of my shots are inside 35

What do you use for a sight? My father has an adjustable which he has out to 80.
 
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Originally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: ejipnerThere was no way I was going to attempt an 85 yd shot with a bow, I doubt I would try a 60. I have a Martin lithium bow, I have been practicing out to about 45. I'm new to,bow hunting though and I feel much more comfortable with a gun.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are?

Why do you ask how old I am?
 
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Originally Posted By: GCDefinitely not 85 yards. I work on scouting and stand placement so I don't have that problem. I killed a buck at 40.5 yards last year and that's my farthest. I only shot that buck because everything was absolutely perfect for the shot.

I was hunting with my younger brothers in a new area.

Where I normally hunt my stand is set up so the furthest shot I would be taking would be 30 yds.
 
Originally Posted By: ejipnerOriginally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: ejipnerThere was no way I was going to attempt an 85 yd shot with a bow, I doubt I would try a 60. I have a Martin lithium bow, I have been practicing out to about 45. I'm new to,bow hunting though and I feel much more comfortable with a gun.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are?

Why do you ask how old I am?

Well... What you say in the quote above is an immature or completely ignorant statement. When you say you doubt you would try a 60 yard shot, that leaves that as a "don't think I would - but maybe I would." Yet, you've only practiced to "about 45." If you haven't been practicing at 60 then without a doubt you should not be considering that as even a remote option. Do you even have a 60 yard pin sighted in? Doesn't sound like it. Guesstimating or winging it on the fly doesn't cut it. Nothing in that original post makes sense for a responsible disciplined bowhunter that has taken the necessary time to understand the sport. Thus my question about your age.
 
Originally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: ejipnerOriginally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: ejipnerThere was no way I was going to attempt an 85 yd shot with a bow, I doubt I would try a 60. I have a Martin lithium bow, I have been practicing out to about 45. I'm new to,bow hunting though and I feel much more comfortable with a gun.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are?

Why do you ask how old I am?

Well... What you say in the quote above is an immature or completely ignorant statement. When you say you doubt you would try a 60 yard shot, that leaves that as a "don't think I would - but maybe I would." Yet, you've only practiced to "about 45." If you haven't been practicing at 60 then without a doubt you should not be considering that as even a remote option. Do you even have a 60 yard pin sighted in? Doesn't sound like it. Guesstimating or winging it on the fly doesn't cut it. Nothing in that original post makes sense for a responsible disciplined bowhunter that has taken the necessary time to understand the sport. Thus my question about your age.

How come every time I have something to say on here your all over me? Did I do something to offend you? I don't mind if you share your opinion but you can back off, I am sick of you constantly making little comments over anything I say on here.


I do have a pin out to about 60, though I don't practice that far. I'm not going to "guesstimate or wing it" as you stated. I don't appreciate you questioning my ethics. If you have a problem you can feel free to pm me and we can further discuss this.
 
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Originally Posted By: ejipnerOriginally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: ejipnerOriginally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: ejipnerThere was no way I was going to attempt an 85 yd shot with a bow, I doubt I would try a 60. I have a Martin lithium bow, I have been practicing out to about 45. I'm new to,bow hunting though and I feel much more comfortable with a gun.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are?

Why do you ask how old I am?

Well... What you say in the quote above is an immature or completely ignorant statement. When you say you doubt you would try a 60 yard shot, that leaves that as a "don't think I would - but maybe I would." Yet, you've only practiced to "about 45." If you haven't been practicing at 60 then without a doubt you should not be considering that as even a remote option. Do you even have a 60 yard pin sighted in? Doesn't sound like it. Guesstimating or winging it on the fly doesn't cut it. Nothing in that original post makes sense for a responsible disciplined bowhunter that has taken the necessary time to understand the sport. Thus my question about your age.

How come every time I have something to say on here your all over me? Did I do something to offend you? I don't mind if you share your opinion but you can back off, I am sick of you constantly making little comments over anything I say on here.


I do have a pin out to about 60, though I don't practice that far. I'm not going to "guesstimate or wing it" as you stated. I don't appreciate you questioning my ethics. If you have a problem you can feel free to pm me and we can further discuss this.

Every time? You have 38 post and I've only commented on ONE other post. That was the one where you spoke about using a .45-70 on deer, though you had never actually used a .45-70 on a deer. Your assumption was wrong and you had no personal or learned experience to base that on. That was a respectful exchange, at least one other poster was considerably more blunt than I was.

I doubt many bowhunters think its a good idea to consider a shot on live game animals at 60 yards when you only practice to "about 45 yards." I actually thought you might be a kid that just lacked experience or had not developed good judgement and decision making skills yet. In that case a kid gets a little coaching by the experienced guys around here and hopefully he is smart enough to figure it out. Guess I was wrong about the kid part. I do not have a problem with you personally. Though I have to admit that in general whining does kinda irk me sometimes.
 
My longest was a perfect double lung on a cow elk at 55 yards. I've shot several other animals in the 40-50 yard range out here.

When I was getting tuned up for an ibex hunt in southern NM, where long shots are probable, I routinely practiced and had pins sighted in for up to 80 yards. I was confident at that range and, had a shot presented with appropriate conditions, would have sent an arrow on its way. I was only able to close to about 140 during the hunt, so no shot.

Normally I would consider about 50 yards to be my max. Beyond that requires a level of commitment to practice that I can no longer make.
 
I can place arrows in the kill zone of a 3D deer target at 100 yards. However.....Foam 3D targets don't move. I love my shots 30 yards or less but would be comfortable shooting out to 50 yards under perfect conditions.
 
I have harvested a deer at 80 yds, but the deer gave me 3 shots, was able to zero in. I practice at 100 yds, 90 yds and 80 yds but that's it.. I wont shoot anything over 60 yds. I feel when you practice that far you better have good form, these long distance shots will magnify your imperfections in form.. It also improves your short range shots they become slam dunks...
 
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