curiosity about everyones shooting limits

[Deertaker]

So I was practising yesterday and got the courage to shoot out to 40 yards. Didn't go the best but I guess it was ok. As I am getting closer to the season my standard that I am going to hold myself to is that I have to be able to shoot all the arrows in a pie plate, and when that starts to get out of that grouping that will be the maximum distance to try and take an animal from. So far I feel it is only 20 yards right now.
I was wondering what everyone else uses to determine their maximum range they feel comfortable with and perhaps what distance that is? Just figure it might be an interesting topic, sorry if it has already been covered.

[Maddog20/20]

Are you meaning for targets or hunting?  For targets, I'll shoot out to 30 feeling pretty good about it, but my confidence level really drops after that.

For hunting, I won't shoot past 25yds and don't really like over 20.  It's not really about what I can hit, it's more about what can happen with the animal.  At a compound speed, not much but at recurve speed, that deer or whatever can jump and turn a heart shot into a gut shot pretty easily.  I don't mind missing, but I won't take a chance of just wounding an animal.

[CRM_95]

I practice out to 30, and could probably kill a deer at 20. But I keep my shots for deer hunting under 15 and 10-12 is even better. I want the odds in my favor as much as possible.


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[Dave Lay]

Shooing targets , I'll shoot out to 50-60 yards just to see any flaws I have because they will really show up at that range, but hunting I really prefer 10-15 yards and pretty much consider 20 pretty close to max. That's hunting in pretty thick cover where a 20 yard shot would be long. I have a hard time focusing on a small spot at anything over about 15-20

[Deno]

Even though I practice longer range shots, I wouldn't chance past 18 yards hunting.

Deno

[Bowguy67]

You know different forums I've read this exact discussion many times. The answers I just read were refreshing. It's what bowhunting is about. Getting close and making a great shot.
No one would fault you for pushing it on a target. I think we need to shoot at a bit longer than we plan to take shots hunting just to make the close shots seem easy.
We should never try n prove our prowess at making long shots on game. If things go wrong the animal shouldn't suffer.
Effective range can be determined by many things. Let's say you effective range was 35 yards. Would you be comfortable shooting an arrow from a relatively slow stykbow at an animal when a simple reach for another acorn can ruin a perfect shot? The arrow has too much air time imo.
I practice fairly far. I just love watching an arrow fly but at a game animal I'd like em close, 20 yards is doable but I'd prefer 15 or closer.
I've been at this since 1970. As a kid I always said, a long needed shot means you stink  as a hunter. (Don't matter how big the animal is or how time is short, etc either)A close shot means you did your job.

[Roy from Pa]

3D out to 40 yards.

Hunting I want 15 and under.

[kennym]

Guys  out West may have a different opinion than guys who hunt whitetails in the East and Midwest.

I hunt in MO and I set stands to have shots at 15 +/-  a couple .  Too far and your groups widen(not that you get to shoot a group when hunting) , too close from a stand and shot angle gets too great to suit me.

Too close from the ground and your liable to get busted drawing.  Found that out on a 3 yard turkey a long time ago! 

[M60gunner]

For hunting, closer the better, 10-20 yards. Targets, 3D, whatever I feel like. We have a shot that's 103 yards on one of the ranges we shoot. I have to shoot at least one arrow whenever we go by. If I shot only for hunting practice I would have been bored years ago with archery.

[Aaron Proffitt 2]

Since I'm assuming we're talking hunting shots I'll say my philosophy is a very solid "depends".

I've made successful shots at 40 yards because everything felt "right" . I've passed up shots at 12 yards because everything didn't feel "right" . Depends on lots of factors.

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

I shoot when I think I can make a good kill shot , I don't shoot if I don't think I can make a good kill shot. I don't put much thought on how far it is at the time. I would say most of my hunting shots are at extremely close range but I have made some pretty far shots at times also. All depends on the situation...

,,Sam,,

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

If pushed, I will tell you a max range based on how I'm shooting. On elk (who don't tend to duck the string as much) that might reach 25 or 30 yards when I'm practiced well. For deer it might reach 20.

But I have had numerous deer at 20 yards and I felt like they were too far away. Animals get rated as "too far" or "in" the kill zone by my subconscious mind. I know that "too far" isn't usually as far as my standard 20 yard practice range. That's all instinctive. I don't tend to think about it while hunting. Clear as mud?

[IndioArcher]

For whitetails, my max comfortable range is about 17 yards. 15 is even better.

I would love to say 20 yards (I practice at 20 and beyond), but for me that is just too far on an animal.


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[Traditional-Archer]

 Everyone has their own comfort distance and that will change in every hunting situation. I had deer at 20 and under and would not shoot because of angle, the approach of the animal. How stressed is the animal, is the animal aware that something is wrong. Everything must be calculated in seconds sometimes.
The best way to think about that question to me is, well we will just see when the time comes. I've killed a lot of whitails with my recurve over the past 12 years. Shot them at 10 yards and at 35 yards. But one thing is for certain I didn't know the distance until after I stepped it off.     

[Lakerat007]

For hunting my sweet spot is 15-18 yards, so I set up for that shot. Doesn't always happen so I'm a situational shooter. For 20 yards and in I'm purely instinctive. For beyond that I gap. My set up is point on at 30 yards and I'm pretty good at that range. If I have a relaxed animal standing still I have no problems taking the shot but I do everything in my power to get in close.

[Jakeemt]

I shoot out to forty pretty regularly. When I am somewhere with the space 50-60. For hunting it all just depends.

[Dave Lay]

Agree with others that I might pass a 8 yd shot if things aren't right

[Deertaker]

Interesting to hear all the responses. And thank you everyone for chiming in. I agree with everyone and how "feel" has a great deal to do with it. And as a hunter the last thing I want to do is to injure an animal and not make a clean humane kill. I find out to 20 the arrow fly's pretty consistent, but then drops pretty quick after that.
I have a feeling my main targets this year will be stumps! But if an opportunity presents it's self and I feel good and confident, there just might be something down this year!
Also interesting to hear about how for some people practice out to also!

[Wannabe1]

I will occasionally shoot out to 30/40yds if available but, primarily practice at 20yds. Like others have stated, I will not take a shot if it doesn't feel right regardless of distance! Here's a group recently shot at 30yds with a Border Khan.

[Homey88]

15yds and under.