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Comfort and accuracy

lawdog

lawdog

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What is your REALISTIC maximum comfort range when shooting deer with a compound bow? Also, I am putting 3 arrows in a group the size of a softball from 35 yards. I'm not happy with this and think I should be shooting tighter. Is this realistic or am I about right? Thanks for your input.
 
Only you can decide that. A good rule of thumb is whatever distance you can keep your group in an 8 inch target, never shoot at a live deer at half that distance. So if you can keep your groups inside 8 inches at 40 yards keep your shots in the woods at 20 or less.
 
Hoss said:
Only you can decide that. A good rule of thumb is whatever distance you can keep your group in an 8 inch target, never shoot at a live deer at half that distance. So if you can keep your groups inside 8 inches at 40 yards keep your shots in the woods at 20 or less.
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I practice at 40, but all of my hunting set-ups only allow 20-yd shots or less....I would be real uncomfortable shooting 40 in a hunting situation....
 
30 yards for me. I practice 20 and 30 almost daily. I have killed a few deer out to 35 yards, but most of that was in my early years of bow hunting when I practiced religiously and was very eager to kill. I prefer high percentage opportunities these days so I restrict myself to 25 yard shots for the most part. Not to say I would never shoot further, I just prefer not to.
 
Ive shot one deer at 30 and 4 under 20 (2 being under 10) this year. I really like the 20-30 yard shot for angle reasons. That being said Id have no problem shooting one at 50. I can keep it in a 3 in circle at that range all day and practice for the situation.
 
I like to have all my shots within 15 to 23 yards. Its just the fun part of bowhunting is getting close. I have killed a few out to 30. On the practice range at 30 yards I have pretty tight groups. However in the woods a lot can change between the time you draw your bow and the time you are ready for the shot. Seems that most of the deer I hunt are always moving. If I was hunting over a food plot and the deer were stopped and eating it might be a differnt story.
 
WRbowhunter said:
I like to have all my shots within 15 to 23 yards. Its just the fun part of bowhunting is getting close. I have killed a few out to 30. On the practice range at 30 yards I have pretty tight groups. However in the woods a lot can change between the time you draw your bow and the time you are ready for the shot. Seems that most of the deer I hunt are always moving. If I was hunting over a food plot and the deer were stopped and eating it might be a differnt story.
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Amen! I've been at this for 30 years and have yet to take a whitetail at over 23 yards in the woods. This is mainly due to setup, but try and look through the woods for 40 or more yards- it's pretty diffucult and there can be a LOT of little things in the way. If you don't have absolutely clear shooting lanes prepared, the long shots you practice become questionable in a real hunting environment.
I practice to 40 (3 pin set up), but rarely have a set up for hunting that allows over 30. I like them in my face for archery.
 

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