Long range shots? true? ethical?

[bowtech721]

I just started bowhunting elk this last year and really enjoyed it... i have a question though that hopefully you guys can give me some info on. Many people that i talk to that have been succesful and seem to have been over quite some time tell me stories about how they kill their bulls often at 60+ yards... Is that  common around our state?? Do many people really take 60-70 yard shots? Should i be practicing way out there???

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

A 60-70 yrd shot on a elk is pretty easy.. However you have to be skilled enough to do so.. most people do not shoot enough to be able to..... with todays compounds and a little bit of good form the average hunter can shoot pretty well compared to a few years ago (10) with the right person behind a bow 60+yrd shots are as easy as 15yrd shot, but again thats the person behind the bow, most elk are called in within 20yrds anyway.. dont worry about long range until you get good at short range.. the farther the target is away, the more perfect your shot has to be to hit home

[mossback91]

I just started but I can hit that 6 inch target at 60 yards    polly wont shoot anything at that range though,but for someone who has been shooting along time and shoots alot I dont really see the problem with shooting something at the range.......as long as that animal is not alert and just feeding and what not....

[BLUEBULLS]

it's very common, what's even more common is people wounding elk at 60+ yards. I shoot a lot at 60-80 yards and usually pretty well but if my target were to decide to move it would be bad.

[gasman]

It is up to each of is as individuals to know our personal limits. Some practice 60+ yard shots and be dead on. Others do not. I may self am comfortable with a 55 tard shot, for that is what i practice shooting. If i come to a 60+ yard shot i pass, because i know my limits.

Could i hit my mark, probably, but i will not chance it. Let it go, or get a little closer if I can. I have eatin a few tags for this reason.
Then i question my own ability and remember my ethics, and sob in my beer at camp at night.

Bottom line:
If you practice long shot and feel comfortable making the shot, got for it. If not, do not take the risk.

[Gobble Gobble]

To each his own. For the two that just started are you shooting field points at that 60 yard plate or broadheads? A broadhead will fly differently than a field point.

[Intruder]

I would say that for the vast majority of bow hunters a 60 yard shot is too far.  For most folks out there, 40 represents a reasonable max.  There are folks who are skilled and can shoot farther but there is a fair amount of skill and a ton of practice to get there.  Just like w/ a rifle, it takes time, practice and understanding to be effective out beyond 300 yards.  Even if a person becomes proficient at target shooting out to longer ranges that doesn't always translate into practical application in the field.

One of the best elk hunters I know (also someone who I respect greatly) has been bow hunting elk for over 20 years.  He's killed dozens of elk.  While he'll be the first to admit he's not a great archer, he knows the consequences of shooting beyond his limits, the conditional limits, etc.  His rule of thumb in no more than 25 yards.    

[mossback91]

To each his own. For the two that just started are you shooting field points at that 60 yard plate or broadheads? A broadhead will fly differently than a field point.

both........my broadheads and field points seem to hit the same pretty much

[mossback91]

for me I will say that I will not take those long range shots on an animal though..........too me its more about sneaking right up to the animal thats more of a challenge than shooting one at 70.........more of a challenge to get close and stick one......

[Gobble Gobble]

Then you have a good set up and tuned bow. Me personally I will not shoot my broadheads beyond 40 yards. The temptation to shoot farther is there but my personal ethics and wanting to make the best kill I can won't allow me. Just means I'll eat tag any you will eat stag.

[@RCHER]

That range is out there for flingin sticks. When I shot a lot of 3D, I practiced out to 80 yards a lot and was good on paper and foam. My furthest big game shot is 55 yards on a muley buck. I like shot opportunities under 40 yards, however. Practice far so the close shots feel easy. Confidence helps with accuracy.

Aside from the possibility of messing up a shot increasing greatly as the range increases, we simply cannot control what the animal or mother nature will do to the arrow in that endless amount of time it seems to take an arrow to cover that much ground. From jumping strings, or flinching, to simply taking a step or scratching an itch. How about that little gust of wind or that little twig you didn't see at 50 yards. So many of these basic issues, on top of any ethical or hunting style requirements we have as individuals.

I've told this before, but it fits. I shot a blacktail buck several years ago that was dead broadside and feeding at 35 yards. I was shooting my old Browning Mirage at 260fps and let one fly. My two boys were crouched right next to me and we all got to see this deer go from broadside to turned straight away from us in the time this arrow was in flight. No kidding. He was just browsing away and just as I released, he must have decided to check out another branch and just pivoted.

The arrow hit right on the point of his left butt cheek. I was shooting NAP Thunderhead 100s at the time. He busted through some huckleberry ahead of him, went up hill and then hooked down and to the left. He slowed and eventually laid down and kicked a few times for about two minutes, then no movement. I wasn't feeling too good and just talked through the situation with my boys. I only waited about 5 minutes and snuck over to where I hit him. There was big blood almost immediately and it continued to where I picked up the buck. Turns out one of the three blades scraped along the underside of the pelvis and severed the left femoral artery.

That's only one example of critters doing any number of Houdini stunts during a bow shot. So, like Mossback91, I like to be close. But I also hate that gut renching feeling of a muffed shot on animals.

[Machias]

I'm just gonna stay out of these discussions.     

[sisu]

I'm just gonna stay out of these discussions.    

Ditto, because my answer is not what these people want to hear. 

[gasman]

I'm just gonna stay out of these discussions.    

Ditto, because my answer is not what these people want to hear. 

That is the porpose of this thread, to get everyones opion. Not what others want to hear.

Unless you are going to personaly attack others, but that is not what this about.

[SpokaneSlayer]

I'm a beginner archer so anything over 40 yds is out for me.  The only 2 arrows I've released have been right around the 20 yd mark.  I had the chance to take a 50 yd shot at a muley doe but passed.