Blacktail Archery Hunters, effective range?

[JasonG]

Hello everyone, I'm back on the practice wagon with archery and I'm starting question my effective range. I know this is a very subjective question. I'm curious what your max effective range with your bow and how did you come to that conclusion? I know there is a lot of different instances this might vary but in general. Thanks, Jason 

[Stein]

60 yards - that's the last pin on my sight.  I can shoot to dinner plates very reliably, so if the conditions were right I would let one fly from that distance.

[Special T]

http://www.washingtonarchery.org/calendars

State shoot schedule and the site to find a course near you.

Your max range is a product of how much practice you do. Muscle memory is a big part of shooting. Even 12 arrows at 10 yards every other day helps

[slowhand]

I was taught something similar. We use a paper plate to determine range for an individual. If you can keep your arrows in the paper plate your good. If every couple arrows you end up on the outside then that's to far for you. My dad's rule was eleven out of twelve arrows needed to be on paper.
I stop at 50 yard, but I also still shoot with a three finger tab.

[Lucky1]

I read somewhere that your maximum effective range for deer is the distance that you can shoot 4” groups consistently.
It makes sense to me. The kill zone is probably more like 8” but shooting at deer is not like standing and shooting at a target on the range. Try shooting from a crouched or kneeling or leaning to one side or uphill or downhill and your group size will most likely be bigger.
Following a blood trail that peters out, and knowing that you hurt a deer badly is not fun. I know because I have been there more than once.
That said you have to decide for yourself based on your groups what distance you are comfortable with. I am working on getting 4” groups at 40 yards. I shoot 4 arrows at 40 yards every day. Good luck!

[JasonG]

I read somewhere that your maximum effective range for deer is the distance that you can shoot 4” groups consistently.
It makes sense to me. The kill zone is probably more like 8” but shooting at deer is not like standing and shooting at a target on the range. Try shooting from a crouched or kneeling or leaning to one side or uphill or downhill and your group size will most likely be bigger.
Following a blood trail that peters out, and knowing that you hurt a deer badly is not fun. I know because I have been there more than once.
That said you have to decide for yourself based on your groups what distance you are comfortable with. I am working on getting 4” groups at 40 yards. I shoot 4 arrows at 40 yards every day. Good luck!

That sounds like great advice! I notice as I shoot too many arrows my groups go to crap.

[smithkl42]

I've only been shooting for two years, and I *think* I'm probably ethical out to 40 yards, but trying real hard to get to 50 yards by September. (I don't shoot every day, but I try to get a couple hundred arrows a week downrange.)

That said, the only shot I've had at a deer was last September, at 25 yards. I would have sworn I could take a squirrel at that distance, only to watch my arrow tickle the deer's back as it sailed over it. It's a lot easier to get a good grouping in your backyard than in the woods. When it comes to actually taking a 40 or 50 yard shot ... what I can tell you now is, "I'm going to try to get closer."

[brew]

I don't shoot at paper plates...IMHO they are too big...aim small=miss small.  I shoot at golf tees until about 40 yards when they get covered up by the pins.  Then switch to playing cards.  Back when we were shooting a lot even my wife with her POS bow could come close enough at 60 yards to hitting playing cards that I didn't have an issue with her shooting out to 50.  Keep practicing and shoot with good form.  Follow through with the shot/release and make sure when your arrow hits that your pin is still on the target where you want the arrow to hit.  I've seen people want to drop their bow hand to watch the arrow and that always makes the shot hit low.

[JasonG]

I've only been shooting for two years, and I *think* I'm probably ethical out to 40 yards, but trying real hard to get to 50 yards by September. (I don't shoot every day, but I try to get a couple hundred arrows a week downrange.)

That said, the only shot I've had at a deer was last September, at 25 yards. I would have sworn I could take a squirrel at that distance, only to watch my arrow tickle the deer's back as it sailed over it. It's a lot easier to get a good grouping in your backyard than in the woods. When it comes to actually taking a 40 or 50 yard shot ... what I can tell you now is, "I'm going to try to get closer."

Im sure once the blood starts pumping everything goes slideways!?

[smithkl42]

I'm sure once the blood starts pumping everything goes slideways!?

I think there are at least five causes of error that you run into in the woods that you don't usually get in your backyard:

(1) You're excited. You're scared you're going to miss, you're scared you're going to hit, you're thrilled and ecstatic and terrified all at once. That doesn't make for great shooting form.

(2) You're rushed. That target ain't going nowhere. In contrast, you have no idea how long that deer is going to remain broadside to you. You've got every incentive in the world to release that arrow quickly, lest you miss the opportunity.

(3) You're typically shooting at intermediate distances. In your backyard, you're probably (mostly) shooting at straight-up 10 yard increments. It's rare when a deer steps out in front of you at anything like so convenient a range as "30 yards". It's not that hard to line up your pins proportionally to get to 34 yards - but it's just a bit less accurate than throwing a single pin onto a target and getting it steady.

(4) You're shooting broadheads. Even if your bow is tuned perfectly for them, they're still just a bit less forgiving. Even when my broadheads are hitting with my field points, and there's no systematic error (e.g., consistently hitting left), I find that they tend to group on the outside of my field points.

(5) The target is likely moving. I don't mean that it's moving when you're shooting at it (that would be just dumb, at anything more than 5 yards, at least at my skill level), but that the deer has probably moved some irregular distance from when you last ranged it by the time you take a shot. You can probably guess roughly how far, but again, that introduces error.

And the problem is that all of these sources of error are multiplicative. If each one, individually, would only tend to increase the size of your groupings by, say, 10%, by the time you multiply all of them together ... it's fairly substantial, over 50%. If you're shooting an 8" grouping in your backyard, you should probably plan on shooting no better than a 12" grouping in a hunting situation, if that.

Or another way of putting it: your worst shot at practice is going to be your best shot in the field.

All of these (and some bad luck) came together to contribute to my miss last September. (At least it was a clean miss...)

[ljsommer]

I'm sure once the blood starts pumping everything goes slideways!?

Or another way of putting it: your worst shot at practice is going to be your best shot in the field.

That's a great way of putting it.

[Tracker0721]

I was hoping for a different kind of blacktail archery in this subject...

[dilleytech]

My farthest pin is 80. If I could get a good range I would take it at that distance. I have screwed up more really close shots then the further ones. I find I’m more calm further out.

[Jellymon]

Start going to a lot of 3d shoots and you will quickly learn that what the majority say is thier max range for deer, shouldn’t be. So don’t be discouraged by claims of long max ranges.

I’m not going to post my personal limits because it won’t really help you. Everyone has different combinations of skill, ethics, equipment, environment, and  animals that changes their effective range. Small groups are only part of the equation. I’d be willing to bet that more animals are missed due to bad yardage estimation then by not being able to shoot tight groups. My advice is do lots of walkthrough courses and 3d shoots. Getting good at yardage estimation will do better for you in the long run then shrinking your groups by an inch or two. (Keep practicing for better groups though ) Get a rangefinder and practice guessing before ranging while scouting in the woods. That stump at 35 is actually 54! Wow, it didn’t look like it...

Practice a lot, be honest with yourself about your skill level, and it will be obvious to you how far you should be shooting at live animals.

[OutHouse]

My farthest shot that resulted in a harvest was 40 yards. At that time, I felt very confident about the shot because I had been practicing so much. Right now, I would not shoot at a deer past 25 yards, but by the season hopefully will be back up to 40. For me, after 40 yards is just too dicey to take a shot an animal. Then there is the excitement factor.  Back in 2014 I found myself surrounded by 5 bucks and was so excited almost pooched a 10 yard shot. Luckily the vane in the hip was severed and it went down quickly. I could see my heart beat through my shirt.

[JasonG]

I'm sure once the blood starts pumping everything goes slideways!?

I think there are at least five causes of error that you run into in the woods that you don't usually get in your backyard:

(1) You're excited. You're scared you're going to miss, you're scared you're going to hit, you're thrilled and ecstatic and terrified all at once. That doesn't make for great shooting form.

(2) You're rushed. That target ain't going nowhere. In contrast, you have no idea how long that deer is going to remain broadside to you. You've got every incentive in the world to release that arrow quickly, lest you miss the opportunity.

(3) You're typically shooting at intermediate distances. In your backyard, you're probably (mostly) shooting at straight-up 10 yard increments. It's rare when a deer steps out in front of you at anything like so convenient a range as "30 yards". It's not that hard to line up your pins proportionally to get to 34 yards - but it's just a bit less accurate than throwing a single pin onto a target and getting it steady.

(4) You're shooting broadheads. Even if your bow is tuned perfectly for them, they're still just a bit less forgiving. Even when my broadheads are hitting with my field points, and there's no systematic error (e.g., consistently hitting left), I find that they tend to group on the outside of my field points.

(5) The target is likely moving. I don't mean that it's moving when you're shooting at it (that would be just dumb, at anything more than 5 yards, at least at my skill level), but that the deer has probably moved some irregular distance from when you last ranged it by the time you take a shot. You can probably guess roughly how far, but again, that introduces error.

And the problem is that all of these sources of error are multiplicative. If each one, individually, would only tend to increase the size of your groupings by, say, 10%, by the time you multiply all of them together ... it's fairly substantial, over 50%. If you're shooting an 8" grouping in your backyard, you should probably plan on shooting no better than a 12" grouping in a hunting situation, if that.

Or another way of putting it: your worst shot at practice is going to be your best shot in the field.

All of these (and some bad luck) came together to contribute to my miss last September. (At least it was a clean miss...)

Thank you for taking the time to write out the different situations that can get things going sideways pretty quickly. What are you shooting for a bow etc..

[Crunchy]

60 yards - that's the last pin on my sight.  I can shoot to dinner plates very reliably, so if the conditions were right I would let one fly from that distance.

I killed one at 50 and missed one at under 30.  It all about you and taking your time before the shot. 

[JasonG]

I'm working on 40 yards as max. Ideally the closer the better. Hitting a 4-inch circle on a " cold bore" shot every time is the most important thing to me since There with be no warm up! Practice 5 shots and go in for a bit maybe an hour and try it again. That first shot has to be there!

[Matth]

I'm ethical out to 50 yards, and have shot a few animals out to that distance, but most of my harvests have happened under 40 yards, to include includes animals harvested with a rifle. I honestly think this is because i hunt thick country, and if i can see it it's under 40 yards.

[smithkl42]

Thank you for taking the time to write out the different situations that can get things going sideways pretty quickly. What are you shooting for a bow etc..

I've only got two (unsuccessful) seasons under my belt, so I'm as much in the newbie class as it can be. I'm still learning, and that undoubtedly contributes to my desire to systematize :-).

I started my archery and hunting career by purchasing the first bow a shop offered me a deal on - a Hoyt PowerMax, 40-50# (currently set at 50). It's not the bow I would buy if I had to do it over, but at the time, I didn't realize how much I would enjoy wandering through the woods, looking for something to shoot.  50 pounds is sufficient, but it's on the lower end of sufficient, and I think my next bow will be in the 55-65 pound range. (I might go higher, but I want to be shooting my bow for the next 15 years or so, and as I'm 50 right now, I need to still be able to pull it as I age.)