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Author Topic: Now that’s a long shot or is it?  (Read 2125 times)

Offline WapitiTalk1

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Now that’s a long shot or is it?
« on: April 12, 2026, 09:44:09 PM »
Ive ran this one before and it sparked some good discussion.. Let's run it again

The question I ask is simply this.... After your bow is dialed in and you're shooting well, very well, hunting season well, what is your comfortable range for shooting an initial arrow at:

A. A stationary elk that has no idea you're even in his state. He's feeding or drinking, completely motionless, and the wind/thermals are minimal (and every so slightly blowing in your favor), what do you feel your maximum effective and deadly range is for scenario A?

B. A nervous elk who has came in to your calls, or, perhaps is walking by your ambush point on a trail. He's alert and is suspicious of something that is not quite right. The wind/thermals are swirling a bit and the beast may bust at any time. What do you feel your maximum effective and deadly range is for scenario B?

There is no significant brush, branches, grass, rain, hail, locust swarms, etc., in the path of your arrow for both scenarios and the terrain is relatively level out to say, 100 yards for both situation A and B. And please, no ethical this or that comments. Just want to see what my fellow wapiti hunters have established as "their" personal limits for loosing an initial arrow. I know some of you don't like to set personal limits and will let the situation dictate but be honest, I think we all have our distance comfort limits... What are yours for scenario A and B?
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Offline Magnum_Willys

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Re: Now that’s a long shot or is it?
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2026, 04:29:51 AM »
Terrain is such a factor.  In timbered western OR/WA especially Coastal you are already dealing with loss possibilities even at point blank.  Whereas eastern open grasslands any hit is a likely recovery.   That said inside 50 I’m confident and as I go out to 80 my increasing loss possibilities I have to live with if shot taken.  Everyone has their own tolerance.  If you don’t ever want to deal with unrecovered shots stick to rifle.

Offline High Climber

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Re: Now that’s a long shot or is it?
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2026, 07:28:28 AM »
I’d say 70/50 But I switched to recurve for this year so I’m more like 25/15 now!

Offline Stein

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Re: Now that’s a long shot or is it?
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2026, 07:30:21 AM »
For me, 70 if it's a perfect setup.

Offline salmosalar

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Re: Now that’s a long shot or is it?
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2026, 08:26:34 AM »
40 yards for a broadside shot of a known range. 

I hunt Roosevelts, generally in thicker cover. It's rare that I could get a 40 yard shot without vegetation between me and him. I have been within 50 yards to 6 bulls in the last 3 years and only once was there not a signifigant amount of vegetation between me and him.

Offline pianoman9701

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Re: Now that’s a long shot or is it?
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2026, 08:31:39 AM »
50/50
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Offline Magnum_Willys

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Re: Now that’s a long shot or is it?
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2026, 10:14:08 AM »
I’d say 70/50 But I switched to recurve for this year so I’m more like 25/15 now!

I felt good to 35 with recurve but that was with instinctive - no sight pins.

 


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