How far is too far in archery?

[RIVERRAT]

I am just curious what folks consider the longest shot they would take?...whether it is an ethical concern or ability..lets open it up for discussion.   50 yards is my max personally 

[bobcat]

My absolute max is 40 yards. And that's only on a good day.

I'd prefer under 30.

[Whitpirate]

I'm confident at 25.  I'll let it pass at 30.

[JohnVH]

depends on the person, last year when I was practicing well, Id have no qualms with a 50-60+ yard shot no problem. This year no way, have not shot enough.

[boneaddict]

What Bobcat said.

[JimmyHoffa]

As far as an arrow can get there with 1. enough energy to penetrate properly 2. such that the animal can't move during flight time to allow the arrow to miss vitals and 3. such that variances in wind don't do the same as number 2.
If someone has the right equipment, knows EXACT range and angle, and has the practice/confidence that their max range is consistently fair to the animal, I don't see any issue.
My range, recurve with aluminum arrows, is 25 yards.  With my old compound, I would say 40.  But I don't have any of those fancy bows with carbon arrows and bling.

[deleted BGS]

No problems out to 60 would take out to 75 if conditions were great. These new bows are solid and if you practice you are confident. I know a guy who can hit a paper plate at 90 all day

[bullcanyon]

I'll practice shooting at different ranges with different positions and angles. If I can't put it in the kill zone every time on my foam deer. Than that range is too far. When the animal is alert. I will take at least 10 yards off of my range.

[buck man]

This discussion can go sideways in a hurry . Here goes.  Everyone's ability is different . I wont let my 14 year old take a shot past 25 , and my 18 year old is now good for 35. My personal longest depends soley on conditions and animal behavior. I know i will catch flàck, but i killed à 6x7 elk in Oregon a couple years ago shooting a hoyt katera at 81# with a 30 inch arrow with a total weight of 567 grains at 292 fps. I new the range was 87 yards and the elk had no idea I was there. Double lung. Dead in minutes. With that though I consistantly practice 70, 80, 90 yards . By practice I mean hit an 8" kill zone 19 out of 20 times. By shooting only long distances it makes the short ones chip shots . Out of six elk killed with my bow ,only one was 24yards the average yardage for them is 41 and that is exactly the yardage this years elk was killed at. So what are you comfortable with. Me I like inside 60 yards but if things are perfect and i know my set up is acceptable I will take longer shots.  :twocents:my deer this year was a whopping 16 yard shot.

[Biggerhammer]

My furthest pin is at 60 yards, I have taken one Mulie buck at 63 yards. Everything else I have shot with a bow was 40 yards or so and under. It's just the way it's worked out, EVEYONE has their own skill level and their own ethics. To each their own, I don't push mine on anyone else and I'm not very receptive of others , pushing theirs on me from atop a soap box.

[RadSav]

This topic never ends well.  I'll keep my  to myself.

[Biggerhammer]

" Fancy bows with carbon arrows and bling ". Will get you another 43 yards easy! 

[BowBender87]

hitting a target at 80 yards is easy..but acually taking that shot at an animal is different.  All they have to do is take a step/turn and now you have a gut shut.  Whether the animal is spooked or calm as can be dont matter...they can take a step at any time and turn a good day into the worst.  Ive been lucky to shoot 7 elk with a bow and my farthest has been 30 yards.  Most have been 20.  I will not shoot an animal past 50-60.  Too much can go wrong! 

[huntergreg]

Well I know There is going to be a lot of people going off on me here.      I shoot a lot and am comfortable on long shots out to 70 yards. I shoot out to 100 yards all the time. A few animals I have harvested have been in the 60-80 yard range. With my closest kill at 27 yards. My farthest shot was on an elk in 2009. I know (now) from experience that it takes a bit for the arrow to get there and an animal can move fast but didn't realize it until this day. I took a shot at the elk in 2009 at 103 yards. The elk was broadside and feeding. When I shot the elk dropped down a bit and turned to run away in the opposite direction it was standing. He had to hear the shot or herd the arrow coming.    All of the sudden the elk dropped dead to the ground.  When I walked up to the elk the arrow was sticking out of the back side of his head. After seeing what happened and realizing how much they can move at that yardage I will never take a shot Like that again.  Everyone can rip me a new $ss hole if they want but it was a learning experience.

[christopheri]

40 yards max and it has to be a broadside shot.