Maximum Range

[Tifford]

I've had my bow a year now and I might just try to take a deer with it this year.

Assuming a 68 lb draw, what is the maximum range that I should limit myself to when trying to take a small NC deer?

When I bought the bow the crono said I was shooting aluminum arrows at just under 300 fps.

Tifford

[Myk]

That depends on how you shoot. My maximum range used to be 50yds because I could always put a broadhead on target there. Now I'm down to 40yds because I don't practice enough.
I think once you get passed 50yds to many things can happen, the deer could move or a wind could blow up. But people out west shoot at ranges about 70yds.

If you're shooting mechanicals and light arrows your maximum for energy could be 30yds. Last year's mechanical was at just under 40yds, 230fps and a 450gr arrow. It didn't quite have enough to get a pass through but almost. It depends on how my muscles are doing but I'll either go with 240fps or 250fps and the same arrows, I think I was that close.

Remember, light objects don't carry their energy as far.
It's really hard to say, there are a lot of factors. I judge by how my broadheads are going through the target, you can tell when the energy really starts dropping off.

[Tifford]

I was thinking 40 yards. I don't have the mechanicals yet but I'll get them soon.

Right now I just have fixed blade, 4 blade, 1 inch diameter tips.

http://www.shopatron.com/product/product_i...1928.1936.0.0.0 (http://www.shopatron.com/product/product_id=MZY209/182.0.1928.1936.0.0.0)

At 40 yards I'm shooting at this thing I bought from Dicks Sporting Goods. It is a compacted foam block called "The Black Hole" and the tips just barely make it through to the other side.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/...rentPage=search (http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=864537&cp=&keywords=black+hole&searchId=10374287001&clickid=topnav_search_txt&parentPage=search)

I feel confident about hitting a paper plate at 40 yards. I think I'll keep my range to under 40 yards.

Tifford

[tcoop]

72 yards 2 feet and 8 inches max for me. ::rasp) Just joking

40 yards is about as far as I shoot. I know I can hit effectivly up to 60. But like Myk said, to many things can interfere beyond 40.

tcoop

[Mossyhorns]

This is one of those topics if on another forum would cause a bunch of fuss.As a rule of thumb theres seems to be an unwritten law that 40 yds is the average max for midwest bowhunts.A shooter knows his limitations and range effectivness.If you prctice shooting out to 65 yds and are consistantly accurate.Then you wouldn't limit yourself to a 40 yd shot.Most of us here in the midwest have no reason to make 50+ yd shots when you can get within 20 yds of a deer trail and wait them out.
For me the pre season scouting and preperation-stand sites-is 95% of the hunt.Last last 5% is the bonus for doing everything else right.

[Myk]

When I was practiced to make 50yd broadhead shots I was actively stalking more.
But even stalking across an open field I ended up getting within 30yds (and thought I had got 40 so I over shot it).

[Tifford]

I 've got a spot picked out. It is a small circle of pines that over looks a tree line. The distance between the pines and the tree line is about 30 yards. There is another tree line next to the pines that is about 40 to 50 yards away.

I'm just going to have to go down there and range find a perimeter of 40 yards around where I'll be sitting.

I might have to take a hatchet and clear a spot for my dog house blind in that group of pines. I like to make as little movement as possible while hunting and the big movement of a draw will be interesting. Usually I don't use a blind for deer but this year will be an exception.

Tifford