Charlie P

My ethical range is different just about everyday.

If there is weather coming it it gets shorter.Rain and snow can hamper your tracking. It can wash away or cover up your blood trail.

If it's getting dark and I know there are coyotes around it gets reduced.

Wind, once again I won't shoot as far as on a nice calm day.

tocs

My opinion on this topic is similar to many of yours.The state of the animal,the state and skill of the archer dictate the decision.I will say that even though my competence level at longer distances is better than it has ever been my selection of shots has become more conservative.My practice sessions are typically at 50 and 60 yards,those are the distances that I do the majority of my shooting.
Even with complete confidence with shooting a stationary target at those distances I like my shots at deer to be thirty yards and in.I don't care how fast your set up is at 40 plus yards a deer can take a step from the time you release your arrow to the time your arrow arrives.If you could be assured of a complete miss no problem! What is more likely is a wounded or lost animal.
I would work toward putting yourself consistently in closer proximity to game than stretching your effective range.I am specifically talking about whitetail deer.My comfort level would be considerable further on a much larger animal that isn't as wired or doesn't have the reaction response that a whitetail has.

IL Rancher

Your KE might be 71 feet and your arrow might be blazing away at 304 in the first 5 yards after leaving your string but the KE is going to drop as you get further and further down range aproaching that 50 yard targert. Not saying it's not enough or it is enough to punch trough and elk or moose because I have no idea. I think this is what people are saying when they say to use heavier arrows for more momenturm since weight plays a greater factor in that equation than in KEbut that is a discussion of Momentum vs KE and we all know that argumant will last 34 pages.

Personally, where I hunt Deer there would be almost no reason to have to shoot beyond 20 yards and that would be from one side of a clearing to another.

datamax

I feel I can make the shot, I take it.


Thats it, and I expect others to do the same.


Theres no reason setting a yardage limit, because one only needs to say " you mean you wouldn't shoot a 225" net typical at 1/2 yard farther than that ?? "

See what I mean ?

recurver67

25 to30 yds but most of the deer I've shot have been half that.

Sniper151

Matt, so what you're saying is that you WOULD take at shot at 45 yards? White tail, moose or elephant. You would take a shot over 40 yards. If the deer were on drugs standing in the middle of a power line, couldn't hear, smell or see you. Your would take that shot?[:-]

ewolf

You are most likely right. However, you don't have 71 ft-lbs of energy at 50 yards.

Here are the problems with your setup.
1. You do have alot of KE at the bow, however a .22 has up to 165Ft-lb of energy. Would you shot an Elk at 50 yards with a .22? It is not Energy that gives you penetration it is momentum
2. A light arrow loses energy much faster than a heavy one. Odds are a heavier arrow for you set up would have more energy at 50 yards than your set up.
3. It just doesn't make sense to shot that fast of an arrow at Elk. The kill is big on an Elk so why do you need that good of a flight path. If I miss judge the Elk (I think a range finder should be used at 50 yards anyway) for 45 and it is actually 50, its no big deal.

I'm sort of old school but I don't think I would go that fast and light. If you missplace the shot you have almost no chance of getting good enough penetration to kill that animal. With my pieces of oak timber, I have a much better chance than you do.

Rick James

I don't shoot further than 40 yards. I also won't shoot longer than 30 in most conditions. Every deer but one was closer than 15 though, this last season I shot a doe at 42 paces that was completely unalert, at 8:00am, and broadside. I was stacking 4" groups at that distance all summer so it felt right before I hit the release and it hit her perfectly. I probably wouldn't shoot that far again though unless all conditions were perfect.

alwyshntn

I still say that there IS nothing wrong with that setup and it would be more than efficient to take a elk out to 50yds. Of course we could argue that forever. I realize my arrow doesn't have 71ft.lbs of energy at 50yds I was just stating what I knew of the setup. I for one have no idea what the arrow has at 50. Thats whats great about this country we all are intitled to our own opinion and I respect yours as well.

alwyshntn

I DON'T EVEN HUNT ELK SO ITS KIND OF IRRELAVANT HUH?