Hunting and Shot distance for Xbow vs Compound

[flatone]

I have bow hunting for a long time. Last year was my first year with a Crossbow(Matrix 380). I only got to hunt with it once, but got to kill a nice deer at about 25 yards. I have made some stupid shot attempts with my vertical bow.... which have brought me to a comfort level of keeping shots under 40 yards. If I'm in the woods, I might push it a little further. My compound bow is a Bowtech Tribute and it probably chrony's around 285fps. Deer definately tend to jump the string after 40 yards.... especially in an open foodplot or field scenario....

So my question is this... For those that shoot both vertical bows and crossbows, especially one of the faster models, how much further is your confident range shooting at a deer? Especially in an open food plot or field?

[Normous]

I'm a lifetime crossbow deer hunter using Excalibur crossbows since 1991 (Vertical shooter before 1991) and my limit is no more than 30 yards even with the faster Matrix series. I hunt mainly in woodlot environments and choose my stand carefully for a short shots. Most of my deer are arrowed between 15 and 20 yards the deer don't know what hit them.
My 2 cents...

[paulaboutform]

That's kind of a difficult question to answer. Regardless of what you're shooting, you must realistically know your own personal effective range. Speed of the projectile isn't the determining factor. The determining factor is, 'at what range can I make a perfect kill shot 100% of the time?' The second consideration is the animal I'm shooting at. I would have no problem shooting a relaxed, feeding moose at 70yards but a whitetail may be 50yards and a 350lbs Russian Boar 25yards. The main, but not sole, factor is the hunter's own personal effective range. Jmho.

Paul

[DuckHunt]

For those that shoot both vertical bows and crossbows, especially one of the faster models, how much further is your confident range shooting at a deer? Especially in an open food plot or field?

My Diamond compound would fling an arrow about 320fps. It was a screamer. In the proper hands, I've seen it hit a pumpkin at 75 yards. A pumpkin doesn't move. This summer I came to the conclusion that my shoulder will no longer allow me to use my vertical bow, but in the past I've always limited myself to about 40 yards as an absolute maximum. I feel a lot better at 35 or under.

With my crossbow the distance is the same. The crossbow may be faster but not significantly. It is louder so the added sound offsets any perceived advantage of the speed increase. With the crossbow, accuracy is not the limiting factor.

I've thought that having a light breeze that would rustle the leaves helps cover the sound of the shot, but wind can impact accuracy. Its a no win situation. Even with no sound at all, you still cannot control when a deer decides to move and the farther they are away the more likely it is to occur.

DuckHunt

[Sloppy Does]

I'm comfortable out to 40 if I have a very good shot.

[xcaliber]

I'm comfortable out to 40 if I have a very good shot.

X2. I like the close shots, pretty much bow hunt only last few years.

[Talltines]

Like others said it's a personal thing. I like FASTER bows for reduced time of flight and a flatter trajectory. I hunt a lot of thick areas and have limbs around so I lime a flat shooting arrow.

When I shot vertical bows especially my favorite bow of all time the Darton Maverick I was comfortable up to 55 yards atleast.

With my crossbows I feel the same way if not more so. But it's a personal decision one has to make for themselves.

Best of luck

Brian

[SEW]

I'm very hesitant to state the ranges I might shoot; however, a relaxed deer, just putting its head down, facing the other way, isn't going to move in the next second. Distant bow noise seems to always freeze them in their tracks anyway. BUT inflight arrow noise is a totally different thing. A very accurate, fast, vbow or xbow shooting a very quiet arrow can be consistently deadly out to quite a range. A very low BC arrow flys much flatter than a higher drag arrow. Offset vs helical, 2" low drag fletching vs higher drag fletching, esp feathers!, a low profile, quiet, non-offset, expandible broadhead (FOC is one), only enough FOC for extreme accuracy(Expandibles req less than fixed), all help keep low BCs and flatter trajectories and quiet flying arrows. I've read many times how higher BC arrows fly flatter. I've not found that higher BC than what it takes to keep tight groups to 100 yds helps but rather it hurts. Still, it takes quite a bit of BC for even an FOC to stay tight to 100 yds. Helical is often needed for fixed but not expandibles. Helical acts like it lowers BC because it makes drag on the nock end of the arrow.
Just some thoughts. Incidentally, I do shoot longer range with both compound vbows and xbows. I used the Specrum 500 and Ranging 1000 with my vbows. Older heads will likely recognize these. Also used the infamous Puckett points(1st expandible, to the best of my knowledge).
Hope this helps someone.

[galamb]

I think there is a common misconception out there - especially amongst those writing game laws, that a crossbow is somehow a better/stronger/faster/more accurate/more deadly/further reaching etc etc than either a longbow, recurve or compound.

I own and have shot all and while I will say that it is somewhat easier for one starting out to get proficient with a crossbow, especially when compared to shooting a longbow instinctively with fingers;

While the "confidence factor" may lull you into a sense of greater range, the mechanics of the arrow flight DO NOT necessarily translate into "lethality" at that greater range.

A poorly placed crossbow bolt @ 40 yards is just as disastrous as a poorly placed compound bow shot.

If you have had "iffy" results @ 40 with a compound, then until you have taken a few thousand shots with your crossbow, at target, at whatever greater distance you are trying to achieve, and consistently putting them in the "kill zone", then you should restrict your crossbow shots to those that you were comfortable with using your vertical bow.

Just keep in mind, your crossbow is simply a "recurve bow" turned sideways - the string is let go by a "release" as opposed to fingers and you use a shorter arrow that is "lighter" (so more prone to wind, penetration issues etc) then vertical bows - it's not magic - it's "just a bow" - shoot it as such...

[SEW]

The primary problem with long distance archery hunting is trajectory. As the distance gets greater, the greater the impact error from range error. While 3-4 yard ranging error can still result in a kill at 20-30 yards, at 80-100 yards, a 2-3 yard error will result in a clean miss, and a 1-2 yard ranging error can result in a poor hit verses a clean kill. Yes, the faster the arrow flight, the farther this critical distance moves out; but even with the fastest arrows, 70+ yards still requires extreme ranging accuracy. Target shooting at 80 yards is much different than hunting at 80 yards.

[longbow joe]

I shot a longbow for years with a 25 yard self limit. The micro feels like a bazooka. My new limit in my p.a. woods is now a self limit of 40 yards . I dont practic any further than that to tempt me into a range im not perfect at. Especially in a windy condition.

[racking up points]

I shot a longbow for years with a 25 yard self limit. The micro feels like a bazooka. My new limit in my p.a. woods is now a self limit of 40 yards . I dont practic any further than that to tempt me into a range im not perfect at. Especially in a windy condition.

I used to think the same way, but when you practice at 60-70y, a 40y shot feels like a chip shot, (not that it is while hunting, a lot can happen while an arrow travels 40y).