Long Range Crossbow Hunting !

[cedo1974]

Although I practice out to 80-90 yards, I wouldn't take a shot at a deer beyond 40 yards or if it's looking right at me. That being said, I'm comfortable taking a shot up to 25 yards without a rest, but anything beyond that...I use a bi-pod. As for my vertical bow, nothing past 40 yards even though I can get a tight grouping at 60 yards. Sound travels faster than an arrow...I won't take a chance at wounding my prey.

[MTBighorn]

It is a little funny to me when we reference the "good old days" when we speak of ethics???!

When I was just a little boy, I read a lot of the old time archery books and articles. I recall lots of shots were done at 60 yards...Tons of arrows loosed and many team volley firing events on animals.

One comparison to American Indian shooters describe the distance and how on one trip, the Indians average shot was around 10yds and with 6 arrows loosed, 5 animals were collected...compared to the dozens of arrows loosed by the white men and only a couple animals collected!!!

The Grizzly Bear that Pope&Young killed while on commission to the Smithonian comes to mind...a 60/70yard volley fire to get a few arrows in him. And the casual manner the author used to describe how tboth archers had easily connected with there shots was so surprising to me since it was/is hard for me to hit a hay bale at half that distance with my "old school" equipment.

One writing of old that really sticks in my head was a story (I think it was Pope or Young) that mentioned passing on shots closer than 25 yards because it was NOT sporting or fair, to shoot an animal at such a close range! Different times..for sure!

Next time that I am at my dad's I will try to dig out some of the old material so I can better direct folks to this old writing.

[Timbrhuntr]

Saxton Pope - Hunting with bow and arrow .

[IronNoggin]

... as an example the first person to come to mind is Ironoggin....and I have no doubt that whatever he's shooting at, he knows exactly what that animal is doing and where his arrow is going.

Why Thanks Buddy!! That was mighty kind of you!

I rather agree that "effective range" varies widely from individual to individual.
For some, 40 yards seems long. For others, 60 yards seems like a "Chip Shot".
As you know, I practice a LOT out to 100 yards and any given range in-between. We talking hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of shots.
I do this because I truly enjoy doing so, and to become as Familiar with my equipment as I possibly can. It is now to the point that my 380 basically becomes "part of my body" when I pick it up to shoot.

Given the 58 yard broadside shot noted by Timbrhuntr above, if I could have stopped that buck, he simply would have been dead. Not faulting him at all, in fact I strongly agree with The Pass if you are not fully confident of a good clean hit. That said, I have no issue taking a shot on a relaxed animal at 60, 65 and even 70 yards. My equipment is more than capable, and I have trained HARD to be so myself. On the other side of the coin, there are times when I will PASS at much closer ranges if the shot is too tricky, or the animal on Red Alert.

And just for the record, I consider the way I hunt to be completely ethical - I have not lost a single animal since picking up this 380, and pride myself in continuing that trend.

For the original OP: I do not watch these shows, for in fact I watch very little on the Boob Tube at all. I do hear what you are saying, and agree. One has to stay Firmly within the limits of what you are comfortable and capable of doing - every single time...

To Sproulman: I am saddened to hear of the kind of extremely shoddy behavior of the so-called "hunters" in your area. What they are doing is beyond unethical, it is downright criminal! You are already feeling the results of that. Hope like hell it gets nipped in the bud, or your (and a lot more folks') hunting down the road looks to be downright dismal

Cheers,
Nog

[agingcrossbower]

I personally think 40 yds. is far enough, there are just too many variables especially if you are hunting in the timber, Besides archery hunting to me is about getting close to your deer, or whatever you hunt, that is what it,s all about. JMHO !!!

Dave

I agree word for word. Bingo.

[Timbrhuntr]

... as an example the first person to come to mind is Ironoggin....and I have no doubt that whatever he's shooting at, he knows exactly what that animal is doing and where his arrow is going.

Why Thanks Buddy!! That was mighty kind of you!

I rather agree that "effective range" varies widely from individual to individual.
For some, 40 yards seems long. For others, 60 yards seems like a "Chip Shot".
As you know, I practice a LOT out to 100 yards and any given range in-between. We talking hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of shots.
I do this because I truly enjoy doing so, and to become as Familiar with my equipment as I possibly can. It is now to the point that my 380 basically becomes "part of my body" when I pick it up to shoot.

Given the 58 yard broadside shot noted by Timbrhuntr above, if I could have stopped that buck, he simply would have been dead. Not faulting him at all, in fact I strongly agree with The Pass if you are not fully confident of a good clean hit. That said, I have no issue taking a shot on a relaxed animal at 60, 65 and even 70 yards. My equipment is more than capable, and I have trained HARD to be so myself. On the other side of the coin, there are times when I will PASS at much closer ranges if the shot is too tricky, or the animal on Red Alert.

And just for the record, I consider the way I hunt to be completely ethical - I have not lost a single animal since picking up this 380, and pride myself in continuing that trend.

For the original OP: I do not watch these shows, for in fact I watch very little on the Boob Tube at all. I do hear what you are saying, and agree. One has to stay Firmly within the limits of what you are comfortable and capable of doing - every single time...

To Sproulman: I am saddened to hear of the kind of extremely shoddy behavior of the so-called "hunters" in your area. What they are doing is beyond unethical, it is downright criminal! You are already feeling the results of that. Hope like hell it gets nipped in the bud, or your (and a lot more folks') hunting down the road looks to be downright dismal

Cheers,
Nog

I may have misread your comment on why I passed on that buck but for me its not the familiarity with the equipment on a long range shot with a slow weapon such as a bow that concerns me .It is the live animal I'm shooting at ! I did not shoot that deer at 58 yards because even though if it had been a stationary target I could have hit it dead center 10 out of 10 times I learned a long time ago that live animals can do amazing and completely unbelievable things and thats at close ranges. I like to minimze the likely hood of them doing something not so amazing like taking one step upon release and going from a quickly killed animal to a possible wounded or long track for that animal because of a bad hit. For me the longer the distance the more chance of that happening. It has absolutley nothing to do with my limitation with the equipment. I once shot a bull moose at 67 yards. I had been practicing at long range with a life size moose target before the hunt. The bull was standing relaxed on a logging road broadside. He was standing looking for the caller. I was confident of a good clean kill hit. I lined up right behind his front leg and low for the heart. As I touched of the shot he took a big step forward. I am not sure if he heard the shot or was just going to step forward anyways. But with that one step the arrow hit back and luckily got liver . Although it was a dead bull we almost did not recover it as it went well over 200 yards in thick bush and finding it was more by luck than skill. I will not do that again if they are over 35 to 40 yards I just watch and enjoy.