Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: Carl Galvin on April 18, 2018, 03:46:19 pm

Title: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Carl Galvin on April 18, 2018, 03:46:19 pm
I was wondering wha you all feel is your longest shot you feel comfortable with for hunting deer with a longbow.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: osage outlaw on April 18, 2018, 03:53:43 pm
I have set a personal limit at 15 yards. 
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Pat B on April 18, 2018, 04:14:36 pm
Maybe 20 yards but I prefer 12 to 15 yards.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Carl Galvin on April 18, 2018, 04:35:03 pm
 And the close range game, and having to do good scouting to get that close, is what it's all about. Much more exciting than taking a deer ar 100 yards with a rifle.

Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: mullet on April 18, 2018, 07:12:57 pm
15-16 yards. We did an experiment one day at the club I shoot with. Everyone got to shoot at the 3-D targets from where they felt comfortable. Then the spot was measured with a range finder. Most with selfbows were in the 15-20 yd range and Glass bows averaged around 20 yds.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: StickMark on April 18, 2018, 09:00:37 pm
flat terrain, 15 yards, if I am honest
steep uphill, steep downhill, 20-22 yards.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: TimBo on April 19, 2018, 09:45:28 am
About 15 yards for me too.  I would like to improve to the point that I can put the arrow right where I want it at 30 yards (I can dream!), but I doubt that I will ever feel right about taking a shot at a deer from more than 20. 
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: BowEd on April 19, 2018, 10:32:25 am
I like 5 to 10 yards myself.Not only the scouting of movement getting honed but ambush placements/stalking tactics/scent and wind too.More so on the same level with the animal improving other hunting skills besides relying on technology to make up the difference.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: bjrogg on April 19, 2018, 12:36:23 pm
I'm like Ed. About 9 yards is my sweet spot. I'd be pretty comfortable at 15 but a lot depends on the the animal. It gets hard to draw on a animal when they are that close to. I'd rather shoot 12 yards at one that just walked past me and is looking somewhere else Than a five yard broadside with deer on high alert. I'm still very much learning this type of hunting yet but I really love it and find it extremely rewarding.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: bradsmith2010 on April 19, 2018, 04:27:59 pm
10  or 15
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: sleek on April 19, 2018, 04:34:05 pm
My only bow kill was at 17 yards, but it was textbook perfect set up. Her head was down in the grass, wind was perfect, and she was quartered away, almost broad side.

Id like them no further than 15, but in a perect situation, 20 yards wouldnt be a stretch.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Tracker0721 on April 21, 2018, 12:50:38 pm
My old Howatt with glass- 40 yards. Selfbow maybe 20-25. I practice at that range but the goal is always to creep or place a last second ambush in to 10 or so. I like practicing out further because I wanna take a bear on foot. And 5-10 yards from a bear sounds too intense haha
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Will Tell on April 22, 2018, 07:42:34 am
I shoot a lot of 3D and am pretty good from 15 to 20 yards. I like to shoot 80% kill shots, seems the distance varies but I can tell when I can make a good shot.  Deer hunting I'd probally take a 20 yard shot if it was a perfect set up.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Hawkdancer on April 22, 2018, 10:55:27 am
Tracker,
Methinks even 15 yes is a bit narrow for bear - they bite back!  I would want a second arrow in hand, AND my .44 magnum with the hammer loop off!  On the other hand, I follow the Apache line of thought and feel the bear is a cousin (that I don't want to hug)!  I don't hunt them on purpose, but will respond to a threat, if necessary.  I think with a self bow, 15 yards max, if I can hit the "grapefruit" size spot every time.  Sorry, I got a bit off topic here!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: sleek on April 22, 2018, 11:05:42 am
Hawk, im with you in the bear. I dont csre that oeople hunt them, but i could never. I was watching a hinying show on break at work. There was a bear hangin out with his buddy. He was getting a good deep back scratch on a tree, darn near laying the tree over, and right when he finished, he had an arrow in his heart. I felt horrible for that bear. So sad.  I hunt, but to me a bear has too much personality. Of course, no matter what, i am never excited over the kill. Im always saddened. Its a very solemn moment for me. 

I guess i too should appologize for being off topic.
So, yeah, uhhh 15 yards. Really, people miss at 5 yards sometimes. You cant be perfect, just do your best to minimize your risk at any distance.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: High-Desert on April 22, 2018, 11:57:11 am
When I'm not in front of an elk, I feel comfortable to 30, as soon as the elk show up, 30 yards looks like 100, and won't take a shot past 15, which is apparently still too far since I missed one at 15 last year..... Same day, I shot a rabbit at 20.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: sleek on April 22, 2018, 12:32:46 pm
When I'm not in front of an elk, I feel comfortable to 30, as soon as the elk show up, 30 yards looks like 100, and won't take a shot past 15, which is apparently still too far since I missed one at 15 last year..... Same day, I shot a rabbit at 20.

It humorous to read, but only because i think we can all relate. Lol, aim small miss small. Guess its true. It seems we could miss the moose and nail the rabbit.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: bjrogg on April 22, 2018, 03:30:40 pm
Yup. I waited for the perfect shoot last year. Practiced deligently. Was very disaplened  and consintrated on my spot, stayed calm, drew to my anchor perfect release and watched my arrow completely miss my buck right over his back at 7 yards quartering away. I still need to work more on that shooting from a tree. I practiced it but still not that comfortable second nature don't even have to think of it shoot for me. I need to bend at my waist an square my upper body to my target or I shoot high every time. Just forgot that part.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Traxx on May 06, 2018, 09:45:48 pm
Your in Good company High-Desert,,,,,
Best shot i ever made on purpose,was a heart shot,on a cottontail at 45 yards..20 minutes later,i missed one darn near at my feet..
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: JW_Halverson on May 07, 2018, 11:54:24 am
When I'm not in front of an elk, I feel comfortable to 30, as soon as the elk show up, 30 yards looks like 100, and won't take a shot past 15, which is apparently still too far since I missed one at 15 last year..... Same day, I shot a rabbit at 20.

Yeah, spend any time at all at this and you will have a similar story. Not me, of course, but most people.   >:D

A buddy of mine that could harvest walnuts from a 100' tall tree without messing up the nut had a 15 yard shot at a huge mule deer. Deer was broadside and not even on alert, focused on some does in heat.  Ol' Barry pulls back a 55lb Pacific yew English longbow and sails that 650 grain arrow at 175 fps a good 6 ft high OVER THE DEER'S ANTLERS!  As that arrow sailed for 100 yards it looked like a dot....no dog wagging it's tail, not porpoising up and down. Perfect arrow flight. That buck even commented on how true that arrow flew as he calmly walked away!  Poor Barry, threw the bow to the ground, snapped another arrow in half and proceeded to tear a 12 inch wide 8 foot long strip of bark off a pine tree with just the foul language spewing from his mouth.  He began walking in circles cussing until he had killed a good half dozen trees with his language.  About this time a fork horn yearling buck walks out, all 80 lbs of him.  Barry snatches his bow off the ground, nocks an arrow and snap releases a shot through the heart at 20 yards! 

Small targets are always easier! 
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Hawkdancer on May 08, 2018, 12:17:07 am
Keep shooting for the"grapefruit", and hope the game is wearing one on it's chest? (SH) >:D  :-D :G Lol!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: BowEd on May 15, 2018, 09:40:29 am
I know a fella who in large black letters on the belly of the top limb fade has the words FOCUS!!! to see while shooting.Not a bad idea either.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: ntvbowyer1969 on June 07, 2018, 09:59:34 pm
I try to never shoot past 15yrds. I prefer 15yrds and under when shooting at live game. at this distance i know i can hit a softball size circle.I am confidant at that range and i feel to be confidant in your weapon is the most important part in being successful taking game. the more you become successful the more confidence. The more you try to push the limits of your effective/accurate range and you wound or miss game the confidence level drops. This snowballs on the archer/hunter and then makes him/her question their abilities,question their equipment,question after question will ensue and this is what causes many a primitive/traditional archer to loose interest in our great sport. So i feel a individuals accurate/effective range should all they need to worry about.. Long shots are for the range and fun. they have no place in shooting at game that we respect so much.
Title: Re: Long Range Shot With a Selfbow
Post by: Wvfarrier on September 03, 2018, 01:05:31 pm
With a laminated bow I can go 25-30 but with my self bows i stay under 20.