What's Your Effective Range?

[Acuna]

What do you consider to be your effective range when bowhunting with trad gear? Just curious.

After about a 8-9 year layoff and only shooting for a week, I would say my range is about 10-11 yards. I am shooting every day the weather permits and on the whole I feel like I am getting better every time I shoot. I hope to be at about 13-15+ yards effective hunting range in a month.

Follow up question: when did you feel like you were "good enough" to start doing some 3-D shoots. I've never participated in one, and looking back on how much I used to love shooting my bow, that suprises me.

[Deb]

The Austin Archery Club is having a shoot this Sunday. Come on out and give it a try. I am bringing a friend who has never done it before, and a couple of other friends who have only done it once or twice.

[CaptJack]

my favorite distance is 17yds
but I practice a lot at 25yds
and I practice to 40yds all the time

[Acuna]

The Austin Archery Club is having a shoot this Sunday. Come on out and give it a try. I am bringing a friend who has never done it before, and a couple of other friends who have only done it once or twice.

Hmmm I would be all over it but for V-day activities I have already committed to...

[Deb]

They have a shoot the second Sunday of every month from Jan to Sept. Also, we have a 3D range here at home if you want to come and shoot sometime.

[trad"Doc"53]

I like staying 20 yds. and under for hunting, but like CaptJack, I practice out to 40 yds. also.

[woody]

i use throw down corn to get the deer between 10 and 20 yards. I have yet to take one with my recurve bow, but it was probably due to buck fever that i shot under at 19 yards.

[redneck82]

I would say mine is a max of 15 yards for hunting. I will practice out to about 20 yards.

I am still new to trad shooting (about a year or so), I tend to keep it close.

[EnW]

I wouldn't hesitate to go to a 3d shoot regardless of what you might think your skill level is. They are a blast to participate in and it doesn't matter how good you shoot. Like CaptJack said, I like to shoot from around 17 yards but I will practice most often at around 22 yards even going out to as far as 40 yards on occasion.

[Night Wing]

I like 14-17 yards, but weather permitting, I've been practicing a lot at 23 yards.

[meangene1969]

Closer the better but anything inside 18

[Chunky]

I really like 12 to 15 yards, although I will shoot farther under the right conditions.

As far as 3-D goes...you don't need a certain skill level. I went to a 3-D shoot (my first) the day after I bought my first recurve (used). I only hit 8 out of 28...that's right 20 wiffs...on top of that the 8 hits were legs, neck, and every thing else. I might have gotten one or two 8's that day. I had a blast and everyone was great. Go for it.

[huntinpool]

I shot a 3D shot with a new bow the day I got it. Had a blast and missed 12 of 30 shots. Took me 6 months before I made it through one without missing. I practice to 25 yds daily because ASA has a 25 yd max. Before a big Trad shoot i will get out to 40 based on what I have seen at some of the shoots last year. Been shooting a year and 1 month and feel like 20 yd or closer is a comfortable shot for hunting. GO TO A SHOOT AND HAVE FUN that's what it's all about.

[Longbow99]

I laid off for two years to allow some injured muscles to heal. I have been back shooting for 4 months at 3 to 5 times a week. My "I can't miss" distance is 15-18 yards and feel comfortable out to 25.

3-D shoots are a different animal. A lot of fun and socializing. Don't worry about the scores, just get out there and do it.

[rubydog]

Thats ONE FOOT. One foot I am not sticking in my mouth by responding to this thread with a distance. I feel comfortable when I feel comfortable with a shot...