How good do you have to shoot to hunt

[Rotag]

I am getting pretty good at 15 to 20 and am wondering how good you have to be to hunt.

[MikeW]

That's all I am good for. I won't shoot at a game animal past 20 unless it just feels really good and I know I am not going to miss. I shoot foam out to 35 yards and that lets me know I am not ready to shoot past 20.

That's the challenge of trad gear...to be a good enough hunter to get under 20.
If I wanted to shoot them at 50 yards I'd use a gun....anyone can do that.

Good luck and keep practicing. Trad gear takes constant practice.

Edit:
To answer your question if you are good at 15-20 then you are good to hunt at 15-20. Pretty simple really. Don't shoot past your comfort or confidence.

[kirkw101]

I like 4 of 6 arrows in a 4" group and the other 2 just outside it.

But it really boils down to the first one, so if at 15 yards you can hit 2-3" either side of intended mark you are good in my book.

some places want 4 of 6 arrows in a 6" paper plate from a given distance.

I love to shoot 40 yards, but feel really good 25 and in.

kirk

[glen]

I dont shoot past 15 when hunting. I actually try to set up for 10 yards or less off of trails. I shoot 25 at a target but my targets dont duck adn dodge and dont get my heart in my throat.

[duck'n]

I am getting pretty confident out to 20 but still strive for that 12-17 yard shot. I would say my comfort zone is just that so unless it felt "right", I wouldn't shoot past 20. That said, I am like kirkw101...I love to shoot longer distances just to watch the arrow fly. Amazingly I make some good shots at those distances from time to time but not consistently enough to shoot at a game animal that far.

[CaptJack]

9" is how good you need to be - a 9" paper plate
9" keeps it in the lungs
4" is a heart shot

I head somewhere? that the average distance of all bow kills is 17yds (don't hold me to it

[Bullrdr82]

Steve - I was just getting on to start a thread to ask this exact question.

I was shooting at Gander Moutian tonight and at about 22 yds, I was putting 5 out of 6 in a 5 inch cirlcle.

With my compound, that would not be acceptable, but from what I can tell, it is with my recurve.

I know I am way to hard on myself when it comes to knowing if I am ready to hunt with it. I need to draw that line in the sand and once I hit it go for it....

If I can go out and do what I did for 5 nights straight then I will get some broadheads and start in with them.

[loco cacahuate]

If you're comfortable and confident with a shot..take it.
Pick a spot and follow thru

[kirkw101]

Those 40 yard shots are really cool, plus I think they help my form. If I drop my bow or hold the grip too tight my arrows stray. even at 40 yards I can keep 4 of 6 in a 10" group.


Bullrider, I would get some BH and start shooting them. sometimes BH flies a bit different than a field point. sometime not though. my current setup is good and no change between BH and field points. but it can happen.

kirk

[Live2Hunt]

I practice from 10-80 yards on the range with my longbow. I have a max hunting distance of 20 yards, but I wont shoot past 16.

At 16 yards I hit almost perfect every time. When I get to 20 I periodically have a flyer. I dont want to wound a deer, so I stay within my kill zone.

A coyote walked in on me this year and I can tell you its very different pointing the longbow at the animal than a compound. Many things were being second guessed in my brain so I let him walk. Next time I will be ready, but I dont take a shot unless I feel solid...

[noflyzone]

You will get a different answer from everyone.....

I can put every arrow in a pie plate at twenty yards, and I can put every arrow in the bullseye at 10 yards.

That being said, I sat saturday and sunday last weekend with deer all over me and the doe I wanted to shoot never stepped on the "spot". When I get to a stand I have a spot around 12 yards that I'm looking for an animal to stand broadside.

When your 20 yard groups get good, you're probably ready to start shooting game at 10-15 yards.

Just my opinion.

[noflyzone]

that's for deer and hogs

I should have noted that a few animals will get an arrow flung at them out to 30 or 40 yards. (like coyotes, javelina, or chupacabra)

[Ferg]

I agree 20 yards max, prefer 15. Half of the fun is getting the animal close. If a deer at 10 to 12 yards want get your heart pumpimg, you need to try a different sport.

[longbow 1972]

I like to practice at 25 yards to build up my confidence when I shoot at 20 or less. Its a mental thing.

[Chunky]

We really have two things working here...
1. how good do I need to be to hunt?
2. how far is a too far to shoot?

There is not black and white answer to these, but my opinion is that.......... to hunt, you need to put 4 out of 5 arrows in the paper plate.

If you can do this at 10 yards, then you can hunt at ten yards (remember, this is just my opinion).

If you can do it at 25 yards, great, you are a good shooter.

Why do I say 4 out of 5 you might ask...well, everyone can drop an arrow now and then, you can't expect perfection. We are humans after all. On the other hand, I want to kill every animal I shoot at. A wounded animal is very upsetting. Remember that if you can shoot at 20 in your back yard, hunting conditions will often be tougher with wind, shadows, animal movement, adrenaline, stiff muscles, temperature, extra clothing, or any number of factors that can make you not as good as in the yard when things are perfect. So be on the conservative side.

There is a point, where even if you can hit the target, it becomes unethical to shoot because the distance is too far. The animal has time to step or the margin of error becomes to small. What is to far? That is a hard question to answer. Each person will be different and each situation will also vary. I will shoot farther at a relaxed elephant than I will a blackbuck antelope, given all else is the same.