the real question is how do you know your max range? i'm trying to figure where mine is. someone told me unless you can put 9 out of 10 shots in the bullseye at that range dont shoot a deer at that distance.

If that's the case I guess my max range is 10 yards.

I practice out to 50, but wouldn't try a shot at a live target of over 35. Too much room for error IMHO.

I don't care if you can put 10 out of 10 in the same hole at 100 yards with an arrow.......that deer is not a stationary target. Max on live whitetails for me is 35 yards. I have never launched an arrow at anything more than that, and my preferable range is within 25. Learn to get closer to the deer, not stretch your effective range. Those critters can do one out of hundreds of things while that arrow is in flight that will result in wounded or missed animals.

Bulls eyes don't jump, drop, or move when you shoot at them.

Matt beat me posting, but I personally like them under 20.

I can keep every shot in the vitals out to about 70 yards, but I probably wouldn't shoot a live animal past 40 or 50 yards. Most every thing I have shot has been 30 yards or closer.

my longest shot on a whitetail is 47 yards. double lung shot and deer went 40yds and died. now that i look back i shouldnt have taken a shot that far. i'm comfortable shooting at that range but the deer can do way to many things in the time it takes an arrow to get there. i like to keep it 30 or less

I practice with my compound out to 55 yards because being able to keep all my arrows in the kill zone at that distance makes the closer shots seem easy. But on a live whitetail I don't shoot past 35 yards. Out to that distance I feel pretty certain that if I aim at the heart that animal is mine barring a truely unusual freakazoid reaction on it's part.

Like the others said, it's not just about how far you can shoot accurately. The longer that arrow is in the air the more time that animal has to duck, take a step, turn, etc, etc,..

Target archery is seeing how far away you can get and still hit the bull's eye. Bow hunting is seeing how close you can get and never miss.

I practice, and hit plenty good enough to kill a deer,out to 60 pretty often but I have a hard time convincing myself that it would be ethical to shoot at a whitetail that far. A less agile, bigger vitaled elk perhaps....but not a whitetail. 35 yards is even pushing it for 95% of situtations in my humble opinion. I like 25 and in myself. I will say though that if the conditions are absolutely perfect on a big mature whitetail in the Midwest, I would sling one at him at around 50 yards or so if I knew the exact yardage and could dial it up on my sight, could get him to be still, no wind, etc. I don't know what it is about the Midwest bucks, but if you've ever watched them on videos, you will hardly EVER see a buck jump the string up there. They always end up standing there like a statue while the arrow sails home. An older buck is the dumbest animals in the woods ONCE he makes his mind up to walk around in the daylight looking for ladies. Old does are always schizophrenic, whether here or anywhere else in the country, and I don't see any sense whatsoever in shooting at them at long distances. :twocents:

All good advice. A whitetail deer can move a ton in a very short time. Once you get over 35 yards, they will hardly ever still be standing where they were when you released the arrow. Get them close.

I killed 4 deer last year with my bow. The longest shot was 22 yards.

Practice a lot and practice at longer ranges. Keep your shots close.

It is interesting the views you get on this depending on your location. In most the woods I hunt, I barely have a shot past 30 yards, even if I wanted to take it. Out west there are guys that will make 50, 60, and 70 yard shots on whitetail and mules without batting an eye at it. This is just the environment in which they hunt. While we think shots that far are unethical, they make them all the time.

i keep them under 25, but will take longer if needed

It's interesting to hear you guys talk about midwest hunters taking longer shots. I have had the opportunity to hunt out there twice and those deer don't act anything like a southern whitetail. They are different animals. MUCH easier to kill and no where near as wary or spooky. I could see getting away with longer shots out there. :twocents:

Interesting to know.

30 yards.

If you put your stand in the right place you won't have shoot over 20 or 30 yards!

It depends on weather condition, location, and the alertness of the Deer.

30 yds for me

Hunting with my LongBow this year.So 20 yards maybe.Going to try and keep it 15 yards or less.

About 30-35 yards for whitetails.

I have pins out to 75 here in WY & practice to that distance. I'd shoot an elk up to 65 if it was a clear shot, and a mule deer nearly that far.