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Post by span870 on Jul 23, 2011 5:35:58 GMT -5
Okay question for you guys. Been practicing alot lately for my annual trip to Wyoming for antelope and mule deer. Last night i finally moved back to 60 yards. All my arrows are landing in a 4 inch circle. Been practicing 50 yards for years just moved back to 60 for that little extra. Am comfortable taking shot if it is presented. I shoot an average of 200 arrows a week in all weather conditions. Question is how ethical of a shot do you think this is all things considered. (I.e. wind, angle of deer, temperment of deer) I know of alot of guys that hunt out there where I do take this shot and farther on a consistent basis. If im out there and take it its one thing but in Indiana if I tell a buddy I shot a deer at 50 yards I get questioned about the ethics of it. Why the difference in mind set. Just wondering your thoughts.
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Post by oneshot on Jul 23, 2011 6:36:23 GMT -5
It is all about your capabilities, what you are comfortable with. If you are competent with your archery gear at 60 yds. go for it. Ethical.......yes.
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Post by Decatur on Jul 23, 2011 6:54:19 GMT -5
Yep!
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Post by countrystyle56 on Jul 23, 2011 7:06:14 GMT -5
I think its because of the different terrain. I'm guessing Wyoming is more open country hunting where a 60 yard shot would be more reasonable. In Indiana, you mostly hunt wooded areas. A 60 yard shot through the woods isn't very ethical because of branches and such that could knock the flight of your arrow off. Thats just my opinioin. In open country, if you practice the shot and feel comfortable with it, let er fly.
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Post by turkeyscout on Jul 23, 2011 8:15:26 GMT -5
it's all in your confidence, of course a good range finder would be a plus,in Indiana it harder to judge distances in the wooooods, 30 yards and under for me.....turkey scout
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Post by danf on Jul 23, 2011 8:41:28 GMT -5
Maybe it's just me, but taking a shot past 40-50 yards with a bow just doesn't seem like a good thing to do most of the time. Arrows travel much slower than a bullet and a LOT can happen in the 1/2 second or so it takes the arrow to travel that distance. Shooting a stationary target at 60 or even 100 yards with a bow is a LOT different than taking a shot at a live animal that has the potential to move at even 50 yards. A lot can go wrong between the time the release trigger is pulled and the time the arrow reaches the animal. An animal with a larger kill zone like an elk or a moose is a slightly different situation than a relatively smaller animal like a deer or speed goat.
If you think you are willing to try to take a shot at 60 yards, IMHO you need to be practicing PAST that range, like out to 70 or 80 yards. When I was bowhunting I would limit myself to around 30 yards while hunting, but would consistently practice out to 40-45 yards.
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Post by raporter on Jul 23, 2011 8:42:49 GMT -5
If you are consistently holding 4 inch patterns at 60 yards to me that says it all. Now as TS said I would think a range finder would be a needed as the terrain is so much different than Indiana. Good luck on your hunt.
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Post by featherduster on Jul 23, 2011 8:55:53 GMT -5
Don't forget to factor in "ADRENALINE". Shooting targets in your backyard is not the same as shooting a live animal. If your good at 60yards then don't try to push that range to (maybe I can hit him at 65 or 68 or.......).
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Post by Sasquatch on Jul 23, 2011 9:19:12 GMT -5
Well known Western bowhunters such as Chuck Adams and Randy Ulmer say that you'd better be ready to make forty or fifty yard shots if you're going to have the greatest chance of success.
As mentioned , a lot depends on the adrenaline factor as well.
If you know you can do it, do it, and bugger what everybody else thinks.
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Post by trapperdave on Jul 23, 2011 9:24:27 GMT -5
whats ethical can only be decided by you.
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Post by esshup on Jul 23, 2011 9:30:51 GMT -5
I've rifle hunted out there, but never bow hunted. Take a rangefinder - the range can be tricky. There are places where you won't see a tree for a mile or more, nor a bush higher than a couple of feet.
Practice shooting that distance in a wind, it's windy most days out there.
On my last hunt we spent 3 days driving and glassing. We had a buck come out of a draw that had some water and he walked not 20 yds from the truck. He had an arrow sticking out both sides of him above the spine right in front of the hindquarters. I really wanted to shoot him, but then I would have had to tag him. My cousin who lives out there said the same thing. We never saw him again even tho we were back in the same area the next day.
If you're confident about the shot, and have practiced it, I don't see a problem. I know of guys out there that practice a lot further away than that!
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Post by span870 on Jul 23, 2011 17:52:25 GMT -5
Definitely on the range finder. Me and the guide both range the shots on all the animals i have shot. I agree on shooting farther than 60 for practice. Makes the target huge at 30. I guess more of my question was compared to western hunting why are we midwest hunters more apt to think over 30 is unethical. Never have shot any deer over 30 in the midwest. I just got a new piece of property to hunt the will be mostly field hunting so not saying if one walked out at 50 or more i wouldn't. Is it maybe most shots are 30 or less so thats where they practice. Just getting a discussion started. Appreciate all the input though guys. Good hunting.
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Post by duff on Jul 23, 2011 18:04:48 GMT -5
Definitely on the range finder. Me and the guide both range the shots on all the animals i have shot. I agree on shooting farther than 60 for practice. Makes the target huge at 30. I guess more of my question was compared to western hunting why are we midwest hunters more apt to think over 30 is unethical. Never have shot any deer over 30 in the midwest. I just got a new piece of property to hunt the will be mostly field hunting so not saying if one walked out at 50 or more i wouldn't. Is it maybe most shots are 30 or less so thats where they practice. Just getting a discussion started. Appreciate all the input though guys. Good hunting. I've seen you shoot. You can't hit the side of a barn when you are sitting inside of it. You expect us to believe you can shoot past 30 yards? Glad to see you posting on here You need to come down and do some goose hunting this year, maybe get a speck or two
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Post by span870 on Jul 23, 2011 21:14:32 GMT -5
Duff. Come down and hunt them birds with you? Must need someone to call for you. We'll have to do that this year. Just remember. You got calls. Good leave em in the truck.
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Post by duff on Jul 24, 2011 7:07:47 GMT -5
Not someone to call for me but someone to haul gear in and out.
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Post by span870 on Jul 24, 2011 10:12:25 GMT -5
Been there done that. Always been the mule. Why you think I got dragged along all the time. Course I remember getting many phone calls in the morning inquiring if I had left for work because the birds had landed in the wrong field and someone was needed to move them along. You know anything about that?
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Post by duff on Jul 24, 2011 10:32:52 GMT -5
A few times maybe!
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Post by Indyhunter on Jul 25, 2011 20:21:42 GMT -5
Not someone to call for me but someone to haul gear in and out. According to Art, that was YOUR job. And I do not think he would want that changed now.
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Post by span870 on Jul 26, 2011 4:20:27 GMT -5
Indy.... Hauling decoys was something I always got stuck with. The man could waste some time folding a blind up or some other trivial thing to waste time until I had the decoys hauled to the truck. Seems if i remember right every time I hunted with him the fields were too wet to drive the truck in to pick up the decoys but if he was by himself or hunting with someone else the ground was nice and frozen solid? ?? Point is though if you ever hunted with Duff you would understand the comment about calling for him and him being told to leave the calls in the truck. You ever heard a cat caught in a lawnmover with dull blades spinning reallllllllly slow? Well that sounds better. Good hunting was to be had by hunting a field next to them whem Duff was with him and calling. ;D
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Post by span870 on Jul 26, 2011 4:22:38 GMT -5
I still have never seen anyone carry 8 full body decoys in one trip like the old man though. Never figured that one out.
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