50 Yard Broadside Shot

CYCLONE · Post by **CYCLONE** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:11 pm

I can consistantly bullseye the target at 50-55 yards. I also range find my shooting lanes so I am familiar with all distances prior to deer entering my shooting lanes. If I am presented with a 50-55 yard shot at a BC calibur buck with no better oppurtunites present should I take the shot. I have vixen with 18" gold tips and wasp 100 grain braodheads with a variscope. I would most likely take the shot, what are your opinions.

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:32 pm

Hmm, that's a good question. I have no idea what I would do.

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:36 pm

Nope, but then again I am not you. Distance is to far with a Vixen as it/deer could jump the shot easy....

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:37 pm

GaryL wrote:Nope, but then again I am not you. Distance is to far with a Vixen as it/deer could jump the shot easy....

That's what I was thinking. I would take the shot with my .30-06 though

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:37 pm

Thats a sticky subject. Pardon the pune ! The xbow is capable but are we? .Alot of people frown on those long shots. I dont like them. Ive seen deer jump 2ft to the side just because they heard a acorn hit the ground or smelled something funny to them.. I will tell you if the buck is unaware of your presence, and he is as calm as can be and you have practiced alot at that range let your conscience be your guide. the last thing I would want to do is sourly wound a great creature like that. If that happened to me i would kick myself for takin the shot..to many things can happen in the time it takes that arrow to close the gap, that would lead to a bad hit.. the whole idea of bow hunting is getting them close.. In the woods we are self regulated and we must make ethical decisions.. A decision you wouldnt be ashamed of sharing with someone say like your son.
Say you did take the shot and you hit him bad..How would you feel? You cant find him! what would you think of someone who did such a thing? only you know those answers..

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:52 pm

I would say No with a VIXEN , but mabey with a MAX you would have a lot more K.E. at time of impact pluss more speed to help with the string jump that would hapen at that distance , any shot should be with in your shooting ability and fair to your quary, any way I would not advise it with a VIXEN GREYWOLF

CYCLONE · Post by **CYCLONE** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:52 pm

I here you Hoss, the most memorable moment of my life is my sons first deer hunt we"caught" a BC typical that he saw first. 20 minutes in the deer woods for him, 15 years for me.

LoneWolf · Post by **LoneWolf** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:54 pm

Nope, but then again I am not you. Distance is to far with a Vixen as it/deer could jump the shot easy....

Even with an Exomax I wouldn't take a 50-55 yard shot on ANY deer, too much can happen. Now give me a moose or an elk at 50 yards and a clear shooting path and that would be a whole different story!...

tomcat · Post by **tomcat** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:54 pm

I wouldn't hesitate to take that shot with my compound, because I know I am more than capable of making that shot count, however I would probably risk losing the shot and attempt a grunt call if I were holding my crossbow, until he got closer. I just don't have the confidence I can make that kind of shot with enough certainty that I would risk never getting another shot at him after I made a marginal shot.

Another factor in this is that I am still healing from a motorcycle crash this summer, and don't believe I would be steady enough for any shot beyond 30-40 yds at the very most.

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:57 pm

Aint that how it goes Cyclone...we work our butts off tryin to get ole mossy and someone drives up on opening day and gets out of his vehicle gets ready to get after it....and there he is standin out in the field 50 yds away.BOOM .10 minutes and its over..Oh well...I bet I have more fun though..

huntman · Post by **huntman** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:09 pm

Well this is the beauty of a forum all are entitled to their own opinions. I would take the shot considering that there was no wind and a clear opening with no chance of hitting a limb. I have shot a deer at that distance with my exomag, the shot placement was perfect and the recovery was about 75 yards with an excellent blood trail. Now was it beacuse i got lucky? Possibly but i know that the mag is campable because i have practied that distance many times. No one wants to shoot a deer and no find the animal but that's why it's hunting i look at that if i spend the money to buy the best bow on the market and use all the best equipment (scope,bolts,broadheads) and keep all this equipment in top condition why shouln't i take that shot? If i am gonna pass up oppurtunites because of WHAT IF then i might as well stay home and place a card game with my wife that takes no practice and a deck of cards only costs a couple of bucks.

my two cents....

LoneWolf · Post by **LoneWolf** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:32 pm

And here's my two cents on that subject!

If you want to shoot deer at 50+ yards why not use a firearm?

After all what is the purpose of bowhunting anyway?... To get them up close right?

That said, I'd much rather brag about shooting a deer that was 8 yards away as opposed to 50 yards.

DT10Sam · Post by **DT10Sam** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:34 pm

Well this is an interesting subject as I do have experience with this one. Five years ago I took a shot at a very nice large buck with 9 points at a distance of 25 yards. I am extremely competent in shooting accurately at 50 yards. I was using my Jennings XLR bow at 70 lbs. and took a shot at the buck. He jumped the string and I had a terrible feeling watching the arrow hit him high in the ribs and below his spine. This area being better known as no where mans land. I could see alot of blood on the side of the buck as he took off. I felt good that I hit him but felt not so confident as to where the arrow entered and it was a complete pass through. I looked for that buck that night and called a few friends to help me look for him the next morning. As luck had it there was no trace of the buck and after a couple of days he could not be found. That feeling of not being able to retrieve him is not one that I would want to experience again. About a couple of onths later I had a farmer call me a concession over from where I hunted claiming he has found my buck but the coyotes have been eating at him for some time. Everyone knew of the buck that I hit by the description of the rack. I was able to get the rack and it is displayed in my store. After learning all I have from my experience I have a new understanding of shooting the right distance and aiming lower for the wise bucks that know about jumping strings. I now own an Exomax and feel that the chances of a buck jumping the string at 25 yards will be minimal but shooting a Vixen at 50 yards I would not chance it. I would hate to get that terrible feeling again. Just my opinion.

Best of luck and have fun hunting.

Best regards,
Sam

CYCLONE · Post by **CYCLONE** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:59 pm

Greywolf,

Are you saying there would not be enough penetration at that range on a vital hit to put it down with a good blood trail? Just asking? Lets assume a 250 -300 # ole mossy

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:33 pm

lets do the math say your bolt is moving at around 220 f.p.s. at 55 yards, with a 350 grain bolt, use the formula speed xspeed xweight divided by 450240 and you get 37.5743 pounds of energy the main problem is the loss of speed , re do it with the max speed at that range say 290 f.p.s. and you get 65.376243 pounds . Which would you rather hit a game animal with and hope to recover.