Farthest shot

[Pilsbury]

I'm sure there will be varying opinions about this but I'm gonna ask anyway. I'm shooting a micro all stock except 125gr broadhead. What in your opinion is the farthest shot that could successfully take a deer without having to worry about them jumping the string? I'm thinking I feel comfortable with 35-40 yards but looking for some opinions with a little experience.

[retrieverman]

Since I started crossbow hunting, I keep my shots on game right around 30 yards. I do practice at longer ranges though.

[j.krug]

Since I started crossbow hunting, I keep my shots on game right around 30 yards. I do practice at longer ranges though.

Pretty much how I operate as well.

[DuckHunt]

I've taken a few between 35 and 40 yards and only one of them didn't move before the impact. I recovered all of them fortunately. One of them was alert at 37 yards and had movement that would make the Matrix franchise proud. I was aiming behind the left front shoulder at a known (ranged) distance. By the time the arrow reached the deer it impacted the right hind quarter and severed the femoral artery. It was dumb luck. This was with an ExoMax at 350 fps.

For this reason, I prefer my shots under 30 yards for alert deer.

DuckHunt

[vixenmaster]

My farthest shot has been 47 yds, pass-through no string jump, i used a Matrix 355

[SEW]

I've found that deer tend to react to the shot noise more at shorter ranges that at longer ranges. They will react to a noisy arrow at any range.

[Bcwn]

I'll be hunting with my new 380 next week for the first time. Am I understanding that although these bows are very fast, and accurate the noise level produced is a little too much to effectively shoot past 30-40 yards without alerting a deer to the point of being able to jump, or ducking the arrow?

Brad

[vixenmaster]

I'll be hunting with my new 380 next week for the first time. Am I understanding that although these bows are very fast, and accurate the noise level produced is a little too much to effectively shoot past 30-40 yards without alerting a deer to the point of being able to jump, or ducking the arrow?

Brad

Depends on the deer n its awareness. I had to edit my post as either the o never made it fer no or i hit the key too light

[Bcwn]

My vertical set up is a carbon spyder. It's super quiet, but I've got to give it to deer I really believe they have great eye sight as well. I always try to shoot when a deer is looking the other way, or just having their face to the ground. I believe they can see the arrow, and or limbs moving out of their periphery vision.

Brad

[vixenmaster]

Don't give those tick toters too muck credit on their eyesight. They have great hearin, they hear the vanes on the arrow when its several yds from impact n then they try to react. I showed a fully alert Mature Doe on video as she saw me n i shot her in the neck as she looked. I used an Excal carved tip limbed model to kill her! Their hearin n nose are their main defense but some times they still stay n let you kill them!

[TheBig1]

Ok fellas, a serious question here. No, I haven't done it and no I don't think a crossbow is a rifle. But hypothetically lets say that I have a 405 and while playing with it I'm knocking down bullseyes at 80 yards consistently and grouping amazingly. Now depending on the penetration that I'm observing on my target and judging things like that.

So if I had decent penetration on the target at that range, was confident in my practice as well as hitting/grouping bullseyes, why wouldn't I want to take that shot on a RELAXED live target lets say in an open field?

Chad

[jd4223]

16-17 yards from a sitting position on a folding camp stool wearing a 3D leafy ghillie suit.Never really had an ethical shot at longer distances.I don't shoot unless I have a clean shot at 20 yards and under. My cross hair is centered at 20 yards so that is the maximum I will shoot at a deer.Target shooting is different. I'm good out to 50 yards free handed.

[Green380]

Ok fellas, a serious question here. No, I haven't done it and no I don't think a crossbow is a rifle. But hypothetically lets say that I have a 405 and while playing with it I'm knocking down bullseyes at 80 yards consistently and grouping amazingly. Now depending on the penetration that I'm observing on my target and judging things like that.

So if I had decent penetration on the target at that range, was confident in my practice as well as hitting/grouping bullseyes, why wouldn't I want to take that shot on a RELAXED live target lets say in an open field?

Chad

The energy in your arrow would not be an issue. I also seem to recall a post on here from someone who shot a deer on the other side of a gully, I think it was right around 80 yards.
Not something I've done in the least the doe I got this year was at 25 yards right in my comfort zone and she didn't flinch until the arrow hit (at least my eyes were to slow to catch a flinch before that) I did pass on a 40-50 yard shot early in the season and I'd pass that shot again just didn't feel good about it.

[dutchhunter]

Even at 100 yards your arrow will still blow right threw a deers ribs.yes I can hit a dollar bill at one hundred yards .but no I would never shoot at a deer at anything over 40 yards. It is not about the arrow hitting hard enough it is all about the deer still being there when the arrow gets there .last year I shot at a great buck.40 yards he threw his head around at the shot and I hit him right in the base of the horn ...it was kind if neat seeing the lighted knock bouncing across the feild just before dark but that buck was out of there at the sound if the shot..Dutch

[halfbreed]

Shot a mulie this year at 72 yards with the 380. Pass through and another 10 to 15 feet after. I do think 40 thru 60 yards are a weird mix of still loud at the shot and extra distance for the arrow to travel. Closer the speed makes up for the noise and 70 and over i think the noise is not enough to startle a CALM deer. every deer is different just like opinions. The bow power is more than enough...its everything else that you have to take into consideration. Hope that helps.