long shots 4 or against ?

mdcrossbow · Post by **mdcrossbow** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:26 am

Reason I asked, When I was tought about crossbows 22 years ago. Gil Fry was still alive and he was a member of a group of crossbow shooters known nationaly, What a great guy. Gil would shoot 80 90 yards and hit is target. I have never practice at thoses ranges and wouldn't dream of it. But what are your reasons for not taking them or taking them ?

Shakky · Post by **Shakky** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:21 am

I can hit a target where ever I want at 50 yards from a sitting position but it takes the arrow awhile to get there. I'm shooting a Vixen with an arrow very close to the 325gr min. so I'm probably getting around 290fps. Still, I'm sure the deer could move enough during the time of flight to mess up the shot. Is the Max fast enough for 50 yard shots? I don't know but I wouldn't try it with my Vixen.

Digger · Post by **Digger** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:51 am

My Paradox shoota at 340 fps and I still wouldn't risk a shot over 35 yds and try to keep my shots under 30 yds for any bow I use.

Digger

Woody Williams · Post by **Woody Williams** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 11:03 am

2001 Exomag 185# pull..shooting a Goldtip Laser II with a 100 grain Wasp SST Hammer...

40 yards is my maximum.

I did screw up and shoot one two years ago at 42 yards.

A double lung shot turned into a heart shot..

He is still dead as a hammer though...

arbalest · Post by **arbalest** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:33 pm

I visited with Gil Frey and corresponded with him for years. He forgot more about crossbows than we will ever know. Just remember that the long shots he took, were at targets, not game. Targets don't move. I don't believe he would've advocated long shots at game.

mdcrossbow · Post by **mdcrossbow** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:38 pm

That was one of the things he stressed the most to me when he was teaching me the sport. He was a great man and a good friend for many years. He lived about a mile from my shop. So anytime I had free I was over his house shooting in his back yard or in his basement or just helping him while he worked on his and many other peoples bows.

huntin1 · Post by **huntin1** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 6:28 pm

I am a long range rifle shooter so the long range thing kind of spills over into everything I shoot. Since I got my Excalibur in the spring of 2003 I have done some long range shooting with it, with a proper rest a target at 100 yards is not too much of a problem. I did the same thing with my compound when I was shooting that on a regular basis. That being said, shooting at a deer is a whole nuther matter. I like to keep shots at deer to 40 yards or less, if the conditions are perfect and the deer has his head down or behind something I "might" push 50 yards, but that's a big might, and I like to drag my season out for as long as I can so I normally wait till I get one closer. Heck, the buck I shot last fall was a whopping 15 feet.

huntin1

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:09 pm

I don't like the long shots. FIELD ETIQUETTE...

In saying that I will admit and not for bragging purposes...I downed a buck I call OLE stinky from 50 yds once upon a time...I had been hunting this OLE stinky buck for about 2 wks. I finally got a shot and he was across a creek just browsing around in the tall poison Ivy bushes. I was hoping he was going to cross the creek and come closer. the middle of the creek which was dry at the time was 25 yds perfect. he wasn't coming he was paralleling the creek and i wasn't letting this chance go bye..It was now or never I was down wind, on the ground between three (a cluster) trees. i will say at a familiar crossing for the deer in this area. So it wasn't a surprise to him that there might be a deer on the other side of the creek..he was broad side perfect was at the ready with my doe in heat bleat in my mouth ranged him(50) I was ready.xbow up cross hairs on the vitals hit the bleat and he snapped his head up and looked right at me I didn't need to move to get off the shot just pull the trigger..I squeezed the trigger and it was like slow motion...I saw the arrow twistin in the air, I followed it all the way. It disappeared in his side..He didn't even move until it hit him..to late...35yds double lung he was done...

I was proud but its hard to tell that story because folks think your full of $hit or bad for taking a long shot like that ...I have to say in that situation everything was as perfect as I could see at the time...in hind sight I would have been real upset if he would have flinched jumped and been wounded. I probably would have mortally wounded him and may never have found him who knows???If that had been the case I would have been upset for not waiting on the better shot...so..it comes down to this..
Long shots are a bigger gamble than I want to take spend to much time and precious energy to settle for less than my best in the field...I have to answer to myself when IM alone in the woods..what kind hunter, person, accountable friend to my bro would that make me if I was just out there flingin arrows around not worrying about the other end outcome..not who I wanna be thats who..

buckmark · Post by **buckmark** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:32 pm

I don't like shooting past 30 yards, I would push it out to 40 if I had to but to be honest I have never had to shoot past 20, they always seem to come in close and if they didn't I'd let them walk, I like it up close and personal anyway.

Leo in Ga · Post by **Leo in Ga** » Sat Sep 18, 2004 8:52 am

I have no problem "shooting" my Exomag at long ranges, I just restrict that "shooting" to targets

leo

mdcrossbow · Post by **mdcrossbow** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:25 am

Same here Leo. I just wondering for information