What is your guys' max shot distance when hunting big game? Small game I will shoot at at any distance but deer I am only confident to 15 yards at the moment. I have been confident out to twenty or a little over but I took a couple month break from shooting and currently my max effective range is 15 yards. Seems so short
When hunting small game, if I have to think about whether or not I can make a shot, I don't take it. If it just feels right, I take the shot without thinking about it.
I've never shot at a deer yet, but I feel confident out to 25 yards.
As crazy as it sounds, inside 20 yards from the ground. 15 yards or less from a tree stand. I routinely practice out to 30 yards but shooting at a live creature requires you to use ethics and to be honest with YOUR effective shooting distance. Right now, these are my distances
I shoot and practice daily at a elevated position at various ranges out to 20 yards with the occasional 30 yard shot for the possibility of a second shot on a wounded animal. I always try pushing my shooting ability and practice every hunting scenario possible. So, 20 yards is usually the max for me but as I said I would send a arrow at a wounded animal at 30 yards in a blink of an eye if need be.
Hunting deer, my distance is 10-15 yards. Elk, I would shoot 20-25 yards (maybe).
I shoot my bows on average four to five days a week. I also shoot distances out to 50 yards during 3-d season. That said, I have wounded deer before and I feel much more comfortable getting them as close as possible.
There seems to be a difference from western spot and stalk hunters to eastern blind and tree stand hunters for what is a viable hunting length shot. I hunt western Iowa whitetails like someone out west would spot and stalk mule deer. I practice from 'point on' in. With my current bows that is about 55 yards. Shot timing is much more critical when shooting over 25 yards. As a ground hunter, stealth is much more critical under 20 yards.
I will take a shot that looks right if the confidence is there. My shooting method seems to allow for that. With that being said, I've yet to see a shot looks right that turned out to be 50 yards. If evaluating shots that I've taken and made, 40 yards is about tops, but less is the norm.