bghunter777 Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I always try to take the most ethical shot on a deer possible. I thought that it would be fun to shoot a deer at a longer distance. I am thinking about purposely trying to shoot a doe at about 40 yards from one of my stands. I know the opportunity will present itself. At 20 yards which is the average distance I normally shoot deer i can put 99 out of 100 arrows in the boiler room and at 40 yards I would say about 90 out of 100 would be rite there. This is where the question of ethics comes in. I am looking for your opinions on whether this is something that is ethical to do. I understand the 40 yard shot is a lower percentage shot with more variables but its not ridiculous i am still very confident at this distance. Should i attempt this just to be able to have it as something i personally have accomplished in my own hunting or should i take the 20 yard or closer shot that will also present itself with patients? please express your thoughts thats why i am asking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse8953 Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 If you feel confident and have praticed at that range,and have the proper equipment, I see no problem with a 40 yard shot.It might ease your mind knowing you can do it just incase you would have to shoot a big buck at that range.jmo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Some may not like the answer, but ethics is a personal thing. Do you feel confident at forty yards? Apparently you do. To me 40's not an unethical shot, but others would beg to differ. I dont care if you can hit a dime at 60 yards, the next issue that comes into play is the time it takes to get the arrow there and the deer will certainly be moving and turning at that time. Is bowhunting ethical? I can't tell you the last time I failed to recover a deer with a rifle, but I can surely tell you of a deer or two over the last several years I failed to recover with a bow. But to me it's all part of it. You just prepare the best you can and take your best shot. Sorry for the long answer, but I'm bored today and I guess I got time to be philosophical, lol. Bottom line, what's ethical to one guy aint that way to the next, but 40 is quite ethical to me if you're prepared and it sounds like you are to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 No problem with a forty here far as being ethical. Heck I've had deer inside 20 that reacted to the shot more than some further out. Guess it don't matter how many you can put in the vitals out of 100 shots. Chances are only your first one will count so if you feel good about it, so do I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 If you practice that distance, it's totally ethical. I took my first deer ever at 43 yds and made a perfect shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I agree with everyone above...Its all about you. If you can do it, if you practice at that range, if you feel confiedent...then yes, go for it. Here is what i would do, when the shot presents itself, what is going to be your first reaction? If at all you question the situation, or you have to debate on taking the shot and you keep telling yourself "i dont know" then pass...If your first reaction is "I got this" thats a green light...Thwack!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyperflow Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 40 yards its nothing, id have no problem puting a arrow in his eye ball at 40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 40 yards its nothing, id have no problem puting a arrow in his eye ball at 40 And there's a good example of not ethical, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairiepredator Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 There is definately nothing wrong with taking a 40 yard shot if you are comfortable with it and you know your bow is shooting properly. Shooting on the range and at a deer are two different things though! I have not shot much deer before with bow, so I know I would shake alot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muleyman Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 By the sounds of it you are fine shooting at 40. If you are shooting that good, defenitly take the forty yard shot. the most important thing is that you are comfortable at that distance. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I killed my first archery deer at 42 yards with a Pearson Spoiler....go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Practiced at that distance...no problem Just be careful not to look at the whole deer when your shooting. No matter how far out they are you still have to pick a spot;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I thought that it would be fun to shoot a deer at a longer distance. Let me just add this - and this is just my opinion. Shooting a deer at 40 yards to me is not unethical. Shooting a deer at 40 yards just to see if you can do it, when you already know the deer is moving in closer to you is.... to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimPic Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Let me just add this - and this is just my opinion. Shooting a deer at 40 yards to me is not unethical. Shooting a deer at 40 yards just to see if you can do it, when you already know the deer is moving in closer to you is.... to me. the perfect answer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Let me just add this - and this is just my opinion. Shooting a deer at 40 yards to me is not unethical. Shooting a deer at 40 yards just to see if you can do it, when you already know the deer is moving in closer to you is.... to me. Completely agree. I'll shoot a deer out to 50; however, I'll take the closest shot I can get. If you let that deer walk under you and then fling an arrow at the same deer at 40.... Completely unethical in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointing_dogs_rule Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Let me just add this - and this is just my opinion. Shooting a deer at 40 yards to me is not unethical. Shooting a deer at 40 yards just to see if you can do it, when you already know the deer is moving in closer to you is.... to me. DITTO and remember a live animal ISN'T like your target. It ISN'T always perfectly square to you and IT WILL MOVE. good luck to all the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterwebb Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 yea what they say i practice at 40 and 50 any thing closer is easy and yea i shoot 20 and 30 but most of the time 40 and 50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 On mule deer and elk 40 yards is an easy shot. They usually just stand there and watch the arrow hit them. Whitetails are so darned nervous they tend to jump at the noise so I really like them closer. I shoot Field Archery so 6 inch groups at 80 yards isn't a problem for me but I limit myself to 40 on game usually. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortDraw Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 I agree with gardner. I limit myself on elk and muledeer to about 50. whitetail is about 30, there just too jumpy. Too answer your question. Do I think a 40 yard shot is unethical? No, not if you can do it. I do, however, think its unethical in the way your going about it. wanting to do a 40 yard shot to see if you can. Bowhunting is about getting close. I have far more respect for someone who arrows something at 10 than at 150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 I do, however, think its unethical in the way your going about it. wanting to do a 40 yard shot to see if you can. Bowhunting is about getting close. I have far more respect for someone who arrows something at 10 than at 150. He's giving himself a challenge. Whats unethical about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 He's giving himself a challenge. Whats unethical about that? A challenge on the target courses is one thing. But I want a sure thing in the field. Even then sometimes it doesn't work out as well as I'd like. Practice and when you can put all your broadhead tipped arrows in the sure kill at 40 yards for several months try it. The mule deer I killed 10 days ago was at 42 yards and he went 30 and tipped over. That's what I like. No challenge. Especially the challenge of a long blood trail. One of the guys that hunt where I did took a 73 yard shot and managed to find the buck after a day of looking. The bears found it first. He is an excellent archer but admits to bad judgement. At least he's honest. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Well if trying to harvest a deer at a certain range is unethical then throw me in the unethical pot. Might as well throw pistol hunters in there to for not just using a rifle to ensure a quick clean kill. Bottom line here, if your comfortable with the shot, take it. If not, then don't. Don't let others tell you what is and isn't ethical....that is up to you my friend. People in here can pick a shot apart to death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger-Hunter Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 It is true that ethics is a personal thing based on circumstances. a 20 yard shot can be unethical if you've never shot a bow before or can't hit the mark. Michael Waddell took a 50 yard shot in Montana a few years ago and hit the mark perfectly - he practices that shot and anticipated having to take one at that distance while hunting the Milk River. Practice, practice, practice and then if you have to, take the shot when it presents itself. Anything after 50 yards, though would be questionable with a bow, only because other factors come into play. For example, the deer can easily jump the string at those distances, making the shot questionable. Also, it depends on terrain. a 40 yard shot might be completely unethical even if you hit the mark 100% of the time if you are shooting in a forest with a lot of foilage. The ol' shoot and pray method is not a good one to make. But I think we all know better than that. Those guys seldom hang out here or try to educated themselves on deer info. I have a cousin that has hunted for 4 years and taken several shots (with shotgun). Never hit a deer. Clearly, he is not hunting ethically because he doesn't practice enough. I always assume if you've been on this forum for more than 100 posts that ethics will creep into your sub-conscience at some point. 40 yard shots are ok in my book as long as you can hit the target while practicing and the terrain dictates a clear shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 That's why I hate these "ethics" threads. You ask for an opinion and you'll get plenty. There is no black and white to it, it's a personal thing. But as for my opinion, get them closer than forty if you can, if you cant, take the shot if your comfortable with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Taking the shot is one thing. Making it is quite another. Just be prepared to deal with the emotions if the deer takes a step and you don't recover the bad hit. Paper and foam can't walk or jump the string. Since there are usually no ethics referees in this game only you can be the judge of right and wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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