No

not if deer is relaxed and he is broadside .

 

No

not if deer is relaxed and he is broadside .

If he’s moving I wouldn’t either

 

How accurate are your groups at 40? We have guys here on the forum that reach out to twice that distance. My limit is 40yds. It's hard to find an area open enough for a 40yd shot where I hunt.
✌DF

 

It is not that far for a crossbow, but...do you practice at 40? How good is your set up at that distance?
Do you feel comfortable to shoot at 40 and hit where you aim?
What is your target doing? Is it relaxed or it is ready to jump a string?
It all depends on the real scenario, but, yes, 40 can be done. Even 50.

 

I would say since you had to ask this question....40yrd is too far for you to shoot.

The bow itself has the power to shoot that far...if thats what your asking..

 

That's a good answer Wapster.

 

I practice out to 50 yards. But I live out west and shots around 60 yards aren’t unusual. I personally don’t take shots over 50 yards. My mule deer this year was just a little over 40 yards and It was spot and stock.

 

Not really a yes/no question. Yours, and most modern crossbows easy push an arrow 40 yards. The shooter, arrow, environment, target, rest and many more factors are required to know if 40 yards is an ethical shot. Ultimately, the shoot/pass decision is yours. My max limit with a 505, Oracle X, custom arrows, great shooting position, environment and more is 40 yards in PA. Lucky enough to never have shot that far. Oldcarp has different situations out west and I’m practicing to 60 yards for an antelope hunt.
That would be from a ground blind, good chair, Bog Death-Grip, custom arrows with wind tells fluttering at various distance. It’s more about the hunt than the shot for me…

 

I shot 2 mule deer in Wyoming at 72 and 74 yards my Matrix 380. Those shots were taken under optimal conditions.. light wind in my favor, not aware I was there, feeding, ect.. back here in Wisconsin longest shot was 71 on a whitetail with the same crossbow.. standing in the middle of a small river drinking water under perfect conditions. That said.. as mentioned by Dirt Fahmah above.. can't even get a 40+ shot in the woods here. Being out West you will probably get longer shots so practice when it's calm, practice when it's windy and crappy, all different distances, ect.. and I think you will find which yardage your confident you can make clean shot.

 

..and everyone is different on that. Key is to be truthful to yourself about what is your limit to make a good clean kill. Situational, skill wise, some days you don't feel as confident, ect..

 

I practice my compound and crossbow at 80 yards. I shoot deer out to about 55 yards. Broadside and not moving.. practice is key..

 

Some excellent real world data in this post! I've seen posts like this generate some real hate before. I'm very impressed with the replies here! 👍

I have to add that i have passed on many 40yd shots on deer due to wind, alert deer, imperfect position ect. Figure out your effective range and as long as you are not losing deer you'll know you are hunting within your capabilities.

Very good discussion men!
✌DF

 

DF I no exactly the debates you are talking about. When questions like this are asked, and I'm beginning to wonder if we've been scammed into our answers.

 

Yep. I seen the question as “Bait” but to answer the op question.
There’s not enough information to answer your question properly Joe

 

Absolutely not as long as the shooter can shoot 40 yards

 

I never take a shot over 20...unless the deer is farther away! 😉

 

I personally would not shoot at that distance. Yes I can hit a 3” circle at that distance. But I don’t like the possibility that, due to their natural proclivities, my accurate shot might result in a badly wounded rather than clean-killed animal. The only two deer I ever took were back in the late 1970s with a wood recurve bow (not xbow), and both were inside of 20 yards. I think if I were to go hunting now i would restrict myself to that distance, and would go for boar.

 

I agree with all of the above. The bow is plenty capable. Not all archers are though. Know your limitations.

 

Every situation/ scenario is different- but generally yes, most crossbows today can shoot 40 yards or more. The question is- can you shoot 40 yards? have you practiced & placed at least three arrows consecutively inside the bullseye of a target at that distance? Try practice shooting on windy days, even on an elevated platform if you hunt from a tree-stand. Hope this helps?

 

My Excalibur can shoot that far, I can too. BUT the deer don't cooperate and stay rooted in place. I have been videoing my hunts the last couple of years and I am amazed at how much they can duck the shot at 25 and 30 yards. I have been limiting myself to 30 yards, aiming lower and at deer with their heads up. Working so far this year.

 

I shot my buck last November at 43 yards. I knew my ranges because I do it several times during a sit. I’ll say “ok that tree is 35 yards” then I’ll check it to make sure I’m right. I do that all around me so when it’s time to take a shot I already know what distance the deer is at. I have to be honest, from my stand it felt like a chip shot. When I got down and walked to the buck it felt further. But always practice further than you expect to shoot

 

probably decent to set max yds at fps divided by 10. past that dont matter how perfect your aim and accuracy is cause the target can move, or it might not who knows, becomes gambling at a point

 

If you are going to hunt game at 40 yds, practise a lot at 80 yds, too.
10 shots each at 40, 60 and 80 yards is a good rule of thumb, IMO.
Small imperfections in equipment, setup and routine become twice (at least, if not much, more) as magnified at twice the distances.
You will learn a lot about your equipment's capabilities and your shooting habits at longer distances.
Once you are dialed in on the kill zone at the longer distances, your confidence at 2/3 and 1/2 the distance should be higher.

 

Definitely Dynamo

 

I don't think I would have any concern with a 40 to 60yd shot depending on conditions. Regularly have killed deer at 50+ yds with vertical bow. The crossbow shoots far tighter groups at range than I ever got with the vertical bow. I won't even shoot groups because is will damage arrows. Just practice and it is not a big deal. Also don't shoot alert or moving animals. Pick your shots.

 

In the last 15 years I took three deer in 45-50 range with crossbows. Two were left handed. I didn't have any longer kills maybe because I didn't consider it.
But in open pasture I would with my current crossbow because I know it from practicing long range. I would only take the shot if I knew the yardage by laser with still deer in low wind with good support. Those shots are not offered often.

 

50 is my max range. sure if everything went rite 80 or 100 possible to hit a deer. just too much of a gamble at longer distances. not worth killing an animal to just feed yotes. 40-50 is just an ethical distance imo. i been hunting a long time and can let them walk, if out of range, pretty easy these days. others seem to need a deer so bad they just have to try and score at unethical distances. not as much respect for animal life anymore i think.

 

I agree with all of the above. The bow is plenty capable. Not all archers are though. Know your limitations.

Excellent advice.👍👍

 

I shot my first deer with an arrow >60 years ago. I have never shot one past 20 yards give or take a yard or two. I do shoot to test my bow, scope and arrows out to 45 yards often enough. I will on occasion shoot 100 when I can. BUT... I have more deer than I could possible kill and I have no reason ever to shoot past 20. Most, I kill at more like 15. Some have been closer. It is not really hard in most places to keep your shots on Whitetail deer in tight like that. The advantage is much more in your favor at that kind of range.

Edited to add:

I learned a long, long time ago that you neednt have a perfect place to hunt deer if you have patience. Set up down wind of where they travel and get comfortable. If you wait they will come, and if the one you want doesn't come right away, it will sooner or later. Even if a given deer rarely visits the area, when it does, it will use the trail(s) that it has in the past and that other deer use as well. They just are not real big on doing something different every day.