[pavan]

Being a ground hunter and still hunter in rather open country, my shots tend to be longer than most tree stand hunters. Knowing this I work very hard at longer shot. I do not work from close in out when trying to extend my range. I work from point on in. That close in stuff is important for confidence and form work, but knowing your point on range and then working in from that is faster. It takes me many more practice shots at longer ranges than close in ranges. Things like a soft release or a short draw really show up at near point distances, mine runs between 52 to 58 or 60 yards, depending on the bow and the arrow. That does not mean that i will shoot at a deer at that distance, I will often take longer shots than that at pheasants and rabbits.

 

[Tracker1]

I have two things to consider, one is accurate hits but I am more concerned about arrow energy of my 40 and 45lb draw weight. Years ago I shot 50-55lbs when I was younger from recurves so I wasn’t worried. After that shooting high energy compounds energy wasn’t a concern either. But now hunting with a 45lb recurve 20yrds on deer is about it for me.
In Ohio where I hunt getting deer at 20yds or less isn’t a problem.
One other thing is now we have much better broadheads and arrows than when I started out with recurves many years ago.

 

[pavan]

i can tell you that a 37 @26plus Hill longbow will put a Dremel sharpened 140 Hill head mounted on a 5/16" Acme cedar arrow completely through a 160 pound Iowa whitetail at 18 yards shooting uphill, it even had some rib contact. I did it once when I tore a muscle weight lifting. A faster recurve with a longer draw and a 400 or more grained arrow will do the same out to 30 yards. I would recommend a sleek broad head in any case. A good old Eskimo would probably be good as well. The important part is getting your arrows to be flying nice and straight behind the broad head. An arrow off center in flight will lose quite a bit of its momentum at contact. I would not go crazy heavy either with arrow weight either. My favorite head is the 160 Hill single bevel, that I grind to a single bevel from an un sharpened Hill blank. I think a Grizzly or Hunter's Head would be just as good, I have shot a bunch of deer with both. I have hauled a good number of deer out that my wife killed with 38@26 bows, shooting 430 grain cedar arrows pushing Eskimo heads. You would be surprised how efficient a lighter weight bow can be, then just let the arrow do its job. Never use a mechanical head, two blade cut on contact heads only. We do not have better heads now than back in time or shafts for that matter. Zwicky Escimos are still deadly and tapered wood shafts from either Surewood firs or Wapiti cedars fly as good as anything and they don't need to be full length to fly perfect. As a matter of fact there is no need to have extra spine and length at all and no need to do a lot of tuning to get to them to fly perfect, just tell them your actual draw length bow poundage and type of bow with the point weight that you plan on using. Wood arrows are easy to make, there are plenty of free directions on line.

 

[Matt flint]

Ive got a long draw, came from compounds with all the bells and whistles.
Spent many hours tuning my set ups and got to where I felt comfy shooting my kitted out arrows with lighted nock and broadhead at 100 yards into my 18-1 target.
About 6 years back, I got permission on a little farm with a half fell over barn that I used as a blind. Last day I could hunt and I had a fork horn hung up at 42 yards.
I drew and settled my pin, let down, and again. Finally convinced myself that it was a good shot. I executed my shot, felt great. That dang deer while seeming to me not on edge loaded up to bolt. My arrow entered in front of the rear ham and exited the other side through the ham.
Got an artery and the deer only went 70 to 100 yards and piled up dead. Blew my mind how far that deer moved during arrow flight. My arrow drug crap through the far ham and the entry had seepage that I had to cut out. Lost a good bit of useable meat and had the most disgusting field dress of my hunting career.
I personally will not shoot at a deer with any archery tackle outside of 25 yards. That experience layed that in stone in my mind. I absolutely hate the idea of releasing an arrow that would lead to the suffering of any creature I hunt. Obviously why we practice so much, I imagine that is a shared feeling.
With all that said. I watch mule deer and elk, they both do not seem to load up as fast as a whitetail. I think depending on situation my boundaries may change with them.

 

[Matt flint]

I just got a selway slide on. Real bear to get on but I doubt itll budge. Seems like they make a strap on style too. I have no experience with any others and only that of puting mine on and throwing some arrows in it.
From what I read. We want to get our quivers on and loaded as they would be in the field as they will effect the tuning of tour bow. Thats just regurgitated info as I am green as hell to all this gear

 

[WP79Vet]

Matt - deer can jump the string at 15 or 20 yards, too. During my early compound days I had one jump the string at 20 yards - and the arrow missed completely, even though the shot felt perfect. My mistake was that the deer was looking in my direction when I released the string. In my experience an animal will rarely jump the string if it's calm, and I can't see its eye when I draw and release. Prey animals have much wider peripheral vision than we do, and their vision system is optimized for picking up movement, so they will jump the string if you can see their eye, even if they aren't looking right at you.

Nevertheless, 25 yards is a good max range, with any equipment. There are just too many things that can go wrong at longer ranges.

Selway slide on quivers work really well - I used on on a one-piece Nirk Huntsman bow for many years. No complaints, ever. You're absolutely right - your bow will feel and shoot very differently without a quiver, or even with a quiver that has no arrows in it. Practice the way you'll hunt, in everything, is the way to go.

 

[Juspassin]

0 to 25 yards

 

[Caleb foster]

How far of shots are you taking at deer?
I will probably be deer hunting with traditional gear this year (45lbs 29”draw, 150grn Magnus Stinger two blade, 600 full length) and right now I’m good to 20 yards.
I’m also trying to figure out what to do about a hunting quiver. Do the have removable bow quivers for recurves?

For traditional gear like yours, keeping shots within 20–25 yards is smart, especially with a recurve — it keeps your accuracy and penetration high. As for quivers, yes, there are removable bow quivers designed for recurves. Many attach with a simple bracket and can be taken off easily for transport or when you want a lighter setup. Brands like Easton, Trophy Ridge, and QAD make options specifically for recurve bows. Make sure it doesn’t interfere with your arrow rest or release.

 

[Tracker1]

For traditional gear like yours, keeping shots within 20–25 yards is smart, especially with a recurve — it keeps your accuracy and penetration high. As for quivers, yes, there are removable bow quivers designed for recurves. Many attach with a simple bracket and can be taken off easily for transport or when you want a lighter setup. Brands like Easton, Trophy Ridge, and QAD make options specifically for recurve bows. Make sure it doesn’t interfere with your arrow rest or release.

Five year old thread, much has changed 🤔.

 

[Buckfever]

I like to keep it 20 yds and under.

A hip or pack quiver ain’t a bad way to go if you don’t want to shoot with a quiver on

 

[Sam Dunham]

How far of shots are you taking at deer?
I will probably be deer hunting with traditional gear this year (45lbs 29”draw, 150grn Magnus Stinger two blade, 600 full length) and right now I’m good to 20 yards.
I’m also trying to figure out what to do about a hunting quiver. Do the have removable bow quivers for recurves?

Perfect 0-22 yard set up point on at 20 for me except full length 500's.

 

[Obi wan]

20 yards for me. I like a back quiver. My brother-in-law made me one years ago and I really liked it so i started using it. I was always taking the bow quiver off anyway. I could never get comfortable with it on in a stand.

 

[bowwild]

I determine my effective range via practice. I expect kill zone shots at least 9 of 10 arrows. This year my effective range will be 15 yards, the shortest since I started in 1968. I don't like quivers on the bow. I carry arrows separately or remove a bow quiver when I arrive on stand. There was a time years ago when I used bow quivers. I recall times I've "hid" behind my arrows as deer approached.