Tell Me About Your Bow Kills

[PorterHouse]

The archery bug bit me and I bought my first bow this past year. One of my hunting goals for 2023 is to kill a whitetail with it. Went to the bow shop this weekend for a tune, built some new arrows, bought broadheads, etc. It got me thinking, I wonder what everyone's bow "stats" are on Hunt Talk...?

So, all that being said, I'm interested to hear from the collective on your successful harvests with your bows:

- Furthest kill shot distance (and animal)
- Shortest kill shot distance (and animal)
- Average kill shot distance (and typical animal/animals harvested)

Feel free to include any other details you feel are interesting or relevant (bow specs, arrow specs, broadhead used, etc.)

 

[Mallardsx2]

-Furthest kill shot distance (and animal) - 95 yards (woodchuck)
- Shortest kill shot distance (and animal)- 1.5 yards (woodchuck)
- Average kill shot distance (and typical animal/animals harvested)- 10 yards (woodchuck / hundreds)

 

[Jamen]

Furthest 42 yards, shortest 3 yards. recovered all but one. Tracked it for 3 miles on the last day in the snow blood the whole way, not a lot but enough to keep the trail. then it disappeared. All of these are whitetail. Most shots are around 25 yards for me. Last years went the least amount of distance after the shot, 14 yards. Furthest besides the one not recovered was 60 yards.

 

[jlong17]

Furthest: 4 yards, elk
Shortest: 4 yard, elk
Average: 4 yards, elk

Only one bow kill. It was my first year elk hunting, and the 3rd day of the hunt. I even managed to capture it all on my camera. It’s all been down hill from here hahaha.

 

[jpcoll01]

Last year was my first year. I got a whitetail in KY (25 yds), two antelope in WY (15 and 20 yds) along with multiple grouse and even some quail (ranged from 15-40) in Montana. I also missed two WT’s (50 and 55 jumped the string) and 1 antelope (25 yds jumped the string) and wounded a black bear (only 30 yds but shot too far forward into brisket area). What I learned in that year that may be useful to you is to take only shots that you are very confident in as wounding an animal is a gut punch that I don’t want to experience again (although I’m sure I will). You can shoot a target that doesn’t move at 70/80+ yds pretty easily but are you willing to put in the work to track, grid search, etc for days on end if you wound something?

 

[SwaggyD]

- Furthest kill shot distance (and animal) - 19 yards - whitetail buck.
- Shortest kill shot distance (and animal) - 17 yards - whitetail buck.
- Average kill shot distance (and typical animal/animals harvested) - 18 yards - whitetail buck.

I only have 2 bow kills. In back to back years before I got too busy with kids. Hoping to get back to it this year. Got the trail cams ready to be mounted this weekend.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

Furthest: 4 yards, elk
Shortest: 4 yard, elk
Average: 4 yards, elk

Only one bow kill. It was my first year elk hunting, and the 3rd day of the hunt. I even managed to capture it all on my camera. It’s all been down hill from here hahaha.

View attachment 285312

Is the video posted somewhere? Would be cool to watch.

 

[PorterHouse]

Furthest: 4 yards, elk
Shortest: 4 yard, elk
Average: 4 yards, elk

Only one bow kill. It was my first year elk hunting, and the 3rd day of the hunt. I even managed to capture it all on my camera. It’s all been down hill from here hahaha.

View attachment 285312

Wow, that's a dream scenario right there...shoot one close enough you could spit on 'em. I can imagine the adrenaline dump after that encounter. And to have that happen your first year elk hunting no less.

 

[GrantK]

Furthest: 71 yards, elk
Shortest: 1.5 yards, elk
Average: 40 yards, approx 20 elk and a random couple deer, average in my case doesn't at all match the actual shot distances, lots of 10-15 and lots of 50-55, very few 20-45

 

[2rocky]

Furthest kill: 50 yds on a Tule Elk
Closest kill: 25 yds on Blacktail Deer. closer than than top pin close on a Turkey
Coolest kill: 40 yd head shot on a coyote. She ducked the arrow but not far enough...
Average shot range 35-40 yds.

I'm still shooting my 2012 setup 425gr arrows with 100 gr. wac 'ems out of a 70 # Hoyt Alphamax. I upgraded my bow every 5 years from 2003 to 2012. Then my points went to work for me and I drew some good rifle tags.

 

[Valley1320]

Furthest kill 72 yards muley buck
Closest kill 1.5 yards whitetail doe.
Coolest kill 45 yards muley buck shot him when he stood up out of his bed watched him haul ass 100 yards and tip over with blood pumping out both sides.

 

[FREAK]

Furthest was 45 yards on a raghorn.
Closest was 15 yards on a bull. I was knelt down next to a small pine tree and he came trotting in, stopped broadside at 15 and let out a bugle right as I released the arrow. I was hooked after that.

 

[Rzrbck918]

Furthest kill was about 55 yards on a whitetail. Closest was three on a turkey that I stuck to the ground and it jumped up and down on the arrow shaft until it expired. Average is 20-30. To follow @Valley1320 , my coolest kill was a shot Id never take again but I shot a whitetail at 35 yards at a solid run being pushed in a deer drive. Perfect shot, ran 75 degree semi circle and crashed into a fence about 5 yards from me. Redneck kids growing up in Arkansas...

 

[jlong17]

Is the video posted somewhere? Would be cool to watch.

No, I just have the video on my phone. Its about a 10 minute video. It’s unreal. My buddies were set up to my right about 50 yards and he bugles all the way in from roughly 100 yards. I captured one of his bugles when he is just out of frame, as my phone was propped up against a rock. The most epic moment of my short hunting career. The stuff dreams are made of

Wow, that's a dream scenario right there...shoot one close enough you could spit on 'em. I can imagine the adrenaline dump after that encounter. And to have that happen your first year elk hunting no less.

Ya man, insane!! I also have a video of my reaction after the shot, and of me walking up on him. I have never posted it on social media or YouTube or anything. I rewatch it throughout the year to remind me of the intense emotions that hunting brings me. I’ve shot several elk since then, but none with my bow and none quite as exciting. It’s what keeps us going out there, right?!

 

[blueridge]

They’re not all glorious. Remember the scene in Dances with Wolves when the Pawnees come upon Timmons, and they commence to using him as a pin cushion? Yeah, my first one was unfortunately about like that.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

They’re not all glorious. Remember the scene in Dances with Wolves when the Pawnees come upon Timmons, and they commence to using him as a pin cushion? Yeah, my first one was unfortunately about like that.

I had one like that... No fun

 

[DoveEater]

Pheasant, about ten yards
Coot, about 5 yards

Average, 7.5 yards, only got the two birds so far, shot at a lot of ducks with my ow last season, but didn't bag any.

 

[Elkoholic]

Furthest = 45yds rutting Ohio Groundhog
Shortest = 10yds Ohio WT buck
Avg = multiple other bow kills, I'd say 20yds avg.

 

[Nick87]

They’re not all glorious. Remember the scene in Dances with Wolves when the Pawnees come upon Timmons, and they commence to using him as a pin cushion? Yeah, my first one was unfortunately about like that.

Put Dat in your book.

 

[DFS]

They’re not all glorious. Remember the scene in Dances with Wolves when the Pawnees come upon Timmons, and they commence to using him as a pin cushion? Yeah, my first one was unfortunately about like that.

I’ve seen people do it with rifles. It sucks but it’s hunting. It’s not always pretty.