Range

[Deerhunter21]

So lets say the arrow is going perfectly to the heart, the deer doesn't move, shaving sharp broad head, 45# bow, perfect release, perfect everything... except it is shot 40 yards away. will the arrow have enough power to kill the deer?

[bradsmith2010]

u didnt say arrow weight,,
lets assume 450 grains,,
45# bows can vary quite a bit in performance,, so lets say its shooting 160 fps with a 10 gpp arrow,,(450 grains) ( some bows will shoot into the 170 or 180 with 10 grain per pound arrows,, I just wanted to keep it average,,)
my answer would be yes,,

just to clarify,, the weight of the bow is really not an accurate way to measure the effeciency of that bow,, a 60# bow could easily  be shooting the same as a 40#  bow etc etc etc,,

[WhistlingBadger]

Yep, depends on arrow speed and weight.  But with a typical, quality hunting bow/arrow setup, if all those things happen perfectly (and those are some mighty big ifs!), I'd say your odds are good.

I'm curious:  Why do you ask?
Thomas

[Hawkdancer]

Razor sharp point!  What range can you hit a grapefruit (4"-5" ) spot every time?  Shot placement is very important!  Hunting skills equally so!  Personally, I believe 40 yards is too far even with a high tech, laser sighted compound thing.  Arrow weight matched to the bow is also important, many other variables come into play as well.
Hawkdancer

[bradsmith2010]

Yes in real hunting situation...that is to far for me...but I understood the question to be if it hit the mark at that range would it be leathel...I think it would...I am not recommending that...I stump shoot that far and have fun doing that.

[DC]

I'm not a hunter but if a deer has an arrow in it's heart I believe it would die no matter what the range. I think you are asking if if it would have enough penetration to make it to the heart at 40yds. Well, I have shot my 40 # bow 255 yds and it stuck eight inches into hard dirt. I'm sure it would have made it to the deer's heart. And I wasn't using a broadhead. These things are very dangerous at any range.

[bradsmith2010]

Good point DC,,.I remember reading bout Fred Bear killing a tiger at very long range,,.intending to shot over and scare it closer,..something like that.,.was over a hundred yards or something.,.im going from memory so might be a bit off on the details but u get the idea

[Eric Krewson]

OK, I have stabbed several deer with my knife to finish them off, I was surprised how little pressure it took for my knife to go to the hilt in their rib cage, just  a few pounds.

I have found slipping up behind a thrashing down deer like a one hit on a road and a quick thrust to the chest will collapse their lungs and they will be dead in 30 seconds of so. Slitting their throat is too messy and you have to get too close to them to accomplish this.

[PEARL DRUMS]

A needle sharp point requires 1.9# of pressure to poke through fresh venison hide. That being said, a true 40 yards is irresponsible no matter how good you are with your bow in the yard. Our bows, even the fast ones, are slow as slugs. A deer can spin in circles twice before the arrow travels that far. Simple, curious question I'm sure, but don't even think about it.

[WhistlingBadger]

I think that generally we'd all agree that accuracy and placement are bigger issues than penetration at that range.  Where one is lacking, the other becomes more important.  A heavy, fast, sharp, and/or stable-flying arrow might zip through a shoulder blade (or even a rib on large game), whereas a slower, lighter, dull, and/or wobbly arrow might penetrate poorly or not at all, thus making the difference between a dead animal and a wounded one.

Better penetration is a good insurance policy against marginal shot placement.  And vice-versa.  Both is ideal, and for most primitive bows/shooters, both tend to diminish around 20-30 yards.

[Deerhunter21]

A needle sharp point requires 1.9# of pressure to poke through fresh venison hide. That being said, a true 40 yards is irresponsible no matter how good you are with your bow in the yard. Our bows, even the fast ones, are slow as slugs. A deer can spin in circles twice before the arrow travels that far. Simple, curious question I'm sure, but don't even think about it.
[/quote

Yeah, I wouldn't ever dare to shoot at a deer at that yardage. My friend that gave me the roast wanted to see my bow and said "yeah if you could shoot a deer at 40 yards, then you could hunt deer." I then explained to him that people wont even go over 20 yrds which i dont know if he believed. I then became curious if it was even possible. nothing i would ever attempt. I like to know what a bow can do. but what I can do with a bow is wayyyyyy different. ill stick to 10 yrds with a foam target.

[PEARL DRUMS]

40 yards is too far for any arrow in my opinion. Cross gun or compound or glass bow or self bow. Keep in mind that a bow that shoots 180 FPS only holds that speed right off the bow and slows down dramatically fast. So, 180 FPS doesn't translate to an arrow covering 60 yards in a second. Ive hunted for 34 years and have shot many dozen deer with every bow imaginable and have seen "most" of what can happen. The heart ache and disgust a responsible, empathetic hunter feels after wounding an animal isn't worth it. Keep em' close and let them walk until everything is perfect, and even then they will break your heart at times.

[bradsmith2010]

    ok since this has morphed into what is a good shot at a deer,,I will give my 2 cents,,
I think if I was gonna give advice about how far to shoot,,a good rule of thumb would be,, if you kill and recover every deer you shoot at at 10 to 15 yards,, then extend your range to 20 ,,, and so on,, I agree that longer range shots cant compensate for the speed a deer can get out of the way,, spinning circles etc is a reality that most dont take into consideration when shooting at deer,,,you are not in control of the situation by executing a perfect shot,,the deer has alot to do with what happens after the arrow is released and its a game of inches,,,2 inces to the left you are in the shoulder, and a difficult recover,,,2 inches high you it the back strap above the lungs,, its just not easy,, and closer shots improve your recovery rate,,
    the older and more experienced I get,, the closer I like to shoot,, taking as many of the variables out of the situation as possible,, 

[DC]

It's amazing how times have changed. Saxton Pope thought nothing of flinging arrows at deer that were up to 100 yds away. He figured that if the arrow hit the deer it was dead.(Don't ask me to prove that, I can't remember what book it was in ) I guess he didn't care how long it took.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Don, sadly that still happens. You either have empathy for the critters, like every real hunter should, or you don't. Read Ted Nugents "Blood Trails" book and you will read about lots of 40-80 yard shots that hit critters in every conceivable spot. I stopped reading it and tossed it in the garbage can where it belongs.