Bowhunting and Judging Distance For A Shot...

JUDGING DISTANCE: JUST A MINOR DETAIL?
By Bill Phillips

I learned a couple of interesting facts in high school physics that I’ve managed not to forget.

1) All objects fall at the same rate, regardless of their weight. A medicine ball, and a pebble dropped from the same height at the same time hit the ground at the same time.

2) A bullet fired parallel to the ground will hit the ground at the same time as a bullet dropped from the same height.

These facts have a lot of implications for a bow hunter’s need to accurately judge distance. A bullet fired from a rifle at 2500 feet per second will fall less than a quarter inch over the course of the first 30 yards. An arrow fired at 240 feet per second will fall over 2 feet over the same distance. An arrow fired at 400 feet per second will fall less than a foot over that first 30 yards. The faster arrow gives an advantage over the slower arrow, but you can’t be a foot off target at 30 yards and hope to be a successful bow hunter. You have to be able to accurately judge distance. Here are a few tried and tested methods for you.

Comparison Method

The comparison method involves comparing a known object to the target to estimate the distance. For example, when you’re holding your bow up getting ready to shoot, you can compare your thumb nail to the relative size of the target. You’ve determined beforehand that the average white tail deer appears to be the height of your thumb nail at 20 yards. Then, if the deer in your sights appears to be the height of your thumb nail, you know it’s 20 yards away. If it appears half the height of your thumb nail, then it’s 40 yards away. Of course, you have to determine the relative size of the animal you’re hunting before going out hunting. This method doesn’t translate well to hunting other types of game without being thoroughly prepared. On the other hand, you can get an accurate determination while holding up the bow, preparing to take the shot. It’s a very quick way to judge distance.

Landmark Method

When you arrive at your hunting location, you can determine the distance to several landmarks, such as trees or bushes. To determine the distance, you can use a laser range finder, or just pace off the distance. As the animal wanders past your markers, you have a very good idea of its distance. If it’s in between your land marks, it’s not too hard to estimate the distance.

The drawback to using the existing markers is that it may be difficult to remember the distances to the markers. Rather than relying on the existing markers, you might want to set up your own markers or decoys at specific distances. For instance, when turkey hunting, if you set up a decoy at 20 yards away from your position and a turkey nears your decoy, it’s very easy to estimate the distance accurately enough to get a good shot off.

Step Method

Many great competitive archers use the step method. You envision a certain length, and determine how many steps of that length are required to reach the target. Use whatever length you feel most comfortable with. Some people use 20 yards; some use 10 yards. For example, if your length is 10 yards, and you determine that the target is a little less than three lengths away, you know the target is about 27 to 29 yards away. This requires practice, but this is a good method for judging distance on a slope, which is a situation that often arises when hunting from a tree stand.

Errors in your distance judgment ultimately lead to heart breaking misses. With all of the time, and money we spend to go bow hunting, it’s that much more important to take the time to practice judging distance.



Bill Phillips has written articles on many recreational activities. He’s currently working on an airsoft guns website, www.1st-airsoft-guns.com, which offers a wealth of information and advice about selecting and using airsoft guns, including automatic airsoft guns, airsoft spring guns (www.1st-airsoft-guns.com/airsoft-spring-guns.html), gas airsoft gun (www.1st-airsoft-guns.com/gas-airsoft-guns.html) and more.