A mid-December blizzard and deep, drifted snow had buried the Nebraska winter wheat field. A few days later, the temps warmed up and exposed several green patches amidst the otherwise white field. Mule deer trails converged on them, and an old cottonwood tree towered nearby. I hung a stand and settled in.
An hour before dark, two bucks appeared at the field’s opposite end but were beelining my way. Eventually, the first buck passed by at about 40 yards, feeding on the exposed wheat. The larger trailing buck soon caught up and fed at 44 yards, quartering away. Confidently, I drew my bow, aimed, and touched the trigger. My arrow connected perfectly, and the buck dashed 50 yards, then collapsed.
I’ve taken and made several other bowhunting shots beyond 40 yards, a few considerably farther. More than anything in bowhunting, I love close encounters at 20 yards or less. But, those don’t always happen. When a high-percentage — say, 50-yard opportunity — presents itself, I want to shoot confidently. I’ve found ways to do that through training and smart equipment choices.
I’m not advocating for all bowhunters to take long shots, but today’s advanced equipment in skilled hands is lethal well beyond 40 yards. If you want to tighten up your game so you can shoot confidently when a farther-than-average shot is all you’ll get, here are some upgrades that, combined with high-level training, can elevate your confidence. Let’s review.
Straighter Arrows
Carbon arrows are either straight or broken, right? Wrong! Carbon arrows come in different grades, and the processes and materials used to construct them directly affect their straightness consistency. Generally, more money means a better arrow, but look at the straightness rating for each model you’re considering. The market’s truest arrows have a +/- .001-inch straightness tolerance, while middle-of-the-road arrows have a +/- .003-inch straightness. Low-end arrows? They’re usually rated at a +/- .006-inch straightness tolerance.
While practicing at 30 yards or less probably won’t reveal a substantial accuracy difference between low- and high-end arrows, practicing at 50-100 yards will. That’s especially true when you’re shooting with broadheads. Even a mechanical-tipped arrow with a slight wobble can deviate in flight, and a fixed-blade broadhead with more exposed blade surfaces will further amplify the issue.
If you want to get technical, I suggest purchasing an arrow spinner. Before building an arrow — even ones rated with .001-inch straightness tolerances — I inspect each shaft using a Pine Ridge Archery Arrow Inspector, examining each for wobbling. Unless I’m shooting an arrow with multiple spine stiffnesses (Carbon Express has some models like this), I’ll fletch the straighter end and cut off the wobbly end. If the wobble is semi-reasonable, I’ll still build the arrow, but I’ll shoot it strictly for practice. Only arrows that spin perfectly land in my hunting quiver.
Longer, Heavier Stabilizer
Stabilizers are one of the least understood bow accessories. I know this because I sold tons of them during my archery retail tenure. Some folks said, “Nah,” when I suggested a stabilizer, and some said, “I’ll just get a small one.” Very few customers were particular about their stabilizer shopping.
Today’s most advanced bows balance extremely well. Even so, there is merit to getting some weight out front. It anchors the bow in windy conditions and calms pin movements and jitters common when shooting at a critter under adrenaline’s influence. If you’re not shooting a stabilizer or just a dinky one, consider a high-end stabilizer with some length and weight. I’ve had great success with those in the 10- to 12-inch range, particularly lightweight bars with weight at the end. There is a reason tournament archers shoot long stabilizers; they work.
High-End Release
I’m constantly amazed by how many bowhunters upgrade every piece of equipment besides their releases. While a time-worn release is like an old hat that folks just can’t part with, that dinosaur could be inhibiting your long-range accuracy potential. Worn-out straps that have stretched no longer fit securely, and if the trigger has travel and the sensitivity cannot adjust lighter, it’s hard to achieve a good, clean release. You might be deadly with it at 30 yards, but how is it treating you at 60 and 70 yards?
Folks, today’s market has some phenomenal releases. Spend some money on a high-end release. Once you’re accustomed to it, I’ll bet your accuracy will improve (unless you punch it).
Custom Bowstring and Cables
Most bow manufacturers now include high-quality bowstrings and cables on their flagship bows, but if your bow is several years old, perhaps it came with an average set. If you purchased a mid-priced bow, it likely has a so-so string and cables. Look into a custom set.
Custom bowstrings offer several advantages. Peep alignment is No. 1. If your peep doesn’t align, it will be difficult to center your sight scope within it. If you have to twist the string before you draw for the peep to properly align, you’re introducing wear to the fibers. A top-notch custom bowstring ensures positive peep alignment. It also mitigates creep and serving separations. Custom pre-stretched bowstrings and cables with tight tolerances will optimize your long-range bow performance, plus they’ll help your bow hold its tune.
Smaller Peep Sight
As with stabilizers, some bowhunters are under-educated about peep sights. They get whatever the bow shop technician installs. If you can see more than your bowsight housing’s bright ring at full draw, it means your peep-sight diameter is too large. You cannot consistently fit your sight housing in the center of your peep if the peep is too large, and that means your anchor point could change just enough to rob some accuracy as you increase your distance. Choose a peep that allows you to see your scope ring and nothing outside of it.
Slider Sight
A pronghorn buck stops at 57 yards. You have fixed pins out to 80 yards. Should you hold your 50-yarder high, your 60-yarder low, or stare in between them? Today’s best slider sights eliminate the guesswork. Once you’re sighted in and install the appropriate pre-generated sight tape, you have to-the-yard precision. Dial the sight to 57 yards and shoot confidently. Bowhunting involves enough guesswork; why needlessly add more?
Now, if you’re the type who considers these advanced sights unfair, let me remind you that the goal of every bowhunter should be to make the most lethal shot possible, yielding fast, humane kills. When attempting longer shots, there is no question that bowhunters can tighten up their accuracy with a slider that delivers yard-specific precision.
Final Thoughts
To me, nothing beats an extremely close encounter. Last November, I killed a big Kansas whitetail at 12 yards from the ground. That encounter epitomizes what I desire and what every bowhunter should strive for. However, some opportunities unfold at greater distances, especially when hunting western game. With devoted practice, today’s equipment in skilled hands is lethal well beyond 40 yards.
If you want to increase your accuracy so you can take a longer-than-average shot with confidence, you must dedicate many hours to dialing in your form, technique, mental game and shot execution. If you’ve already mastered those and want to tighten up your game even more, then see if there are one or two upgrades noted on the list above that you haven’t addressed yet. They could help elevate your confidence and accuracy when shooting at longer ranges.
Photos by Becca McDougal
