Range

[WhistlingBadger]

On YouTube, a guy named Paul Harrel makes a "meat target."  I did this to test pistol ammo. Very eye opening.  Testing broadheads on a meat target at distance is relatively cheap vs hours reading internet evidence.  I am getting better in my own retraining of form, but about 30 yards is probably max with about 43 to 46 weight.

Interesting!  I assume you are shooting at a big hunk of meat to see how the projectile penetrates into it.  I've seen similar experiments on "Tod's Workshop" and "Modern History TV" channels, where they put a hunk of meat inside different types of armor to see how a warbow does against it.  That would indeed be an eye-opening experiment with our hunting bows...hmmm, maybe I could spare one of these shoulder roasts...

[Bryce]

  in my mind I think the Native hunters probably shot close if possible,,
even me, when I am deciding to take a shot,, loosing an arrow comes into play in my decision,If I feel the shot is close enough Im not gonna miss and lose and arrow,, its in my range,,, and I am sure they did not want to loose an arrow on a long maybe shot,, better to shoot  an arrow on a high percentage shot and get some game,, I am thinking,,...not only ethical,, but practical,, the closer shots just give you a higher percentage of success,,
  Im ok if the arrow gets broken in the animal,,, thats just an investment you have to make,,
 

You gotta get that out of your head man. Losing arrows is part of the game. Good shots don’t come as often and new shafts and feathers to.

[bradsmith2010]

good point

[Eric Krewson]

I used to teach the archery, treestand and M/L end of hunter safety in town. I always emphasised that one should use a razor sharp broadhead and the best arrow you own for a shot on deer.

One evening after class a teen hunter came up to me and told me his story; he said he saw his first really nice buck while walking in to his stand one evening. He slipped up to within about 50 yards of it and being inexperienced he decided to take a hail mary shot. He said he knew he would miss, didn't want to lose a good arrow so he picked a well worn one with a rusty broadhead out of his quiver and launched it toward the deer.

To his surprise his arrow hit right where it was supposed to, he got poor penetration and the deer took off. He waited a while and started looking for the deer, there was little or no blood trail, not finding the deer he finally gave up the search with plans to come back in the morning.

The next morning he continued the search and eventually found the deer. He was planning to have this nice buck mounted until he took a closer look at it and found to his horror some critter had eaten the lips and part of the nose off overnight.

Had he not used a dull rusty broadhead out of fear of losing an expensive arrow he would be admiring the mount of this buck right now instead of finding the mangled mess of what was once a fine buck.

[Woodely]

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.

Ya I hear ya I tossed that book in the garbage to,  I learn from my mistakes and listen to the old timers.  Case in point I have met many master tradesmen and most have barely read 20 pages of any book in their lives.   The more I read the more profound becomes a memory full of junk.