Average Range you shoot???

J

JMF0486

New member
Was just wondering how long of a shot you guys usually decide to take when hunting?? I know itll most likely vary depending on the game. Do any of you guys actually shoot these 1000 yrd shots when hunting?? I stick to 300 and under, unless i get antsy then i might extend that out a little more.
 
I figure that anybody who talks of regular killing of game beyond 500 yards--ignoring the "blowing smoke" thing--is well married up with specialized gear. Lots of practice and trigger time, etc.

So, leaving that one-in-a-gazillion type of fella, I sorta figure that the average shooter should pretty much limit himself to around 300 yards. Roughly. For most deer rifles which are commonly zeroed at 200 yards, that's around six inches of drop at 300. IOW, it doesn't take a bunch of thought and effort to kill Bambi--once you've actually found that shootable buck.

I've shot few deer inside of fifty yards; maybe three or four. The majority--30 or so?--were between (guessing) 75 and 150 yards. A few in the 175-, 250-yard distance. One at 350 and one at 450. My longest kill on a running buck was 175 yards, give or take a bit. A couple at maybe a hundred yards. That's for tagged bucks; I've never counted does or culling-kills, but they generally were pretty close in.
 
Most of our shots are between 70 and 150yds due to the thick cover and swamps that we typically hunt in. Beanfields, cutovers and powerline right of ways offer you to reach out there to long ranges but in SC after those first couple of shots, the big bucks get wary and stick to cover.
 
My stand overlooks a natural gas pipeline in the hill country of north central Louisiana. The longest possible shot I've got is 200 yards. I took two deer this year and one was at 140 yards, the other at 120 yards.

On the other hand, I missed a deer this year at about 40 yards. I was out of position and muffed the shot. Shot over her back.
 
Its interesting that we assign different values to different animals. Hunting deer I usually limit myself to around 300 yards(dropped one once at 320 yards).
My mate has a ranch where feral goats have to be regularly culled. One of my favorite spots for culling these goats is a back canyon where cross valley shots are 300 to 400 yards. As I shoot this canyon regularly I know the holdover depending where the goats are on the hillside.
Culling pigs on the wheat fields has also seen 400 yard plus shots.
If I happen to see a fox on my mates property a shot is usually taken regardless of distance - my mate has lost upto 20 lambs in a night due to foxes.
Blasting rabbits with my 22-250 will see me taking shots upto 450 yards.
The majority of game I have taken over the years has probably been between 50 yards to 150 yards.
 
Our hunting land is very thick with cover brush and for the most part all hillsides... there is really no where to shoot here much over 60 or 70yards.
 
250 yards max with my L/E .303 with a scope. 100 yards max with a SKS or 50 yards max with a 12 gauge as I'm usually on horseback with them.
 
I agree with MR.Eatman,I hunt my deer 300 yards & back.I also work for a couple farmers that let me hunt they're farms for deer if I shoot as many hogs as a can the rest of the year. Thats a deal I cant turn down.Im one of those old guys with the tools I shoot from a set up bench range finders wind guage & a custom 300WM built for the job. I have taken a good number of hogs out passed 400yards & several passed 500,very few out side 800.I pratice 1000 yards all I can afford around 500 round a month I'll tell you something shooting 5 gallon bucks @ 1000 is easier that hittin hogs @ 500.
 
Right now my personal comfort zone is 300 yards, but have been working on becoming comfortable at longer ranges. I feel that with a rangefinder, a flat shooting rifle and some practice I can work up to 500 yards. But for now I wouldn't take shot longer than 300.

But you better believe there are people who can and do make much longer shots. I have a brother in law who has taken several elk at 700 yards. He shoots a 338 Lapua and has spent the time to get good with it. Every elk dropped dead in it's tracks
 
Most of my shots are within 150 ...... I've killed 2 deer past 450, and one of those was to kill a poorly hit animal I'd messed up a 200 yard shot earlier.

Like others have said, the right equipment- a flat shooting rifle, sticks or a tripod, and a rangefinder- and lots of practice will let you stretch that 300 a bit.
 
Deer hunting in the woods of Kentucky my shots average around 50 yards. Antelope hunting out west I've made shots any place between a short of 50 yards to a long of 300 yards.
 
Although my rifles are long range sporters, and I want to be prepared for shots out to 500 yrds, my average shot has probably been around 200 or less.

I have a friend who has taken a "World Slam of sheep, and all but 2 of all goat species, and he recently told me most of his shots are under 300 yards. He did shoot a Stone in Canada at about 400 yards as it was that or nothing.

I do not consider it hunting to shoot at the ranges I sometimes hear about - 800 to 1000 yds. To shoot at those ranges with range finders, bipods, and specialized equipment is not hunting, but just shooting.

Part of hunting are the spotting and stalking aspects. 1,000 yards is just shooting, but not hunting or sporting.

I confess that I wonder if anyone knows how to hunt anymore.

Regards,
Jerry
 
also about 200 or less. while hunting the max ive hit at while hunting was about 175. i have only recently went to scopes i prefer open sights
i have never hit at any thing farther than that without luck.
i spot and stock but wouldnt try a shot past 400 with a scope or 200 open sights i agree that it isnt too sporting to hit an animal that has not natural fear of you simple cause it can see you while you set up 1000 yards away
 
My average would be 50-75's for deer. Ohio is shotgun,blackpowder or handgun as far gun deer hunting goes. Have only shot 5 deer with a rifle. Two at around 150yds, one at 175 and two at around 225.
As far as varmint hunting goes, most those shots are usually between 100-250yds with an average of about 150yds.
 
I hunt in GA and mostly hunt deep woods, I used to hunt bean fields when I was a kid.

Longest (fatal to a deer) shot? 330yds over a soybean field when I was 17 (20yrs ago) and shot almost every day.

Next longest shot? about 60yds.

I'm not sure I could see a deer now at 330 yards, much less shoot it...
 
I've almost never seen a deer under hunting circumstances at more than 120-140 yards.

I have only fired one shot (of approximately 30 killed with a gun) over 100 yards and that was 110.

The average shot on deer is very much closer, easily within bow range. In fact, only twice have I shot deer at over 40 yards.... there have been more under 20 than over.



On woodchucks, I routinely shoot beyond 300 yards.... sometimes even hitting one.:D
 
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