Poll: Range where you take the most deer with a rifle

[trooper3385]

I was raised hunting in West Texas where the hunting is more wide open with rolling hills and mountains. The majority of the shots I made were 200 yds plus with several at 300 to 400 yds. I hunt in South Texas now where the majority of the hunting is done from blinds due to the thickness of the brush down here. The majority of the blinds I hunt out of are set up where the shots are usually going to be 150 to 200 yds. I have one blind that the shot will usually be 250 to 300 yds.

 

[Art Eatman]

A bunch of us used to lease a ranch not far north of Uvalde, Texas. Rolling hills, lots of brush, many oak mottes and some open terrain. I guess the majority of us got our deer at around 100 yards, give or take 20 yards. Some shots were longer; I killed one buck at 450 and one at 350.

But, walking hunting after I got to know the ranch very well, I was kicking Bucky out of bed at mid-day at as close as fifteen yards. Felt sorta guilty about using a rifle.

Same guilt trip for the last mule deer I killed in the Davis Mountains. I walked up on him, waking him up from his mid-day nap. About 30 yards at most.

 

[James R. Burke]

Looking at the poll it's kind of funny. Everyone talking about 300 to 500 yard shots like they are nothing, and sighting in to be extra high at 100 yards so your on at x yards and so low at x yards. We sight dead on for 100 yards, and know the rifle good enough for something alittle more or less. Today myself and the wife were checking our rifles at 100 yards at a local gravel pit you can shoot at. There must have been ten differnt trucks pull in to check there rifles. They were all shooting at about 50 yards. We had to wait half the time because they were so far in front of us. They were shooting all the biggest and best out there. Were we hunt deer it is free arm, and most folks after 100 yards cant hit squat free arm past 50 yards, but they are ready for that 300 yard shot that will never happen.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I agree. This poll would be more accurate (if you can call an internet forum poll accurate...) if it was broken up into 'regions' of the country, or types of terrain.

This is just for my own curiosity, I posted it with vague ranges and no location info because this is a national forum. I wanted the "data" to reflect the most common range nationwide without regard to terrain type.

I posted the same poll on a Georgia specific forum. It does have some spill over into surrounding states, but most respondents are from Georgia.

Here is that poll: http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=436251

With 132 Hunters responding as of this post, the GA forum reports 90.91% of deer taken at 100 yards or less. Adding in the 150 yard responses brings it to 95.46%

As of this post on TFL, with 69 hunters responding, 73.92% of shots are at 100 yards or less. Add in the 150 yard responses and we get to 85.51%.

This is just for my own personal information, I have been curious after reading all of the sight-in range posts and debates about super long range calibers.

Certainly a flawed survey, and only targeting one species of game, but it does appear that the overwhelming majority of deer are taken at 150 yards or less, with the vast majority of that being 100 yards or less.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I see.

Certainly a flawed survey, and only targeting one species of game, but it does appear that the overwhelming majority of deer are taken at 150 yards or less, with the vast majority of that being 100 yards or less.

The statistical break down could probably be paired with population density of the area where most "short range" replies came from, and show a strong correllation.

 

[brentf]

100 to 200 is pretty common

 

[Jack O'Conner]

The region hunted has a lot to do with the answer(s). I doubt if many Dakota Territory prairie hunters experience consistant short range shots. I certainly have not. But don't believe all the horse manure myths about magnum rifles req'd to take mulies. Plenty are toppled each November by so-called ordinary deer rifles such as 243, 270, 308, and the ever popular 30-06. I've had good luck with 30-30 but I pass up shots beyond 175 yards or so.

Jack

 

[2rugers]

The closest shot we would likely have on our farm is 150 yards give or take, not by choice of course, just the way the deer come and go.

To date the closest shot has been a doe at 139 yds. and the longest has been a small buck at a ranged 418 yards.

The wife just killed her best buck yesterday at 315 yards.

All a matter of where and what you hunt.

 

[RC1986]

ive shot many bucks within less of the 100 yard range, cuz i aint walkin any further than 100 yards to claim a trophy lol.

 

[Swampghost]

I've been hunting new-to-me private land for the last few years and the regulars get the prime stands, all in tight. My kind of hunting.

Being last in line leaves you out in the pastures with 200-300+ ranges.

 

[sc928porsche]

Untill I moved to alabama just a few short years ago, Most of my deer hunting was done in one place. It is a cliff area that is approached from the top and a small access trail going down and traversing to about 20' below the rim behind a large boulder. Its about another 60' drop to the floor that tapers down hill along a falling ridge. Almost all the deer that I have harvested from there have been between 150 and 300yds. That spot has never failed to produce an nice mulie every year for decades. I glad that my grandfather showed it to me. Since I left, my daughter reports to me that she is having success there too.

 

[Kendrickson]

I think all my deer have been under fifty yards. I would feel confident shooting farther, but I rarely have the opportunity in the terrain that I hunt. In fact, when I was twelve I shot my first deer from about ten feet away. She was running straight at me...it was either shoot or be run over!

 

[taylorce1]

Looking at the poll it's kind of funny. Everyone talking about 300 to 500 yard shots like they are nothing, and sighting in to be extra high at 100 yards so your on at x yards and so low at x yards. We sight dead on for 100 yards, and know the rifle good enough for something alittle more or less. ............... Were we hunt deer it is free arm, and most folks after 100 yards cant hit squat free arm past 50 yards, but they are ready for that 300 yard shot that will never happen.

Well I'll admit I don't shoot enough from unsuported postitions and probably can't hit anything standing off hand much past 50 yards. However I do zero my rifles for point blank range so I can hold dead on to 300 +/- yards and know I'm going to be in the kill zone. From a day pack, bi-pod, or shooting sticks that animal is going to be mine at 300 yards. 95% of my shots are never past 300 yards, however they can be at any time since the only trees around where I hunt are ones people planted on the Eastern plains of Colorado.

 

[James R. Burke]

Well were I hunt all shots are under 100 yards most under fifty. They dont give you much time, and there is no way you can use sticks or a support. You better be able to make the shot off hand. I have never seen anyone here use sticks. Some maybe have a post they can lay there rifle down on to aim but not many. Try some off hand shooting at gallon jugs filled with water at 100 yards, when you start breaking them your doing good in my book. Really not much of a shot with a high powered rifle reading all the posts. But that is how myself and wife practice after we are sighted in good. Just myself and the way I feel. More power to you Sir. You have the area and time to set up and do it. No doubt you are a very good shot, and know your rifle well. We just dont have anywere you could even check a rifle at 300 yards.