What average distance do you shoot deer? - Page 2

arizona hunter · November 2, 2007, 11:24 AM

It's always best to get as close as possible.

One year though I was on one side of a ravine and a black bear on the other (250 yds), and having practiced at ranges out to 300 yds I knew I could easily make that broadside shot. The 30.06 Barnes 180 XLC went through both shoulders-then came the hard work of skinning, cutting and packing it out.

pmelancon · December 27, 2008, 10:07 PM

I have taken several deer in South Texas mostly 150-200yds

shortwave · December 27, 2008, 10:26 PM

Half dozen or so in the 100-150 yd range-all m/l. Most 30yds or less-bow. Many 40-60-handgun.

Art Eatman · December 27, 2008, 11:21 PM

Hard to recall over a forty-year period. I'd guess that the majority were inside of 200 yards. Maybe most in the 75- to 125-yard range. Only a couple in the Ma Bell country. Very few up close and personal.

shortwave · December 28, 2008, 01:10 AM

Art, as we get older our memories get worse

.

hogdogs · December 28, 2008, 01:39 AM

I don't think I have ever pegged one beyond 85-90 yards. I haven't killed many either. I don't carry binos so I limit myself quite a bit there.
Brent

Daryl · December 28, 2008, 05:10 AM

Quote:

this is great. 2/3 indicate 100 yards and most less.

Many of those 150-250 are probably 85 to 100 in reality.

I wouldn't bet on it.

Seriously, I can't say what an "average" shot would be for me. I've shot deer at 10-75 yards, and I've shot deer at 300-500 yards. I can't think of too many that were in between those extremes.

On "average", a deer either appears on my side of the canyon, or the other. If it's on my side, it's usually a fairly close shot; if on the other side, it's a somewhat longer shot.

If I averages all the deer I've shot, the range would likely come out to be somewhere around 150-200 yards. That would be good, because that's a nice easy range to hit a deer at, but I can't think of a single deer that I've shot at that range.

I'm guessing by your statement that you hunt back east, or at least in an area where visibility is limited. Out west, longer shots are often the norm. I take a shot as it's presented, and I really don't know what I'd consider "average".

BuckHammer · December 28, 2008, 05:14 AM

It's hard to get a good shot in Indiana woodlands longer than fifty yards. It's also tough to reach longer than one hundred with a 12 ga. which is my weapon of choice. I have had what would have been good shots if I had a good rifle. In explanation, when it comes to firearms in deer hunting in Indiana, there is not much to choose from.

12GaugeShuggoth · December 28, 2008, 08:01 AM

Between 10-50 yards. All my hunting is with shotgun or bow.

Edit: Last week I made about a 100 yard shot with a slug, so that one is the exception.

Kreyzhorse · December 28, 2008, 08:03 AM

I hunt in the hills of Kentucky. My last two deer were taken at 43 and 55 yards.

boltgun71 · December 28, 2008, 08:52 AM

I shot 3 deer this last season. Two were at 35 yards, the other was 225yards. I have killed around 25 deer so far in my time and the closest was probably 10-15yards and the farthest was the one above at 225yards with the second farthest being 160 yards. I would say if I had an average distance it would be around 50-75yards for the majority of the deer I have taken.

fisherman66 · December 28, 2008, 09:01 AM

I'd guess 3/4th of the shots I have taken on deer fall between 50 and 100 yards.

sc928porsche · December 28, 2008, 09:32 PM

longes shot was a little over 350 and the closest was about 35. Average shots have run between 200 and 250. Untill recently I used to hunt the high sierras in areas where there was a lot of open space save the manzanita and sagebrush.

DiscoRacing · December 28, 2008, 09:34 PM

most a mine been around 50 or 60 yards... i only have to hunt for the first three days and ive never had to go longer than that to fill the tags i have

Swampghost · December 28, 2008, 09:49 PM

I like tight cover and shots can be very close, feet not yards. The other option is savannas and cow pastures where 200+ yds. is not uncommon. Around here there is not much in between.

Crankylove · December 29, 2008, 12:50 AM

Didn't get a deer this year, but my antelope was about 525 yds away ( the two that fell to my brothers, about 150 and 350-400). Last deer that was taken (by my older brother) was about 300 yds. I would say the average of myself and my brothers for deer and elk would be between 200-300 yds. There is quite a mixture of dense forest/brush and wide open canyons and meadows where we hunt, so ya never know what you are gonna get.

jhgreasemonkey · December 29, 2008, 02:20 AM

I would say 40-100yds.

midmoshooter · December 29, 2008, 02:46 AM

Most of my shots have been less than 50 yards. I hunt in pretty thick cover so I rarely need to shoot over the 50 yard range

Hawg · December 29, 2008, 03:23 AM

Nowadays 50-100 is about it but where I grew up hunting across soy bean fields if you couldn't make at least a 300 yd. shot you'd best stay at home.

View Poll Results: What is your average distance for taking deer (in yards)?
50	31	40.79%
75	27	35.53%
100	16	21.05%
150	3	3.95%
200	3	3.95%
250	1	1.32%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 76. You may not vote on this poll

December 27, 2008, 10:07 PM	#27
pmelancon Junior Member Join Date: December 26, 2008 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1	South Texas I have taken several deer in South Texas mostly 150-200yds

December 28, 2008, 01:10 AM	#30
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	Art, as we get older our memories get worse.

December 28, 2008, 05:14 AM	#33
BuckHammer Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 286	It's hard to get a good shot in Indiana woodlands longer than fifty yards. It's also tough to reach longer than one hundred with a 12 ga. which is my weapon of choice. I have had what would have been good shots if I had a good rifle. In explanation, when it comes to firearms in deer hunting in Indiana, there is not much to choose from. __________________ Luck runs out. Boiler Up!

December 28, 2008, 08:01 AM	#34
12GaugeShuggoth Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 534	Between 10-50 yards. All my hunting is with shotgun or bow. Edit: Last week I made about a 100 yard shot with a slug, so that one is the exception. __________________ ---Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.--- ---Enlightenment is the ability to take infinite pains--- MOLON LABE Last edited by 12GaugeShuggoth; December 28, 2008 at 08:56 PM.

November 2, 2007, 11:24 AM	#26
arizona hunter Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2005 Location: phoenix, AZ Posts: 212	It's always best to get as close as possible. One year though I was on one side of a ravine and a black bear on the other (250 yds), and having practiced at ranges out to 300 yds I knew I could easily make that broadside shot. The 30.06 Barnes 180 XLC went through both shoulders-then came the hard work of skinning, cutting and packing it out.

December 27, 2008, 10:26 PM	#28
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	Half dozen or so in the 100-150 yd range-all m/l. Most 30yds or less-bow. Many 40-60-handgun.

December 27, 2008, 11:21 PM	#29
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Hard to recall over a forty-year period. I'd guess that the majority were inside of 200 yards. Maybe most in the 75- to 125-yard range. Only a couple in the Ma Bell country. Very few up close and personal.

December 28, 2008, 01:39 AM	#31
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	I don't think I have ever pegged one beyond 85-90 yards. I haven't killed many either. I don't carry binos so I limit myself quite a bit there. Brent

December 28, 2008, 08:03 AM	#35
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	I hunt in the hills of Kentucky. My last two deer were taken at 43 and 55 yards. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

December 28, 2008, 08:52 AM	#36
boltgun71 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 547	I shot 3 deer this last season. Two were at 35 yards, the other was 225yards. I have killed around 25 deer so far in my time and the closest was probably 10-15yards and the farthest was the one above at 225yards with the second farthest being 160 yards. I would say if I had an average distance it would be around 50-75yards for the majority of the deer I have taken.

December 28, 2008, 09:01 AM	#37
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	I'd guess 3/4th of the shots I have taken on deer fall between 50 and 100 yards. __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

December 28, 2008, 09:32 PM	#38
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	longes shot was a little over 350 and the closest was about 35. Average shots have run between 200 and 250. Untill recently I used to hunt the high sierras in areas where there was a lot of open space save the manzanita and sagebrush. __________________ No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.

December 28, 2008, 09:34 PM	#39
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	most a mine been around 50 or 60 yards... i only have to hunt for the first three days and ive never had to go longer than that to fill the tags i have

December 28, 2008, 09:49 PM	#40
Swampghost Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: Florida, east coast Posts: 2,106	I like tight cover and shots can be very close, feet not yards. The other option is savannas and cow pastures where 200+ yds. is not uncommon. Around here there is not much in between. __________________ NRA Patron Member

December 29, 2008, 12:50 AM	#41
Crankylove Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2008 Location: 8B ID Posts: 1,753	Didn't get a deer this year, but my antelope was about 525 yds away ( the two that fell to my brothers, about 150 and 350-400). Last deer that was taken (by my older brother) was about 300 yds. I would say the average of myself and my brothers for deer and elk would be between 200-300 yds. There is quite a mixture of dense forest/brush and wide open canyons and meadows where we hunt, so ya never know what you are gonna get. __________________ The answer to 1984 is 1776

December 29, 2008, 02:20 AM	#42
jhgreasemonkey Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 2,238	I would say 40-100yds.

December 29, 2008, 02:46 AM	#43
midmoshooter Junior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: St. Louis, MO area Posts: 4	Most of my shots have been less than 50 yards. I hunt in pretty thick cover so I rarely need to shoot over the 50 yard range

December 29, 2008, 03:23 AM	#44
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Nowadays 50-100 is about it but where I grew up hunting across soy bean fields if you couldn't make at least a 300 yd. shot you'd best stay at home.