What's the CLOSEST you've ever shot a deer?

2DaMtns · October 27, 2009, 09:35 AM

I remember before nearly everyone hunting had to run out and buy a 48mm quadruple extra ultra mega magnum to take a white tail deer at 2.39 miles, people used to use sensible cartridges and there was more honor in taking a close shot than one at driving ranges (with a car, not a golf club). This was when people went hunting instead of shooting. I am not knocking long range shooters, and I recognize that it takes a good skill set, and also admit that I do not have that skill set, only because I have never practiced it, as I have absolutely no use for it where I hunt. But anyway, my question, in remembrance of the art of hunting, what are the closest ranges you've ever shot a deer? I don't think I've ever shot one at more than 60 or maybe 75 yards, and the closest one was at about 8-10 yards. I am mainly talking rifle ranges, but you can include pistol and archery ranges also, but let's leave it to on-the-ground hunts, not in blinds or stands.

ninjatoth · October 27, 2009, 09:40 AM

I went on my first hunt and took my first deer last November.I shot it front on from about 30 yards away and dropped it legs up.I was using a .270 weatherby magnum with a high powered scope,not meant for that close,but it worked.

DRice.72 · October 27, 2009, 09:57 AM

I have never shot a deer. I did shoot squirrel at about 10 yrds when I was a kid with my dad's savage turkey gun. It was an old savage breach loader 12 ga.. I was 10 yrds away, but I think the barrel was only 6" from the little varmint. He had it loaded with some heavy shot, it nearly flipped me over! Not long after I shot it I got my first lesson in respect for nature.....One I did deserve, the biggest piece of that squirrel I found was the tail.

Sam06 · October 27, 2009, 10:00 AM

I shot a deer at about 20' once. It was right at the bottom of my tree stand. I shot straight down at it with a 44 Mag revolver. I aimed for the base of the neck and it dropped DRT.

My Grand Pa killed a deer with an Axe once. He was chopping wood and I was along. He sent me into the woods with my 22 to shoot some squirrels for dinner. Well I scared up a deer and it took off running at my Grand Pa. I mean it ran right at him. He hauled off and hit it in the head with an axe he was using to buck off tree limbs. I came up and he finished it off with a bash in the neck. It was Deer season and he had a license. It was a young spike and he was very tasty. Grand ma cooked him up good. So I guess I can say I have seen a deer killed in Hand to Hand combat

That Deer must have been Crazy messing with Grand Pa. He was a WW1 Marine vet and was about 6'3". He had hands as big as Base Ball gloves. He looked like a cross between LBJ and John Wayne tough as the bark on a hickory tree. I miss him.

Brian Pfleuger · October 27, 2009, 10:04 AM

Ground only?

3 ft from the gun, one at about 25 feet, almost every deer I've ever shot was under 30 yards.

2DaMtns · October 27, 2009, 10:08 AM

Let's keep it to the on-the-ground only, please.

Buzzcook · October 27, 2009, 10:32 AM

15' give or take. btw a scope at 15' is not helpful.

Sam06 · October 27, 2009, 10:35 AM

From the ground, maybe 20yds. It was early in the season and I was easing along a ridge in Western Washington state near Pe-el. I shot a 3 point(western count) Blacktail. Gun used was a Pre 64 Winchester 30WCF with a Lyman Peep sight with handloaded 130gr Speer FNSP bullet at about 2100fps. One shot through the head. I had been in the woods maybe 45 min and was going to where I thought I would see some deer. It was a chance encounter. There was a road at the bottom of the ridge maybe 500yds away and a log truck was driving by. The deer was totally focused on the log truck and never knew I was there. I pulled a lot of deer out of those woods and Elk too when I was stationed there in the 80's. Beautiful Country after you get over the rain.

ZeroJunk · October 27, 2009, 10:49 AM

I shot a good 9 point at about 10 yards with a 300 WBY LOL. I was sitting on the ground. They get a little stupid in the rut.

ninjatoth · October 27, 2009, 11:02 AM

Quote:

I shot a good 9 point at about 10 yards with a 300 WBY LOL. I was sitting on the ground. They get a little stupid in the rut.

My deer was walking right at me,paying no attention at all,just sniffing and looking for does.If I had not shot him he would have walked right into the blind.

ninjatoth · October 27, 2009, 11:07 AM

wait,did I read that right?A 300 wby?!That's like shooting it with 2 30-30s at the same time!Was anything left?

CajunBass · October 27, 2009, 11:09 AM

Maybe 10-15 yards, but I could have killed at least one closer than that. I was on top of a brush pile when a doe ran into the lap and crawled literally between my legs. I could have bayonetted her.

Willie Lowman · October 27, 2009, 11:11 AM

About 10 yards.

It was the first time my little cousin had gone hunting. He was sitting about 10 feet to my left. A buck ran along the ridge top, my cousin shot at it. The buck turned and ran straight at him. He shot a second time and the buck stopped. I looked at my cousin, he was trembling visibly and had not pumped his gun again. I wasn't going to give the buck a chance to gore my cousin so I shot it. Dropped like a rock, I hit it in the spine, was aiming for the vitals. I was a little shook up too.

troy_mclure · October 27, 2009, 11:17 AM

was aiming at a deer about 100yds away across the ridge with my knight m/l. i see something out of the corner of my eve and a doe walked right in front of the gun 10' away. smoke was coming out of the hair for a good five mins.

Yankee Doodle · October 27, 2009, 11:17 AM

A measured 18 feet. As it happened, I was actually in the process of urinating at the time. Saw deer, picked up gun, shot deer, zipped pants, dressed deer, went home.
Laughing all the way back.

Daryl · October 27, 2009, 11:19 AM

I shot a young whitetail buck at 6 yards once with a 7mm rem mag. I shot it through the neck to save meat.

I've shot far more deer under 75 yards than I have at ranges beyond that mark, but it's nice to have the skills and rifle to handle longer shots when they become necessary.

Daryl

JKump · October 27, 2009, 04:20 PM

About 10 feet. We walked right up to each other. He lost. When I shot him he ran right at me and ran by me with in arms reach. (yes, I had to clean my pants

) To this date it was the biggest deer I have taking. just dumb luck. It was the beginning of the Rut and his mind was else where.

rantingredneck · October 27, 2009, 04:25 PM

I shot a 9 pointer in self defense once. He was about 8-10 feet away and running right toward me. 18 pellets of 00 buckshot changed that.

From a tree stand I shot an 8 pointer with a bow straight down. I was 15 feet up the tree.

DiscoRacing · October 27, 2009, 04:38 PM

last year I shot a huge doe that was so close that I nearly missed it with my .06. We stepped it off and it was round 15 ft... Now thats a long shot

mtnbkr · October 27, 2009, 04:39 PM

If six feet isn't too far from ground level (I set my stand just high enough to get me over the brush), I shot my closest deer last season at about 20yds. I haven't take a shot yet over 50yds.

Chris

cornbush · October 27, 2009, 07:56 PM

About 40 feet almost straight down into the top of the shoulders and came out the brisket. I was on a cliff and a little 2 point muley let me see him below me, oops. The gun was a .54 caliber hawken with a patched round ball.

Bigjim3 · October 27, 2009, 08:01 PM

About 10 feet. Top of ladder stand to under the ladder stand straight down..

BurkGlocker · October 27, 2009, 08:10 PM

I was hunting in Harper, TX on a patch of land that my ex-wife's cousins took care of. I was in the blind, and somehow **cough cough** fell asleep, and I was awaken by the feeder going off. When I came to, focused, and looked around, there were about 50 deer standing 20 yards off. I looked for the biggest deer I could find when I heard something sniffing next to me. There was a buck literally looking right next to me about 2 foot away. I couldve taken my knife out and cut his throat, he was that close. I didnt move, and let him walk in front of the blind. A good 10-pointer. He wasnt 15' in front of the muzzle of my rifle before I popped him. So close, I didnt even really have to aim. After a 150 grain slug from my .300 Mag, he didnt move another inch. The otehr deer jsut stood there and kept on eating, like they didnt care. I rechambered a round, picked out a doe, and laid her out as well. Two shots, two deer, two minutes, two tags filled.

spanky411 · October 27, 2009, 08:55 PM

I sorry I cant get in on this, I have never shot a deer, I love small game hunting, and turkey, but once I hit one with my chevy s-10 at point blank bumper and knocked him about 40 feet, thats all I got

murphyboy88 · October 27, 2009, 10:12 PM

two hunting seasons ago i jumped up an antelope my uncle had wounded about an hour earlier, since i had already harvested my antelope i wasnt carrying a gun, my uncle shot his 3 shots left in his gun at it ( he is not known for marksmanship) since the antelope was moving slow and we had no more bullets we ran it down and i killed it with my knife.. i recon thats pretty close

October 27, 2009, 09:35 AM	#1
2DaMtns Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2008 Posts: 457	What's the CLOSEST you've ever shot a deer? I remember before nearly everyone hunting had to run out and buy a 48mm quadruple extra ultra mega magnum to take a white tail deer at 2.39 miles, people used to use sensible cartridges and there was more honor in taking a close shot than one at driving ranges (with a car, not a golf club). This was when people went hunting instead of shooting. I am not knocking long range shooters, and I recognize that it takes a good skill set, and also admit that I do not have that skill set, only because I have never practiced it, as I have absolutely no use for it where I hunt. But anyway, my question, in remembrance of the art of hunting, what are the closest ranges you've ever shot a deer? I don't think I've ever shot one at more than 60 or maybe 75 yards, and the closest one was at about 8-10 yards. I am mainly talking rifle ranges, but you can include pistol and archery ranges also, but let's leave it to on-the-ground hunts, not in blinds or stands.

October 27, 2009, 09:57 AM	#3
DRice.72 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2009 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 451	I have never shot a deer. I did shoot squirrel at about 10 yrds when I was a kid with my dad's savage turkey gun. It was an old savage breach loader 12 ga.. I was 10 yrds away, but I think the barrel was only 6" from the little varmint. He had it loaded with some heavy shot, it nearly flipped me over! Not long after I shot it I got my first lesson in respect for nature.....One I did deserve, the biggest piece of that squirrel I found was the tail. __________________ They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin Light is faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright unitl you hear them speak! They should have stopped with "Congress shall make no Law...

October 27, 2009, 10:00 AM	#4
Sam06 Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: Fayettenam Posts: 1,086	I shot a deer at about 20' once. It was right at the bottom of my tree stand. I shot straight down at it with a 44 Mag revolver. I aimed for the base of the neck and it dropped DRT. My Grand Pa killed a deer with an Axe once. He was chopping wood and I was along. He sent me into the woods with my 22 to shoot some squirrels for dinner. Well I scared up a deer and it took off running at my Grand Pa. I mean it ran right at him. He hauled off and hit it in the head with an axe he was using to buck off tree limbs. I came up and he finished it off with a bash in the neck. It was Deer season and he had a license. It was a young spike and he was very tasty. Grand ma cooked him up good. So I guess I can say I have seen a deer killed in Hand to Hand combat That Deer must have been Crazy messing with Grand Pa. He was a WW1 Marine vet and was about 6'3". He had hands as big as Base Ball gloves. He looked like a cross between LBJ and John Wayne tough as the bark on a hickory tree. I miss him. __________________ The two most abundant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.

October 27, 2009, 10:04 AM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Ground only? 3 ft from the gun, one at about 25 feet, almost every deer I've ever shot was under 30 yards. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley Last edited by Brian Pfleuger; October 27, 2009 at 10:12 AM.

October 27, 2009, 10:35 AM	#8
Sam06 Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: Fayettenam Posts: 1,086	From the ground, maybe 20yds. It was early in the season and I was easing along a ridge in Western Washington state near Pe-el. I shot a 3 point(western count) Blacktail. Gun used was a Pre 64 Winchester 30WCF with a Lyman Peep sight with handloaded 130gr Speer FNSP bullet at about 2100fps. One shot through the head. I had been in the woods maybe 45 min and was going to where I thought I would see some deer. It was a chance encounter. There was a road at the bottom of the ridge maybe 500yds away and a log truck was driving by. The deer was totally focused on the log truck and never knew I was there. I pulled a lot of deer out of those woods and Elk too when I was stationed there in the 80's. Beautiful Country after you get over the rain. __________________ The two most abundant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.

October 27, 2009, 09:40 AM	#2
ninjatoth Junior member Join Date: March 21, 2009 Location: sanford,mi Posts: 590	I went on my first hunt and took my first deer last November.I shot it front on from about 30 yards away and dropped it legs up.I was using a .270 weatherby magnum with a high powered scope,not meant for that close,but it worked.

October 27, 2009, 10:08 AM	#6
2DaMtns Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2008 Posts: 457	Let's keep it to the on-the-ground only, please.

October 27, 2009, 10:32 AM	#7
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	15' give or take. btw a scope at 15' is not helpful.

October 27, 2009, 10:49 AM	#9
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	I shot a good 9 point at about 10 yards with a 300 WBY LOL. I was sitting on the ground. They get a little stupid in the rut.

October 27, 2009, 11:07 AM	#11
ninjatoth Junior member Join Date: March 21, 2009 Location: sanford,mi Posts: 590	wait,did I read that right?A 300 wby?!That's like shooting it with 2 30-30s at the same time!Was anything left?

October 27, 2009, 11:09 AM	#12
CajunBass Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2005 Location: North Chesterfield, Virginia Posts: 4,768	Maybe 10-15 yards, but I could have killed at least one closer than that. I was on top of a brush pile when a doe ran into the lap and crawled literally between my legs. I could have bayonetted her. __________________ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

October 27, 2009, 11:11 AM	#13
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	About 10 yards. It was the first time my little cousin had gone hunting. He was sitting about 10 feet to my left. A buck ran along the ridge top, my cousin shot at it. The buck turned and ran straight at him. He shot a second time and the buck stopped. I looked at my cousin, he was trembling visibly and had not pumped his gun again. I wasn't going to give the buck a chance to gore my cousin so I shot it. Dropped like a rock, I hit it in the spine, was aiming for the vitals. I was a little shook up too. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

October 27, 2009, 11:17 AM	#14
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	was aiming at a deer about 100yds away across the ridge with my knight m/l. i see something out of the corner of my eve and a doe walked right in front of the gun 10' away. smoke was coming out of the hair for a good five mins. __________________ There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."

October 27, 2009, 11:17 AM	#15
Yankee Doodle Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Posts: 619	A measured 18 feet. As it happened, I was actually in the process of urinating at the time. Saw deer, picked up gun, shot deer, zipped pants, dressed deer, went home. Laughing all the way back.

October 27, 2009, 11:19 AM	#16
Daryl Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Posts: 2,350	I shot a young whitetail buck at 6 yards once with a 7mm rem mag. I shot it through the neck to save meat. I've shot far more deer under 75 yards than I have at ranges beyond that mark, but it's nice to have the skills and rifle to handle longer shots when they become necessary. Daryl

October 27, 2009, 04:25 PM	#18
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	I shot a 9 pointer in self defense once. He was about 8-10 feet away and running right toward me. 18 pellets of 00 buckshot changed that. From a tree stand I shot an 8 pointer with a bow straight down. I was 15 feet up the tree. __________________ NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link) Last edited by rantingredneck; October 27, 2009 at 08:13 PM.

October 27, 2009, 04:38 PM	#19
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	last year I shot a huge doe that was so close that I nearly missed it with my .06. We stepped it off and it was round 15 ft... Now thats a long shot

October 27, 2009, 04:39 PM	#20
mtnbkr Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2000 Location: Manassas, Virginia Posts: 914	If six feet isn't too far from ground level (I set my stand just high enough to get me over the brush), I shot my closest deer last season at about 20yds. I haven't take a shot yet over 50yds. Chris

October 27, 2009, 07:56 PM	#21
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,408	About 40 feet almost straight down into the top of the shoulders and came out the brisket. I was on a cliff and a little 2 point muley let me see him below me, oops. The gun was a .54 caliber hawken with a patched round ball.

October 27, 2009, 08:01 PM	#22
Bigjim3 Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 419	About 10 feet. Top of ladder stand to under the ladder stand straight down.. __________________ Jesus according to Luke:22:36: Then said he unto them, ,,,,,, and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one......... Thomas Jefferson: "No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

October 27, 2009, 08:10 PM	#23
BurkGlocker Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2008 Location: Sheppard AFB, TX Posts: 568	I was hunting in Harper, TX on a patch of land that my ex-wife's cousins took care of. I was in the blind, and somehow cough cough fell asleep, and I was awaken by the feeder going off. When I came to, focused, and looked around, there were about 50 deer standing 20 yards off. I looked for the biggest deer I could find when I heard something sniffing next to me. There was a buck literally looking right next to me about 2 foot away. I couldve taken my knife out and cut his throat, he was that close. I didnt move, and let him walk in front of the blind. A good 10-pointer. He wasnt 15' in front of the muzzle of my rifle before I popped him. So close, I didnt even really have to aim. After a 150 grain slug from my .300 Mag, he didnt move another inch. The otehr deer jsut stood there and kept on eating, like they didnt care. I rechambered a round, picked out a doe, and laid her out as well. Two shots, two deer, two minutes, two tags filled.

October 27, 2009, 08:55 PM	#24
spanky411 Member Join Date: October 25, 2009 Location: Osage Beach Posts: 16	I sorry I cant get in on this, I have never shot a deer, I love small game hunting, and turkey, but once I hit one with my chevy s-10 at point blank bumper and knocked him about 40 feet, thats all I got

October 27, 2009, 10:12 PM	#25
murphyboy88 Member Join Date: September 23, 2009 Location: helena montana Posts: 81	two hunting seasons ago i jumped up an antelope my uncle had wounded about an hour earlier, since i had already harvested my antelope i wasnt carrying a gun, my uncle shot his 3 shots left in his gun at it ( he is not known for marksmanship) since the antelope was moving slow and we had no more bullets we ran it down and i killed it with my knife.. i recon thats pretty close