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View Full Version : Typical Range of shot (deer and other medium game)


fisherman66
July 7, 2007, 11:17 AM
I am typically behind a pile of logs or in a windowed outhouse. Usually there's a corn station, but we have done a couple pushes when windy.

Normal shots are about 100 yards (90%). I have had one 50 yard shot. I passed on a 200 yard shot last year as the 3 point cull buck was walking directly away from me in a narrow clearing. I had about 5 seconds to make the call and I have never taken a risky shot (nor missed, knock on wood). I got mildly chewed out by the old man for passing. I had a neck shot, nothin else. I should probably push myself a little more to become more skilled, but I take pride in my effort to be humane. I'm more limited by my comfort level/ability than my firearm.

What's your typical range? Do you ever feel limited by your firearm at those ranges?

BAGTIC
July 7, 2007, 01:19 PM
Seems typical of 90% of hunting. So why do some people think they need magnums and high powered scopes.

Answer: Because it is easier to blame an inamate object for failures than to blame the screwup using same object.

roy reali
July 7, 2007, 01:24 PM
Which system of measurement are you refering to? Is it the accepted one or the one that would puts the length of a football field at seven hundred yards?:D

fisherman66
July 7, 2007, 01:49 PM
100 paces method. I've never needed a rangefinder. I wouldn't mind having one.

I don't lie about my fish either. 6lb is my largest black bass (weighted on hand scale).

Fremmer
July 7, 2007, 09:39 PM
Fish, when it comes to long shots (more than 200 yards) I feel more constrained by my lack of shooting ability than anything else.

I'd like to be able to blame it on the gear, but that would be just too convenient.

Average range that I usually end of trying to take the shot? 50 to 100 yards.

Mike3030
July 7, 2007, 10:06 PM
Usually about 50-75 yards, with most of the deer I've taken being 50 yards or less. I hunt a lot in pine forests in eastern Georgia and haven't had the opportunity to try a longer shot yet.

stinger
July 7, 2007, 10:12 PM
Anything over 200 yards would be very impractical for me, I simply do not have the experience shooting beyond that distance. My average is probably around 100-125 yards. I've taken longer shots, I've taken shorter shots, but most seem to end up right around 100 or so.

The longest shot(s) I ever took was around 350 yards, and was not the plan. I was hunting (actually I had just gotten out of the pickup) around an oat patch and I took a shot from about 75 yards hitting the doe in the front leg. It was just a bad shot, I'm not sure to this day what went wrong. It began hobbling up a hill. I somehow managed to jam a Remington bolt action, but luckily had my Winchester '94 close by in the pickup.

This is going to sound bad, but I really had no choice. The deer was heading up a steep hill, and if it made it up and cleared the fence, there was no way I would ever see it again. About 10,000 acres of mesquite thorns would have seen to that. I had 6 rounds in the '94 and unloaded that levergun as fast as I safely could.

By the time I got to the levergun, the deer had hobbled quite a ways up the hill and was a LONG way off from where the encounter began. I was taking shots that I wasn't capable of in an effort to keep that deer from running off. I didn't stop the deer, and believe it or not, it jumped the fence, never to be seen again.

I tracked that deer a long time. I didn't find any signs of blood while crawling through the brush and thorns. I felt bad about that for a long time, but I learned a valuable lesson: don't rush. That first shot was the cause for a deer to die a painful death. :(

Fat White Boy
July 7, 2007, 10:52 PM
I hunt pigs in Central California using a Model 70 Winchester in .270. The shortest shot I have taken was about 150 yards and the longest was 227 yards.(I have a rangefinder now.) We have lots of rolling hills with Oak trees and patches of chapparal. Some shots are from ridge top to canyon bottom, some are from one hillside to another, some from an Oak tree to a brush line. Most shots I have seen are over 100 yards but some as close as 30 yards...

rantingredneck
July 7, 2007, 11:03 PM
Since I started bowhunting, I've started gun hunting much the same way. Most of my stand setups are in thick country where you really can't see much past 50 yards or so. Most of the shots I've taken in the past 5 years or so have been within that range. The longest deer I ever took was a 350 yd. beanfield shot. I've taken several in the 100-175 yd. range. Lately it's been the thick country for me though. :)

shotguna
July 7, 2007, 11:41 PM
Never farther than 60 yards for me, I hunt the thickets of Northwestern PA. A Marlin in either .30-30 or .44 has all I've ever needed.

Southern_guy
July 8, 2007, 01:39 AM
My maximum effective range is 5-10 feet.

boltgun71
July 8, 2007, 06:46 AM
For deer hunting my closest shot has been 10 yards and the farthest was 160yds, everything else has been in between. If you consider coyotes medium game then my one and only coyote shot was 220yds.

I've never really felt limited by my firearm, my rifles or shotguns handle the ranges I normally hunt quite well and beyond if need be with the rifle. I have had to pass on shots while using the muzzleloader but thats a part of muzzleloading. I practice out to 100yds with it but consider 70yds my max comfort range in field conditions and wont shoot at any moving deer or odd angles with the muzzleloader, I wait for broadside with that. I enjoy the muzzleloader the most because of the restrictions it places on me, it puts more emphasis on the hunt, stalk, and shot placement.

FirstFreedom
July 8, 2007, 09:09 AM
Typical range is 35-40 yards. Typical long range shot is 80-90 yards. There's a few fields where ranges could in theory be in the hundreds, but the deer are smart enough to stay in the woods during the day. Long range rifles & skill are interesting, but not needed where I currently hunt in Eastern OK. I applaud your good ethics, fisherman. :)

My maximum effective range is 5-10 feet

Pffft, lol. :)

fisherman66
July 8, 2007, 09:22 AM
FF, I've tracked a few wounded deer for fellow lease members early in my hunting adventures (and recently). It was rare to actually recover the deer. The gut shot ones were the most difficult to track. Finding bits of grass and corn mixed with blood spread over many hundreds of yards is hard on the soul. I promised myself I would do my very best to avoid being behind the rifle in that situation. I've had one flinch where the easy boiler room shot moved to the neck. I was pretty shaken up by that even thought the doe fell in her tracks. I spend many hundreds of rounds with the old 22lr right after that. I also have shunned heavy recoiling rifles ever since. It's just the right choice for me.

Stinger, thanks for sharing your story. I've seen that type of scenario play out several times. I appreciate your honesty and I think I can understand how you feel. I love single shots. There is a nagging voice that says "make this ONE count."

srtrax
July 8, 2007, 08:34 PM
My longest off hand shot is at 175 yds, my girl (daughter) was with me for the very first time to see an animal shot. For some reason a voice went off in my head and said dont screw this up or she will never go again, and the doe fell just as fast as the gun went off, daughter gave out a little laugh, and the deer never moved an inch. I just stood there thinking to myself, how in the world did you pull that off. No i am not bragging, because i'm not that great off hand, and just got real lucky at the right time. Give me a shot within 100 yds. with me in a stand, and the animal not even knowing i'm there. Even on my way to the stand in the dark i use an old plan that i used back when i bowhunted, i tell myself over and over, pick a spot, pick a spot, pick a spot, pick a spot, 95% of my shots are between 45 yds. to 85 yds..

lockedcj7
July 8, 2007, 08:48 PM
My farthest shot was right at 300 yds. The first shot was a clean miss (I didn't hold high). The deer ran about 50 yds right, did a 180 and ran right back to where it was and stopped broadside. The second shot dropped it in its tracks (I held too high and hit it just below the spine).

Most of the southeast is a patchwork of farm fields, powerline right-of-ways, pastures, thickets and woods. I'm just as likely to see deer 1000 yds away as I am to see them 10 yds away. As such I've made shots under ten yards, out to 300 and everywhere in between.

john1911
July 8, 2007, 09:43 PM
Most of the places I hunt, 50 yards is the longest shot I will have.
The longest shot I've taken is about a 100 yards. DRT.

Jason_G
July 8, 2007, 09:54 PM
In Louisiana the woods are thick. Unless you hunt on pipelines or high line clearings, you generally aren't going to shoot farther than 50 yds, and that's stretching it a bit. Most deer I've shot at have been within 40 yds.

Jason

Trapper L
July 8, 2007, 10:27 PM
Texas Hill Country, about 75-100 yds. South Texas you're looking at 250 yds + to probably 600 yds. West Texas you're lucky to see any deer closer than 300 yds and shots way out there are common.

FirstFreedom
July 8, 2007, 11:11 PM
I've always wondered where these places are that deer roam leisurely around out in open fields in broad daylight. But, then I see them do the same thing on hunting shows - private ranches & such. Must be a lot less hunting pressure in other places. 'Round here, only time you might see a deer in a field is at first crack of dawn or last shred of dusk, or if you spook one out of the woods and it's trying to get away from you.

fisherman, well-said about the ethics/tracking issues. I agree.

lockedcj7
July 9, 2007, 08:22 AM
I watched two deer last night walk out of the treeline at 350+ and down to my pond for a drink at 150. This was at 6:30 so there were hours of light left.

FirstFreedom
July 9, 2007, 08:38 AM
Of course they do now - wait til November, when their water needs are greatly diminished and they know it's hunting season. :)

ZeroJunk
July 9, 2007, 09:25 AM
I think my longest kill on a deer was about 250 yards,sitting in a chair with the side of the stand as a rest.Shortest with a rifle was about 10 yards while sitting on the ground.You know what he had his mind on.The vast majority were between 50 and 100 yards.I would probably take a shot at 300 yards if he wants to sit there long enough for me to get a good rest.If not maybe I'll see him later.You should be able to judge the situation by looking through your scope.If you have a deer in your sights at whatever yardage and you can't keep your crosshairs on the target not even trying to pull the trigger,then back off.Find a better rest or get closer.

mikejonestkd
July 9, 2007, 09:38 AM
Here in upstate NY we have alot of corn and soybean fields with lots of small patches of forest and scrub around them.

Depending on where you choose to hang a stand you can have a very close shot or a very long one.

Because we are a shotgun/ muzzleloader/ pistol only zone most of the guys shoot under 100 yards, with 50-75 being about average.

I, and my family have had shots and harvested deer from 10 feet to 200 yards, with the vast majority coming at about 75 yards.

davlandrum
July 9, 2007, 11:09 AM
75-100 yards covers all my rifle kills. Would I take a longer shot - say 150-200? Yes, the situation just hasn't presented itself. Longer than that, I would not feel confident, so would not - even though my rifle would gladly do it. So for me it is a limitation of myself, not equipment.

Scorch
July 9, 2007, 12:15 PM
Closest rifle shot at a deer was about 30 yds (walking down a trail, the buck cam out and was walking almost abreast of me), farthest about 350 yds (bedded buck, rifle rested on a pack, across a rimrock canyon). Most have been about 100-150 yds. That's about how close most deer will let you get before they start to get uncomfortable.

taylorce1
July 9, 2007, 01:07 PM
Closest shot on deer and elk right about 25 yards. Farthest shot on elk 250 yards, farthest shot on Mule deer is 560 yards to date. Only bear lasered at 202 yards. Pronghorn closest shot 150 yards farthest 300 yards. Most of my deer and elk have been taken inside of 100 yards.

bcarver
July 10, 2007, 03:54 AM
I have had shots from 10 to 285 yards with most being about 80 yards and rarely over 100.

Buckmaster
July 10, 2007, 09:09 AM
I hunt in South West Texas. Most of our shots are 100 - 200 yard range. I regularly see deer in the 300 yard and further range. I have taken a few past 300, but normally I will not attempt that long of a shot unless conditions are right (wind, proper rest, etc....).

willsjeep
July 11, 2007, 08:27 AM
My shortest was sniffing the bottom rung of my 10' ladder stand, my longest was a measured 287 yards.
The long one was on the gas line right-of-way where we had sighted in our rifles three days before. He was standing right in front of one of our target stands!
The closest was, well I was hunting from that stand at the time!
Average distance is probably 40-60 yards in pine/scrub oak thickets or creek swamp.
Will

dbgun
July 11, 2007, 09:11 AM
My shortest shot was 20 yards, right at dusk. The longest shot was 225 yards. All with a Remington .270. Most of my shots have been at 100 yards +/-25yds. there are a couple of box blinds on our lease that have had deer shot out to 180 yards, but I usually have a lot of success at my blind, so I usually don't worry about longer (than 100yds.) shots.

oldironman
July 11, 2007, 09:27 AM
Seems typical of 90% of hunting. So why do some people think they need magnums and high powered scopes.

Answer: Because it is easier to blame an inamate object for failures than to blame the screwup using same object.

Bagtit, I take it you don't use a magnum rifle?

taylorce1
July 11, 2007, 10:18 AM
Bagtit, I take it you don't use a magnum rifle?

I don't use a magnum rifle to hunt with either and haven't found where all the extra recoil and noise produced that much better results on game. All of my large game has been shot with .243 Win, .270 Win, .30-06, or a .50 Cal ML. I do own a 7mm Rem Mag but I don't hunt with it, the rifle shoots great and would definatly do the job but I don't enjoy shooting it like I do my .270. My .270 has made my two longest kills that I posted above and both animals required only one shot and both went less than 20 yards after being hit.

The biggest problem I have with Magnum rifles is exactly what Bagtit stated. I've seen too many of my friends who don't spend enough time on the range blame the rifle and not themselves for poor shots. They go out and buy a .300 WM or something larger and think it will kill better and it doesn't because they didn't learn to shoot it well. Magnum rifles will do the job just the same as standard calibers as long as the hunter does theirs.

ZeroJunk
July 11, 2007, 11:50 AM
I hunted with a 300 WM for a while.It was a Model 70 that I sent to McMillan and had them bed in their stock which cost more than the rifle.It would shoot sub MOA.You just had to grit your teeth and take it.I have told this story a couple of times on this forum.I shot a doe square through both lungs with Weatherby factory loads and she ran 200 yards.The bullet never expanded,the fat filled the entrance and exit and,she did not even leave a trail.I was lucky to find her.I figure the bullet left going about as fast as it entered.I know this was an anomaly but it made me decide there is little point in taking the beating.I also think fatter is better as I have shot a couple of 140 class bucks with a 250 grain 45 lobbed out of a sidelock.They went less than 50 yards.

oldironman
July 11, 2007, 11:54 AM
The biggest problem I have with Magnum rifles is exactly what Bagtit stated. I've seen too many of my friends who don't spend enough time on the range blame the rifle and not themselves for poor shots. They go out and buy a .300 WM or something larger and think it will kill better and it doesn't because they didn't learn to shoot it well. Magnum rifles will do the job just the same as standard calibers as long as the hunter does theirs.

I really ain't trying to be a smart-alec, but it seems like your biggest problem isn't with the magnums, but with some of the people who use them.

mikejonestkd
July 11, 2007, 01:16 PM
Technology ( modern flat shooting rifles and great optics ) are great but not essential, since most of us have posted that typical yardages are around 75 - 100 yards or so.

I'll personally leave the superduperohmygodthatthingisloud magnums for those of you that want them...

You don't need a 300 weatherby for deer and similar game. Granddad's old .30-06 is more than enough gun and in most cases great grandad's ole thurty-thurty will do just fine too..

just my 3 cents on the topic...

taylorce1
July 11, 2007, 02:37 PM
it seems like your biggest problem isn't with the magnums, but with some of the people who use them.

Oldironman that is the point I think Bagtit was trying to make as well when he complained about people using Magnum rifles. I don't have a problem with anyone using a 700 NE rifle on deer as long as they can shoot the rifle well. The problem is that I find is most people beleive what they read and think it can't be killed without the newest magnum load out there, and they can't even shoot it without flinching.

I find that I can consistantly shoot my .270 or my .30-06 better than any magnum rifle that I've ever shot. I'm not trying to pick any fights either, I beleive hunters should be able to use there weapon of choice very well. Most modern rifle cartridges (with a few exceptions) that have been developed since the 7x57 and .30-40 are capable of producing clean kills on deer sized game to 300 yards and beyond.

oldironman
July 11, 2007, 03:06 PM
Very true. Nearly every kill I have made could have been done easily with a 30-30. A 44 mag carbine could have done many of them (I wish I had one). But I ain't givin up my 300winmag. :eek:

cpaspr
July 11, 2007, 06:16 PM
shortest - about 20 yards running flat out straight away from me (almost stepped on her)

longest - about 150 yards, standing broadside

Both with a .308 Remington 760 with a 4x scope.

Now it has a 3-9 variable with BDC, but I've not had an opportunity to try longer ranges yet.

davlandrum
July 12, 2007, 10:25 AM
+1 to using whatever you want and can shoot well. Most of the guys I hunt with have "the" gun they hunt with no matter what critter we are hunting. These range from .257 Roberts to 270 to -06 to 7mmMag. Depending on what we draw in a given year, that particular round may be slightly under-gunned, slightly over-gunned, or "just right". But everyone can shoot their rifle well and has faith in it.

My buddy's mom killed a monster bull elk with her .257 Roberts - perfect shoot through the pump house. Before that, I would have "tsk-tsk"'d that round for elk. The guy who shoots the 7 Mag is "over-gunned" for blacktails if we end up hunting west side, but when he pulls the trigger there is an animal on the ground.

ronto
July 12, 2007, 04:36 PM
Deer come within 25 yards of my house in broad daylight...I could bag 'em during NFL half-time from my living room window...But I don't see the sport of "shootng fish in a barrel".

CK1
July 15, 2007, 12:28 PM
90%+ of the whitetails I've taken hunting in Texas have been under 100 yards. However, I have had opportunities at 400+. Antelope have been 250+.

If I don't anticipate long range shots (250+), I'll use my .308.

If there is the possibility of a long shot, I'll use one of my Weatherby's, .257 or .300, depending where I am hunting.

Elk...if there are grizzlies around I'll use a .338 Win Mag. If not, a .300 Weatherby.

lockedcj7
July 15, 2007, 08:48 PM
I don't hunt for "sport". I hunt to take my place as a top-tier predator in the food chain. I hunt to fulfill some primal need. I hunt to put lean, healthy meat on my family's table. I spend many hours in the woods hunting all kinds of game, enjoying nature and watching all manner of life go about the business of daily survival and I love every minute of it, but a deer in my yard would very quickly be a deer in my freezer.

BIGR
July 15, 2007, 10:01 PM
10 to 15 yards on the short shots for deer. Taken a few in the field at 80 to 100 yards, but most are 60 yards or less. Heck unless I hunt one of the fields I can't see the deer any further than 50 yards where I hunt. Its a thicket with thick timber.