Range of 80% of your hunting shots

TXAZ · December 23, 2014, 09:59 AM

There have been several discussions here on reaching out long distances to touch that deer, elk whatever at very long distances.
In reality I expect *most* successful hunting shots are less than 150 yards.

So for you hunters, 80% of your (non bird) shots are under what range?

80% of mine are under 100 yards.

Double Naught Spy · December 23, 2014, 10:37 AM

I would say that in the last year, 80% of mine were under 120 yards. 120 yards happens to be the far tree line of one of my primary hunting places and I have caught several animals at the tree line there. Longest shot was 205 yards. Shortest was inside 20.

80% of my stalking shots are within 70 yards.

23 Hogs, 7 coyotes, 3 bobcats, 4 squirrels for 2014.

bedlamite · December 23, 2014, 01:03 PM

The vast majority are 30-70 yards.

CarJunkieLS1 · December 23, 2014, 05:36 PM

I'm a relatively new Deer hunter and I've only taken 2 shots. One was a deer at 65yds it was a very dead deer. My second shot was a coyote at 109yds it was also a very dead coyote. Average of the 2 is 87yds.

rickmelear · December 23, 2014, 05:37 PM

I hunt primarily in South Carolina. The vast majority of my shots have been under 150 yards with my longest ever at 230.

AllenJ · December 23, 2014, 05:44 PM

Depends where I'm hunting. In Colorado average is around 150 yards, here in California though it would be more around 50 yards.

Deja vu · December 23, 2014, 05:47 PM

Most are less than 100 yards.

I did have a big horn sheep at about 550 but that is not the kind of hunting I normally do.

Blindstitch · December 23, 2014, 07:52 PM

25 yards or what should other be classified as bow range.

Art Eatman · December 23, 2014, 08:05 PM

I guess two within 30 yards. One at 450; one at 350. One running buck somewhere in the vicinity of 150 yards.

The other forty-plus were rarely past 125 yards, I guess.

tahunua001 · December 23, 2014, 08:28 PM

I would say 150 is a good average for me. I've had some at 50 yards, others at 300, some most are between 100 and 200.

riverratt · December 23, 2014, 09:04 PM

My longest shot was 426 (laser ranged) with an 06, but the vast mmajority has been around 50 yards. I've left powder burns (literally) on 3 does one with a 30-30 and 2 with a muzzle loader. One of them with the ml the barrel was about a foot away from the deer, I found the sabot in the chest cavity. That really hurt my long shot average

BIG P · December 24, 2014, 02:10 AM

I'm a powerline/ cutover guy out of 10 deer this year 6 were 200 to 350yds.with a rifle.4 around 25 to 50yrds.with a handgun.Those numbers are legal here in GA.GOT TO LOVE IT.

globemaster3 · December 24, 2014, 03:01 AM

In the last decade, all shots myself or family have taken were under 100 yards.

If I go back the last 25 years, there's a couple beyond that, to include a 250 yard hog, with the other at ~125 yards, but everything else was under 100.

Some of that has to do with my hunting locales.... Very few times have I hunted somewhere I needed to make long-distance shots.

bamaranger · December 24, 2014, 04:07 AM

I've kept a "Deer Diary" and a list of my deer kills. I do a good bit of bowhunting for whitetails, and my average bow shot is 14 yards (paces).

My rifle kills include a couple long pokes at 200 yds plus on ROW's, but excluding that, the rest are well under 100, and an average would be about 50 yds. By example, the last 3 were 65, 55, and 45 (paces).

Sure Shot Mc Gee · December 24, 2014, 08:03 AM

Built a enclosed box stand in what I thought was the perfect position/spot overlooking a wild over grown 25 acre grass field. Turns out I should of positioned my stand on the opposite side directly across the field from where it actually is. So my shots are a little further away than originally planed. Like 175 to 225 yards usually. On a couple occasions closer to 300 on BIG deer (10 pointers) that unexpectedly popped out of the brush line chasing doe took those big fellows.
Having a good 270 for the purpose shooting a fast moving 3200 fps recipe with it's 130 gr bullet seated w/ no crimp on top of a case full of 4350. Yup!! That's my preferred slammer hammer OP. {270 does have a decent scope mounted} Vari-X-3_ 3-1/2 to 10. Its actually a piece cake to shoot anything any where's on that Canary grass field when having a piece of quality glass to look thru.
Being fortunate to have and hunt out of box stands. If there is one thing I've learned over the years it's how to be patience and wait for that better positioning shot. No doubt about it. When I shoot. There's allot of self-control taking place just prior to that very moment of my triggers pull. (excitement & breathing quelled, peaked concentration all going on at once.) Frankly speaking: I (have to be) spot on with my shot. In order to see those humanely quick kills I want to experience.

jersurf101 · December 24, 2014, 08:20 AM

For about 15 years I hunted a cow pasture in central MD. My average shots there were probably 175 yards with very few shots under 100 yards. That is why I love my .270. It shoots on a rope out to 250 yards or so. Here in eastern NC I probably average right at 100 yards. You can see a good ways down the pine rows.

redrick · December 24, 2014, 08:59 AM

Most of my shots are less than 30 yards . I primarily hunt from a treestand in thick woods .

Kreyzhorse · December 24, 2014, 12:51 PM

My deer shots are typically 30 to 75 yards in the hills and hollows of Kentucky. Maybe an average of 50 yards I'd guess.

My Wyoming antelope shots have been any place between 30 yards and 300 yards. I'd go and average of 150 yards.

Picher · December 25, 2014, 12:21 PM

I've shot about 30 deer here in Maine, which usually allows only 1 per year, but got a bonus doe tag a few years ago.

The average distance varies considerably, so is really meaningless. The longest is over 400 yards and the average on one particular stand is about 300 yards. On others, I've shot several that were running, ranging from 10 to over 200 yds. The latest running deer was about 40 yards, left-handed, from a tree stand.

My feeling is that I want to carry a rifle that has a fairly flat trajectory and sufficient energy/accuracy to kill decent-sized Maine deer out to 500 yards. Beyond that, too many things can happen either to the bullet or movement of the game to make it less feasible to deliver a quick-killing shot, so I won't do it.

BumbleBug · December 25, 2014, 01:46 PM

I've spent most of my hunting life in various parts of Texas. As a kid hunting in the Hill Country around San Antonio, shots were mostly 75yds & under. Later I ended up hunting South Texas around Encinal & shots under 100 yds were rare & 200 yds more the norm. From there I started hunting the Laredo area & shots went from 100 yds up. Now I hunt the Hill Country again around Junction & shots average 100yds.

My .270 Win has served me well everywhere & all distances.

...bug

FrankenMauser · December 26, 2014, 03:15 AM

I've worked this out before, for the last 10 years, but I don't remember what the end result was. I do remember that it was longer than I expected.

Thinking out loud...
650 (called shot - left eye

- but using a borrowed rifle with ammunition that I'd never fired

)
425
400
90
125
225
95
75
220
75/25 (first / second)
and a few more in the 125-225 range.

...For an average of 219 yards. (Elk and Antelope.)
Some of those longer shots were taken before I learned the area where we've been antelope hunting lately. Having a much better understanding of the area now, I wouldn't repeat those shots. I'd wait for something closer. ....But you'd still be looking at 200 yards being an "easy" shot, and I wouldn't hesitate unless there were 60 mph crosswinds (and then I might just have to think about it a little more

).

All of the above were taken with .270 Win and .30-06, with .444 Marlin and .243 Win taking one animal apiece.

the357plan · December 26, 2014, 07:29 PM

Excluding some jack rabbits @ 250 to 300 yds with a 25-06 Rem, everything has been under 75 yds. I "still hunt" (or use to) and get in close. Consequently, I've given up my long range hunting tools (300 Win Mag BAR, 25-06 Rem Winchester Model 70 and a 25-06 Rem Ruger #1) and have regretted doing so.

gunrunner1 · December 28, 2014, 10:45 PM

Of the past twenty deer I've killed, twelve were 100 yards and under, four were between 100 and 200 yards, three were between 200 and 250 yards, and one was at 320 yards. All of the wild hogs I've killed were 100 yards and under.

bucksnort13 · December 28, 2014, 10:46 PM

All of mine have been under 100 yards so far

MarkCO · December 28, 2014, 11:08 PM

I have deer from 3 yards to 1005, Pronghorn from 35-690 and elk from 60 to 505. When I hunt in Colorado, the 80% number is close to 200 yards. My last 4 tags were 225 (Elk yesterday), 690 (2013 Pronghorn), 110 (2013 Deer) and 310 (2013 Elk). When I hunt in other states with less open areas, it is under 100 for sure.

If we add in Varmints and such, it probably stays right at 200 yards.

December 23, 2014, 10:37 AM	#2
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	I would say that in the last year, 80% of mine were under 120 yards. 120 yards happens to be the far tree line of one of my primary hunting places and I have caught several animals at the tree line there. Longest shot was 205 yards. Shortest was inside 20. 80% of my stalking shots are within 70 yards. 23 Hogs, 7 coyotes, 3 bobcats, 4 squirrels for 2014. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

December 23, 2014, 01:03 PM	#3
bedlamite Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2000 Location: WI Posts: 1,395	The vast majority are 30-70 yards. __________________ A plan is just a list of things that doesn't happen.

December 23, 2014, 05:47 PM	#7
Deja vu Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Border of Idaho & Montana Posts: 2,584	Most are less than 100 yards. I did have a big horn sheep at about 550 but that is not the kind of hunting I normally do. __________________ Shot placement is everything! I would rather take a round of 50BMG to the foot than a 22short to the base of the skull. all 26 of my guns are 45/70 govt, 357 mag, 22 or 12 ga... I believe in keeping it simple. Wish my wife did as well...

December 23, 2014, 08:28 PM	#10
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	I would say 150 is a good average for me. I've had some at 50 yards, others at 300, some most are between 100 and 200. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

December 24, 2014, 03:01 AM	#13
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	In the last decade, all shots myself or family have taken were under 100 yards. If I go back the last 25 years, there's a couple beyond that, to include a 250 yard hog, with the other at ~125 yards, but everything else was under 100. Some of that has to do with my hunting locales.... Very few times have I hunted somewhere I needed to make long-distance shots. __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

December 23, 2014, 09:59 AM	#1
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	Range of 80% of your hunting shots There have been several discussions here on reaching out long distances to touch that deer, elk whatever at very long distances. In reality I expect most successful hunting shots are less than 150 yards. So for you hunters, 80% of your (non bird) shots are under what range? 80% of mine are under 100 yards. __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

December 23, 2014, 05:36 PM	#4
CarJunkieLS1 Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2013 Posts: 686	I'm a relatively new Deer hunter and I've only taken 2 shots. One was a deer at 65yds it was a very dead deer. My second shot was a coyote at 109yds it was also a very dead coyote. Average of the 2 is 87yds.

December 23, 2014, 05:37 PM	#5
rickmelear Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2005 Location: palm beach county, fl Posts: 257	I hunt primarily in South Carolina. The vast majority of my shots have been under 150 yards with my longest ever at 230.

December 23, 2014, 05:44 PM	#6
AllenJ Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,766	Depends where I'm hunting. In Colorado average is around 150 yards, here in California though it would be more around 50 yards.

December 23, 2014, 07:52 PM	#8
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,693	25 yards or what should other be classified as bow range.

December 23, 2014, 08:05 PM	#9
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I guess two within 30 yards. One at 450; one at 350. One running buck somewhere in the vicinity of 150 yards. The other forty-plus were rarely past 125 yards, I guess.

December 23, 2014, 09:04 PM	#11
riverratt Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2014 Posts: 314	My longest shot was 426 (laser ranged) with an 06, but the vast mmajority has been around 50 yards. I've left powder burns (literally) on 3 does one with a 30-30 and 2 with a muzzle loader. One of them with the ml the barrel was about a foot away from the deer, I found the sabot in the chest cavity. That really hurt my long shot average

December 24, 2014, 02:10 AM	#12
BIG P Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2010 Location: North Georgia Posts: 1,679	I'm a powerline/ cutover guy out of 10 deer this year 6 were 200 to 350yds.with a rifle.4 around 25 to 50yrds.with a handgun.Those numbers are legal here in GA.GOT TO LOVE IT.

December 24, 2014, 04:07 AM	#14
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	Bow and firearm I've kept a "Deer Diary" and a list of my deer kills. I do a good bit of bowhunting for whitetails, and my average bow shot is 14 yards (paces). My rifle kills include a couple long pokes at 200 yds plus on ROW's, but excluding that, the rest are well under 100, and an average would be about 50 yds. By example, the last 3 were 65, 55, and 45 (paces).

December 24, 2014, 08:03 AM	#15
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Built a enclosed box stand in what I thought was the perfect position/spot overlooking a wild over grown 25 acre grass field. Turns out I should of positioned my stand on the opposite side directly across the field from where it actually is. So my shots are a little further away than originally planed. Like 175 to 225 yards usually. On a couple occasions closer to 300 on BIG deer (10 pointers) that unexpectedly popped out of the brush line chasing doe took those big fellows. Having a good 270 for the purpose shooting a fast moving 3200 fps recipe with it's 130 gr bullet seated w/ no crimp on top of a case full of 4350. Yup!! That's my preferred slammer hammer OP. {270 does have a decent scope mounted} Vari-X-3_ 3-1/2 to 10. Its actually a piece cake to shoot anything any where's on that Canary grass field when having a piece of quality glass to look thru. Being fortunate to have and hunt out of box stands. If there is one thing I've learned over the years it's how to be patience and wait for that better positioning shot. No doubt about it. When I shoot. There's allot of self-control taking place just prior to that very moment of my triggers pull. (excitement & breathing quelled, peaked concentration all going on at once.) Frankly speaking: I (have to be) spot on with my shot. In order to see those humanely quick kills I want to experience.

December 24, 2014, 08:20 AM	#16
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	For about 15 years I hunted a cow pasture in central MD. My average shots there were probably 175 yards with very few shots under 100 yards. That is why I love my .270. It shoots on a rope out to 250 yards or so. Here in eastern NC I probably average right at 100 yards. You can see a good ways down the pine rows.

December 24, 2014, 08:59 AM	#17
redrick Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,041	Most of my shots are less than 30 yards . I primarily hunt from a treestand in thick woods .

December 24, 2014, 12:51 PM	#18
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	My deer shots are typically 30 to 75 yards in the hills and hollows of Kentucky. Maybe an average of 50 yards I'd guess. My Wyoming antelope shots have been any place between 30 yards and 300 yards. I'd go and average of 150 yards. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

December 25, 2014, 12:21 PM	#19
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	I've shot about 30 deer here in Maine, which usually allows only 1 per year, but got a bonus doe tag a few years ago. The average distance varies considerably, so is really meaningless. The longest is over 400 yards and the average on one particular stand is about 300 yards. On others, I've shot several that were running, ranging from 10 to over 200 yds. The latest running deer was about 40 yards, left-handed, from a tree stand. My feeling is that I want to carry a rifle that has a fairly flat trajectory and sufficient energy/accuracy to kill decent-sized Maine deer out to 500 yards. Beyond that, too many things can happen either to the bullet or movement of the game to make it less feasible to deliver a quick-killing shot, so I won't do it.

December 25, 2014, 01:46 PM	#20
BumbleBug Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2013 Location: Near Heart of Texas Posts: 870	I've spent most of my hunting life in various parts of Texas. As a kid hunting in the Hill Country around San Antonio, shots were mostly 75yds & under. Later I ended up hunting South Texas around Encinal & shots under 100 yds were rare & 200 yds more the norm. From there I started hunting the Laredo area & shots went from 100 yds up. Now I hunt the Hill Country again around Junction & shots average 100yds. My .270 Win has served me well everywhere & all distances. ...bug

December 26, 2014, 03:15 AM	#21
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	I've worked this out before, for the last 10 years, but I don't remember what the end result was. I do remember that it was longer than I expected. Thinking out loud... 650 (called shot - left eye - but using a borrowed rifle with ammunition that I'd never fired ) 425 400 90 125 225 95 75 220 75/25 (first / second) and a few more in the 125-225 range. ...For an average of 219 yards. (Elk and Antelope.) Some of those longer shots were taken before I learned the area where we've been antelope hunting lately. Having a much better understanding of the area now, I wouldn't repeat those shots. I'd wait for something closer. ....But you'd still be looking at 200 yards being an "easy" shot, and I wouldn't hesitate unless there were 60 mph crosswinds (and then I might just have to think about it a little more ). All of the above were taken with .270 Win and .30-06, with .444 Marlin and .243 Win taking one animal apiece. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

December 26, 2014, 07:29 PM	#22
the357plan Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2007 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 151	Excluding some jack rabbits @ 250 to 300 yds with a 25-06 Rem, everything has been under 75 yds. I "still hunt" (or use to) and get in close. Consequently, I've given up my long range hunting tools (300 Win Mag BAR, 25-06 Rem Winchester Model 70 and a 25-06 Rem Ruger #1) and have regretted doing so. __________________ A couple of DT 158 GDs will do it!

December 28, 2014, 10:45 PM	#23
gunrunner1 Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 111	Of the past twenty deer I've killed, twelve were 100 yards and under, four were between 100 and 200 yards, three were between 200 and 250 yards, and one was at 320 yards. All of the wild hogs I've killed were 100 yards and under.

December 28, 2014, 10:46 PM	#24
bucksnort13 Member Join Date: October 29, 2014 Posts: 51	All of mine have been under 100 yards so far

December 28, 2014, 11:08 PM	#25
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,308	I have deer from 3 yards to 1005, Pronghorn from 35-690 and elk from 60 to 505. When I hunt in Colorado, the 80% number is close to 200 yards. My last 4 tags were 225 (Elk yesterday), 690 (2013 Pronghorn), 110 (2013 Deer) and 310 (2013 Elk). When I hunt in other states with less open areas, it is under 100 for sure. If we add in Varmints and such, it probably stays right at 200 yards. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us