What's the max range you'll shoot at game?

[Jamie Young]

Did I stir up the hornets nest?

Mal I meant INCH not MOA (And I'm claiming to shoot 600yds at a bear)

All I'll say is I'd take a shot with My '06 at a Bear out to 600yds. I wouldn't attempt to take a deer past 300yds.

The first time I went out for Bear, I was hunting across a reservoir
just outside of Kempton PA. I was up on the edge of a hill where I could see a good 600-800yds around. Many of the Locals said they have seen Bear in that vicinity so I hung out for a day.

With no range finding, or Mil dot scope, I'd absolutely attempt a hold over shot out to 400yds for Bear. Thats only about a 24in drop at that distance. Anything past that I'd need a lot of time.

I guess I'm talking about being comfortable making attempts at game and I'm off topic, but I think If I judged the windage correctly (and it wasn't blowing too hard) It's the max range I would shoot at game.

Should I start FOS poll now?

[labgrade]

I use "depends" - not the adult underwear, however.

Rifle, load, game, conditions (which includes me that particular day).

I've done a few 1-shot kills on deer ~350+ before w/an old .243 & p'dogs well past 400 w/a .22-250 - all off rock-solid, but field, rests. Would not have even attempted if less steady.

Using my stand-by short-bbl'd .308, these days, I'd stay within 300 - tad loss in velocity just doesn't give the flatter trajectory & past that, I'm guessing too much.

Doves? I want 'em within 40 or so, or forget it.

[Art Eatman]

Hokay; follow your reasoning, SodaPop.

I bought a Bushnell 800-yard laser rangefinder, just to help when I'm out in long-range country. Now I laugh at myself because I mostly won't carry it out in the field--I then feel that somehow I'm cheating Bambi. Dangfino.

But I'd have no qualms in using it for a coyote. Go figure.

As usual,

Art

[444]

I was elk hunting a couple years ago in Colorado. Another guy we met there was bow hunting, but he volunteered to take us to the spots he hunted when he was rifle hunting. We were sitting on the side of the mountain; you could see perhaps 50 miles. He pointed out a spot where he had shot at an elk a few years ago. My buddy pulled out his range finder and found it to be something like 1200 yards away. So much for field range estimation. The guy said, "No wonder I missed it".

Hunting a spot like that is frustrating because you see elk all day long that are far beyond rifle range. Then of course there is the question of how you could possibly get the elk out of there if you did connect.

[stubby]

350 and I am very uncomfortable with that distance but sometimes that is the only shot available and if the wind is calm and I have a rocksteady rest, I can make it strike in a broadside shot.

[El Loco Lobo]

For a simple question thats a realy loaded one.
The longest shot I have ever taken at a large game animal was last year's antelope 315 yards - prone, bipod, no wind and a rifle and handloads I'd been shooting all summer at various ranges. On the other hand I've passed up shots of less than 15 yards becuase I couldn't get my clean ONE SHOT KILL!(bout got ran over by that elk )


PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
practice does not make perfect it makes it perminant

[MarineTech]

I only ever shot 1 deer over 100 yards away. I was 17 and used my fathers Springfield 1903. Took him at approx. 200 yards across a field.

The other 4 I have taken have all been under 100 yards. That's why I switched to a T/C Encore .44 Mag pistol.

My grandfather always told me, "You don't brag about how far you can shoot. You brag about how close you can get."

[Dr.Rob]

For deer elk, antelope etc.. about 400 yards, longer than that and I need a range finder (other than the crosshairs). My hardest shot was around 375 yards from a kneeling position in a gusting wind, if it had been a calm day... who knows? the longest shot I've MADE was around 400-425 (I sitting using a snipersling) but I didn't kill the animal clean. Within 300 yards, we are having dinner.

For Prarie Dogs.. there is no limit to what I'll try. However, realisticly, from a heavier weapon on a bench etc.. maybe 450.. there is a whole lot of stuff happening (wind temperature humidity etc) at long range to vary the point of impact. I can't do it consistantly at that kind of range, but its fun to try.

[Art Eatman]

If you review all of these posts, I think it's fair to say that for what we think of as "game animals", the consensus is that it's a mix of circumstance, personal confidence, and a desire that there be a quick and clean kill.

Varmints being varmints, more risks on any given shot seem more reasonable.

, Art

[Jamie Young]

I know one guy that actually took shots at deer 500-600yds. He fired about 3-5rds at two doe, threw out the course of the day. He found blood trails, but never recovered the game.

[aerod1]

I try to limit my shots to 200 yds. or less. Chances of a "clean kill are deminished beyond that distance, IMHO. I have a respect for the game I hunt and try to hunt ethically.
I target practice at distances greater than that.
Jim Hall

[scotjute]

125 yards. I'm currently shooting Swedish Mauser with open sights. I practice at 100 yds. and really feel uncomfortable shooting much past 125 yds. The gun will do it but I have a hard time holding it steady enough currently to hit accurately at 150 yds. I'm having another 6.5x55 custom built and hope to be able to hit accurately out to 400 yards eventually, haven't any idea if I'd ever try a shot that long at game. Have also just bought a Bushnell range-finder to help in judging distances.

Longest shot I've ever made with 12 gage full choke 2 3/4" # 6 shot was 72 yards, knocked squirrel dead out of tree. Don't have that shotgun anymore thanks to a thief. Limit my shotgun shooting presently to the 60 yard range.

[Ron Ankeny]

I live in central Wyoming, the land of wide open spaces. After more than 30 years of big game hunting and competition I have learned a few things. First, most folks can't estimate distance. Secondly, the effective range of most riflemen is a whole lot less than what they claim it to be. For those of you who admit that your effective range day in and day out under normal field conditions is 300 yards or less, a tip of the hat.

[Art Eatman]

"...day in and day out..."? HA! Maybe 200 yards? said the small voice at the rear of the room.

A great percentage of my successful shots, I had the same feeling as when I'd first fire up an engine I'd rebuilt: Amazement that the danged thing worked! Dunno. It's always seemed like there are so many variables, there's no way at all to make good things happen on the very first effort.

But I'll take luck over skill, any day.

, Art

[gregarat]

The longest shot I took at a whitetail was 217y with my old .30-06
droped him on the spot.

[mountainman454]

On most big game I won't really try anything past 350yds.
Here in Montana, those plains antelope sometimes don't cooperate. A few days into the season, a running 300 yd shot is sometimes all you get. I have taken a nice antelope at 563 yds, but the conditions were perfect and I was trying out my Remington 700 hvy bbl 308 with a mk4 mil-dot fixed 10 power scope. So I new the exact range and do alot of practice out to 800yds.
I think there are too many variables to list. Just be honest with your skill, weapon, and above all a clean kill.

[nemesis]

Most people have absolutely no idea as to the range they are shooting at.

Most people do not know the ballistics of the cartridge they are shooting.

In Texas, almost all hunting is done from blinds and I start the hunt by laser rangefinding outstanding features all around me. I know exactly how much the bullet will drop at all reasonable distances and can quickly calculate the holdover.

Most shots occur between 200 and 300 yards and I will take a shot out to (about) 400 yards if I feel it is doable and that depends on a lot of things. I am proud to say that the first round always has done the job.

There may be marksmen out there capable of precision accuracy at extremely long range, and my hat is off to them, but most hunters overestimate distance and have a tendency to exaggerate their own prowess.

[Jamie Young]

Most people have absolutely no idea as to the range they are shooting at.

That's why I cheat using 150gr bullets out of a 30/06. Pretty hard to miss with such a flat shooting bullet.

[Art Eatman]

SodaPop, ain't "flat" a sort of relative term? After all, that bullet has right at two feet of drop at 400 yards and about four feet of drop at 500, if you're zeroed at 200...

I once thought a 550-yard deer was at 400. Luckily, he was not only patient, but very, very stoopid. After eight misses didn't particularly bother him, he turned and ambled a bit over 100 yards directly toward me and posed.

Holding the crosshairs just at the top of his horns, I gave him a serious heart attack. A nine-shot, one-hit kill.

That particular rodeo was a case where I could see no way to "get closer". He was across a valley, with generally sparse brush. And I ain't crawling through cactus! I might have been able to retreat from my sittin'-spot, circle around downwind, across the valley and up his side of the hill--About 20 to 30 minutes, probably...No tellin' where he would have been by then.

This was long before the days of laser range finders and all that. Maybeso 30 years back, mas o menos...

, Art

[Jamie Young]

SodaPop, ain't "flat" a sort of relative term?

Well compared to his Uncle who is 50grs heavier, and a bit slower, the 150gr spud shoots flat.

[maze51]

Shooting ability--- an easy self test:

The road to improved shooting starts with and honest self-evaluation. Let's try a hypothetical situation. The circumstances are: You take your favorite hunting rifle from its case. This is the first time the rifle has been out of the case today --- it's in whatever condition it would normally be at the start of a day's hunting.

You have one cartridge. The target is a paper plate, 10 inches in diameter. There's not a benchrest or vehicle hood in sight over which to take a rest, and grass and brush preclude the prone position. Other than that, you can use any position you want; offhand, kneeling, sitting, using a sling of shooting sticks for support. You commence with rifle at "port arms," loaded with safety on.

The bet is this: If you miss the plate, you give me your rifle and scope. If you hit, I give you the cash equivalent. You have 10 seconds from the start signal to get in position and break the shot.

The question is: What is the maximum range at which you consider the bet a mortal lock; the maximum range at which you are totally confident of taking my money? Whatever that maximum range is, that's about the maximum range at which you should be shooting at an unwounded game animal from that position. I bet it's a lot less than 300 yards.

The ability to shoot tiny groups from a benchrest is certainly one test of shooting ability. But before you take to the field, you must make an honest assessment of your ability to hit a given target, on demand and under time and psychological pressure. It's the responsible thing to do.

This was an excerpt from an article in the "Rifleman"

[Borf]

With my iron sighted .30-'06 I'll take a shot to about 175 yards. Part of the reasoning being that outdoors I have *no clue* if mr bambi is 175 yards or 200. Is he 200 or 250? Beats me.

Sure, on the rifle range I can hit paper a whole lot better - but I realize I'm not that good a field shot and I'm not that good a rangefinder!!

[Art Eatman]

10" offhand? What I said before. But on game, if it doesn't "feel right", I won't take the shot at all. Doesn't matter what the distance is, what's important is a clean kill. Everything else to me is just BSin' around about woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Those who have followed any of my few "advice"* posts know I've long been an advocate of getting away from a bench and practicing just a whole bunch from the offhand position. You get halfway good at the coordination-thing, offhand, and all the rest of it is a lot easier.

Sittiing and a hasty rest? Well, I made a one-shot DRT kill on a 350-yard buck. I've rarely been off more than two or three inches on rocks and such out to 400 and sometimes a bit more, shooting for fun. Doesn't really mean anything, though, since I've been doing it for a fair while.

, Art

* I rarely say, "You oughta..." or "My advice is..." Don't believe in it. I'm more prone to say, "I found that thus and such has worked." or some equivalent.

[Borf]

Woops! I wasn't responding to maze51's post, I was responding to the original - this assuming I have plenty of time to get prone or what have you.

To maze51's test - 10 seconds to get in any position and you HAVE to shoot? Let's call it 75 yards. 100 if I'm feeling cocky. I like my rifle

[Zorro]

400 Yards with Heavy Boat tail Spitzers in 7MM and .300 Magnum in a Savage M - 10.

I CAN hit at 500 with those but I limit holdover to level with the spine.

I also use the Jack O' Conner 3 inches high at 100 yards method.