Rodney Dangerfield of Shooting

stagpanther · June 4, 2025, 12:56 PM

You've heard me say for years that all kinds of wildlife comes out to casually watch me while I shoot--and perhaps you might think I was exaggerating. Finally got some proof--this doe casually grazed on the grass behind the shooting berm through the entire 7 shot string of my 25 PRC.

eastbank · June 4, 2025, 04:33 PM

i also have had deer and turkeys come out on the 300 yard range while i was shooting a 98 mauser in 8x57 at the 100 yard range.

stagpanther · June 4, 2025, 05:25 PM

I think the wildlife is simply conditioned to my shooting. The deer in this picture looks far, but was very close to the berm through most of the shots. Those 135 gr bullets traveling over 3200 fps smacked the target convincingly and sent up a dust cloud with each shot; she just kept munching away, glancing my way every now and then.

FrankenMauser · June 4, 2025, 05:42 PM

At last month's NRL22 match, we had a pair of Killdeers jabbering about and picking through the wood chips about 15 yards behind one of the steel targets. No berm, no protection, misses impacting just feet from them, and they stayed there for well over an hour.
They only moved after one of the resident hawks started circling.

Though rare, we occasionally get huge herds of elk down range in Mar/Apr. They usually clear out and go over the ridge if you drive toward them. But if they don't, the range is closed until they move on.

Recycled bullet · June 4, 2025, 06:33 PM

The deer are teasing you for taking selfies while shooting your rifle

jmr40 · June 4, 2025, 07:36 PM

It's not unusual at all where I shoot. I've had to stop shooting several times to chase deer and turkey off the range where I shoot.

stagpanther · June 4, 2025, 08:03 PM

They like to tempt fate--sometimes they will saunter right in front of my target--but they seem to only do it when they are out of season--uncanny how they seem to know.

The coolest one by far happened one winter--I was dialing in my scope at something like 200 yards and the field of view was quite small, I was looking at the target box which was about 20" wide and 24" high when all of the sudden a shadow moved in over the box, I couldn't tell what it was until the front end emerged on the other side of the target--it was a large lynx, very rare around these parts but they do pass through every now and then. He had a slow gait so I got to watch him casually walk over and disappear into a pile of boulders.

1972RedNeck · June 4, 2025, 09:35 PM

Cows. Occasionally have cows on one of our pastures where I like to shoot. Half the herd swarms you in 15 minutes.

Sharkbite · June 4, 2025, 10:09 PM

Oh… the number of times a range on Camp Pendleton got shut down for wildlife��

armoredman · June 4, 2025, 10:22 PM

I heard from a former buddy that YEARS ago, when the 8/40th Armored Reserve was at Ft Huachuca, an "event" occurred while firing tank tables on the line. Apparently it was cupola machine gun qualification, (M60A5s, yes a LONG time ago), when a deer wandered out on to the range. The Rangemaster APPARENTLY yelled Cease Fire...which nobody heard as everyone opened up on the deer with cupola mounted 50s. After the dust cleared, the deer ran off, unharmed...and some tank crews spent MUCH time painting rocks.
I wasn't there, only relating the story as told.

stagpanther · June 5, 2025, 06:21 AM

Quote:

I heard from a former buddy that YEARS ago, when the 8/40th Armored Reserve was at Ft Huachuca, an "event" occurred while firing tank tables on the line. Apparently it was cupola machine gun qualification, (M60A5s, yes a LONG time ago), when a deer wandered out on to the range. The Rangemaster APPARENTLY yelled Cease Fire...which nobody heard as everyone opened up on the deer with cupola mounted 50s. After the dust cleared, the deer ran off, unharmed...and some tank crews spent MUCH time painting rocks.
I wasn't there, only relating the story as told.

Friend of mine was crew in an M60 in Vietnam--he told me sometimes they were ordered to use up spare ordnance firing on random targets on mountainsides and jungle.

Ricklin · June 5, 2025, 10:29 AM

Jim was a dental troop during our SE Asia adventure. He and the dentist would grab a couple full auto guns and a couple ammo cans for recreation when they did not have teeth to fix. One thing the Army did have, plenty of ammo.

eastbank · June 5, 2025, 10:29 AM

true.

June 4, 2025, 05:25 PM	#3
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 12,897	I think the wildlife is simply conditioned to my shooting. The deer in this picture looks far, but was very close to the berm through most of the shots. Those 135 gr bullets traveling over 3200 fps smacked the target convincingly and sent up a dust cloud with each shot; she just kept munching away, glancing my way every now and then. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

June 4, 2025, 05:42 PM	#4
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,769	At last month's NRL22 match, we had a pair of Killdeers jabbering about and picking through the wood chips about 15 yards behind one of the steel targets. No berm, no protection, misses impacting just feet from them, and they stayed there for well over an hour. They only moved after one of the resident hawks started circling. Though rare, we occasionally get huge herds of elk down range in Mar/Apr. They usually clear out and go over the ridge if you drive toward them. But if they don't, the range is closed until they move on. __________________ -Unwilling Range Officer -Unwilling Match Designer -NRL22/PRS22/PRO -Something about broccoli and carrots

June 4, 2025, 07:36 PM	#6
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,972	It's not unusual at all where I shoot. I've had to stop shooting several times to chase deer and turkey off the range where I shoot. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

June 4, 2025, 08:03 PM	#7
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 12,897	They like to tempt fate--sometimes they will saunter right in front of my target--but they seem to only do it when they are out of season--uncanny how they seem to know. The coolest one by far happened one winter--I was dialing in my scope at something like 200 yards and the field of view was quite small, I was looking at the target box which was about 20" wide and 24" high when all of the sudden a shadow moved in over the box, I couldn't tell what it was until the front end emerged on the other side of the target--it was a large lynx, very rare around these parts but they do pass through every now and then. He had a slow gait so I got to watch him casually walk over and disappear into a pile of boulders. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

June 5, 2025, 10:29 AM	#12
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,371	My buddy Jim Jim was a dental troop during our SE Asia adventure. He and the dentist would grab a couple full auto guns and a couple ammo cans for recreation when they did not have teeth to fix. One thing the Army did have, plenty of ammo. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

June 4, 2025, 04:33 PM	#2
eastbank Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2008 Location: pa. Posts: 2,511	i also have had deer and turkeys come out on the 300 yard range while i was shooting a 98 mauser in 8x57 at the 100 yard range.

June 4, 2025, 06:33 PM	#5
Recycled bullet Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2022 Posts: 488	The deer are teasing you for taking selfies while shooting your rifle

June 4, 2025, 10:09 PM	#9
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,822	Oh… the number of times a range on Camp Pendleton got shut down for wildlife��

June 4, 2025, 10:22 PM	#10
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,478	I heard from a former buddy that YEARS ago, when the 8/40th Armored Reserve was at Ft Huachuca, an "event" occurred while firing tank tables on the line. Apparently it was cupola machine gun qualification, (M60A5s, yes a LONG time ago), when a deer wandered out on to the range. The Rangemaster APPARENTLY yelled Cease Fire...which nobody heard as everyone opened up on the deer with cupola mounted 50s. After the dust cleared, the deer ran off, unharmed...and some tank crews spent MUCH time painting rocks. I wasn't there, only relating the story as told.