Who will be honest.

[Nature Boy]

I have killed plenty of paper targets at 500 meters with 308 Win and 30-06 Spring.

paper is predictable

 

[American Finn]

I see a few posters talking about hunting muleys, pronghorns, etc. out west in the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc. I lived in Pierre, SD for several years; the first and only deer I have ever taken in my life (I don't get out hunting all that much) was in 2012 east of Pierre at a farm right on the Missouri River. I had a doe only permit for Hughes County; where I hunted was farmland with widely spaced windbreaks and fencerows. The owner of the ranch told me to be prepared for a 300 yard shot; that summer before going hunting I bought a Stevens Model 200 in 7mm-08; long story short is that the rifle and scope had issues; I couldn't use it for my hunt. Instead, I used my Marlin 336CS in .30-30; I had it scoped and practiced for a solid month before hunting season; using Hornady LeverEvolution 160gr cartridges I got pretty good; 5 shot groups were at 1 1/2" at 100 yards. I zeroed it for a theoretical 200 yard shot and went hunting.

I wound up shooting my doe at 225 yards along a fencerow; I dropped it with one shot. The deer didn't move more than 3 yards from where I hit her; it was a humane shot and was respectful towards the animal. The ammunition expanded very well even at that distance and devastated the internal organs hence the clean kill (I never recovered it; the bullet exited the body of the whitetail). I wouldn't hesitate to use that rifle and ammunition combo at that distance; the important thing is to practice and keep your skills up.

Prairie dog hunting on the Ft. Pierre National Grasslands I made a shot at 400 yards (paced off); my parents came out to visit and my father and I went out to "do some doggin'" as they say. I was using a Savage Axis in .223 (a Cabela's special); I practiced with that rifle endlessly; it was extremely accurate (1/2" groups at 100 yards with Black Hills match ammo; sold it off years ago; long story). It was a windless day (rarity in SD) and I figured I could make the shot; that's the greatest shot I have ever made and did it with one shot. The falcons ate well when we packed up and left.

 

[Hookeye]

My youngest has a tremor.
She will have to run something bolted to a tripod, from a ground blind.

Her killing a 100" 8pt at spittin distance would be better than any shot I ever made

 

[.38 Special]

A bullet through the vitals is ethical.
Distance doesnt mean much.
If you can do it out yonder, good for you.
I really got tired of the supposed purists w trad gear on another forum that wouldnt shoot past 19 yards, only before noon, on Saturdays, w deer broadside w head behind tree, and only if the ol lady made meatloaf the night before.

Anybody doing anything different wasnt a hunter.

Of course when season came around these guys talked about missing...........

SMDH

Yeah, I'm a member of TradTalk too.

 

[d2wing]

I have shot a deer at 440 yards, quarter mile. Not happy that my shot was a little off and the bullet didn't expand properly had to shoot twice more. That was with a 7 MM mag. I decided that was too far for an ethical shot. I have made one shot kills in the 300 yard range with a 30-06 and 7 MM mag. I have a buddy that made a 400 yard one shot kill on a running deer off hand. I and 6 other guys watched in awe. That guy was a magic shot. I believe that one shot kills are the standard I aspire to. Now days a 200 yard shot is a long one for me but I hunt in the woods now. I have doubts about many claimed long shots and question the ethics but people don't answer to me and after seeing what my buddy can do I am not passing judgment. Just nod my head and say that's great and walk away.

 

[Hookeye]

I know i aint as good as I used to be.
No big deal, change my limits and stay within em.

My little deer spot has had a ton of new growth. Pawpaws everywhere ( creek bottom ). Its shortened up rifle and bow.

 

[Hookeye]

Got my butt chewed out royally as a kid when I didnt shoot one of two groundhogs out in bean field. I was on a rough patch of ground andthe elevation off, so just couldnt get comfy for rhe 200 plus yard shot.

My dad was furious.

We are different. If I aint comfy w a shot I dont take it. IMHO even a pest deserves best effort.

My dad was a good shot but not really into hunting outside of varmints.

He cant handle blood, so whenId bring home deer and skin in em from the oak tree hed stay inside. Weird dude.

Cooking an animal shot freaked him out too.

 

[Bacon buster]

All any of us can do is learn from the mistakes our parents made and not repeat them with our own children.

 

[Hookeye]

I dont take shots Im not comfortable with.
Didnt then, dont now
My shot selection is more broad than that of my hunting bud. I have burned way more range time than him.

We normally both fill our tags cleanly

 

[theotherwaldo]

I rarely hunt and only do it to feed my family.

I have never killed a game animal at over fifty feet of range except for one time that I accidentally killed a young buck with a thrown rock - and most of that range was vertical.

My problem with deer is keeping them beyond arm's reach. I've been awakened by a buck licking my face like a salt lick while his harem watched nervously.

I held real still... .

 

[MachIVshooter]

I've shot a lot of prairie rats well in excess of 500 yards, but I don't recall ever taking a game animal beyond 200. Under ideal conditions I'd take a 400 or 500 yard shot on big game, but only if there was no way to get closer.

Planning to shoot game at over 500 yards is an exercise in marksmanship, not hunting, and there are very few hunters who can legitimately make an ethical shot at that distance with a sporter in a field position. The only reason I'd be comfortable doing so with the .25-06 I use is that I've also used it on prarie dog shoots and scored hits at extended range, but that was prone or benched with bipod or bags and me rested and calm, so that's why I qualified above with "under ideal conditions". If I just hiked up a mountainside, it will be several minutes before my body is physically ready to take a 1/4 mile shot with precision.

 

[bassjam]

Those opportunities present themselves at my range all the time, but to take them would mean never being able to shoot there again, so I pass. I often use the deer out behind the Trap house as a starting aiming point before I say "Pull".

I wasn't sure if I was breaking club rules or not, but I figured disposing of a groundhog was helping more than it was hurting. And I was the only one there that day and that particular range has no cameras. So it really didn't happen

We've called cold ranges many times though because a deer decided to walk behind the 100 or 200 yard range.

 

[natman]

When I get with a group of hunters and even buddies of mine. Out come the stories of " I shoot my animal at 550-800 yards on average. And on and on they go how they are true snipers of the hunting world. I am sure every now and then a few do attempt to take an unethical shot that far.

Real hunters brag about how close they got before they shot.

 

[Hookeye]

Real hunters don't brag, unless it's about their cooking.

 

[d2wing]

Real hunters brag about how close they got before they shot.

In my younger days I used to track down deer within a a few yards and not shoot. That was a big thrill to me. Now days with everything fenced off and posted and hunters everywhere It is not something I can do. And I am much clumsier and blinder than I was 30-40 years ago.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Real hunters brag about how close they got before they shot.

That's the difference between hunting and shooting (at) animals.

I don't call prairie dog shooting "hunting". It's not. It's prairie dog shooting. There's no tracking or stalking. We pop these unsuspecting vermin from ranges which they do not perceive any threat.

I don't call popping mule deer on my back acreage hunting, either. It's harvesting. When the animal looks right at you and doesn't even flinch as you close distance to less than 100 yards, it's not hunting.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

The longest shot I've ever taken at a deer was about 80 yards, during muzzleloader season. Bagged it too.

Once I realized that, I quit hauling around a .30-06 during rifle season.

Now I carry a 44 Mag revolver.

 

[Hookeye]

Ive shot em at the base of my tree, bow and gun.
Closest shot from the ground was 8 yards.
Did have a button on the other side of a tree, had crawled up to and he then moved closer . Thought about slapping him but figured hed lose it and thump me.

Same spot, crawled up within 10 of a forky making a rub. Saw the sapling shaking from across the little field and looped around.

Nothing else going on , so just messed around. Sometimes deer hunting is too serious and ya need a break.

Wild deer in heavily hunted ( and poached ) area.

 

[Bacon buster]

Lol hook eye why not an apple in one hand and a shop hammer in the other

 

[Hookeye]

Drove an hr to my spot, pulled out the Knight .50 and loaded it, a big doe and two yearlings 75 yards away. Yelled at em and walked to other side of farm (160 acres).

Then I started still hunting the low side. Shot a decent doe at 150, offhand (4x scope). Coulda got a bigger deer w less effort but I had the day off and wanted to hunt.

It aint just about fillin a tag

 

[Bacon buster]

Properly managed property is very rewarding

 

[BigBore44]

My youngest has a tremor.
She will have to run something bolted to a tripod, from a ground blind.

Her killing a 100" 8pt at spittin distance would be better than any shot I ever made

I purchased the BOG DeathGrip late last year at a good price. That thing is really versatile. And it’s rock solid. I got the carbon fiber model. The aluminum one would do just fine. About $120. Something to think about.

 

[gnappi]

That's campfire talk... I like "I shot an elephant in my pajamas... how he got in my pajamas I'll never know"

 

[Llama Bob]

It's relatively easy given atmospherics, accuracy, and ballistics info to calculate how far you can guarantee a hit with a given level of wind call error. Depending on rifle, that usually works out at 400-600y for a +-3mph wind call error. Seems reasonable to me. My typical elk hunting spot has shots as far as 900y but the longest of those can't be taken ethically.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Most animals I've harvested,including antelope were with 100 yards.

Long shot I think was 425 measured by how many field rows we drove over to get to it. It was a long way. Not sure I'd take that shot again. I just don't have the trigger time on my hunting rifle that I used to.