Ridiculousness I've seen/heard

[gramps]

I haven't shot many deer. Longest shot was 120 yds. The last two were less than 20 yds. All with a scoped .308.
gramps

 

[Paul B]

I did my first deer hunt in 1949 at age 11. I didn't get to go again until age 16. With the exception of not being able to hunt except one time from 1960 to 1964 while doing my military service (USAF) I've hunted every uear until my last one in 2019. Abad car wreck and other health issues have kept shooting and hunting on the back burner. Thinking back over all those years, I can recall only three animals taken at what I consider long range. First was a deer in Nevada. It was way out there on a flat and my partner had wounded it in the hindquarter. I took a shot and dropped the deer. We paced it off at 426 paces. Made the shot with a .308 Win. Next long shot was a cow elk at 350 yards with a .35 Whelen. The elk was laser measured for the distance. My longest ever shot was another elk at 530 yards laser measured. I'd hunted the area before and knew if I got a shot at all it would be way out yonder. I used a .300 Win. Mag. and did some extensive long rang practice on my club's silhouette range two or three times a week. Paid off for a nice one shot kill.
Paul B.

 

[BearBiologist]

I've taken elk and deer at 400-500+ yards but I've passed a lot of shots, some even closer if I wasn't comfortable. My criteria: good caliber and scope (.300 Win mag, almost exclusively, Leupold 3x9, always 180 gr.), good rest and animal in the open enough I was sure of multiple shots, if needed. Always sighted 2.5"+ at 100, 1.5-1.75" groups. Sighted from the bench then shot different positions at different ranges. Bought 3 boxes pre-season each year=shot two and took one. All the same maker, load, and lot # if possible. Premium ammo and quality bullets (Nosler partitions mostly). Shot everything from ground squirrels to elk, all year round, including as back-up for hunters I guided.

In short, I knew my limitations, used them as guidelines for making shots, used quality equipment and wasn't afraid to pass up a shot if I wasn't confident.

On the other hand, I real nimrods mess up shots. Won't detail them here but I still get sick to my stomach thinking about some of them. Another one stands out for foolishness. A client wounded a good-sized wild pig (a boar). I told him to wait at the truck until I called him. I loaded a Model 97 Winchester with slugs and took my Browning HP (I preferred 9mm with FMJ because of better penetration). It was in chest high brush, and I was following a blood trail. Heard a noise behind me and pivoted with the shotgun and the ready. It was that fool!!!! Almost got a shotgun slug as a new navel!

 

[wolfsong]

I've never actually measured the distance of any kill shot I've taken on big game. A few guesstimates here and there, but nothing ever ranged. I'm guessing maybe 150 yards would the max.
To me, bragging rights are claimed at the dining room table after the meal. Compliments to the Chef...

 

[Hvymax]

I haven't shot many deer. Longest shot was 120 yds. The last two were less than 20 yds. All with a scoped .308.
gramps

308 at 20yds!!! Did you get any on you?

 

[Hvymax]

High Performance rounds and modern bullets make long range practical. Ballistic apps and laser rangefinders almost make it too easy. A 338 Lapua and a good optic would make 1,000yds almost pedestrian. Everything has been dumbed down to the point that almost anyone can do almost anything with relative ease compared to 40-50 years ago.

 

[Mobuck]

^^That technology does not/can not account for the unnoticed gust of wind hundreds of yards down range or the imperceptible or unexpected movement of the game. This is what gets target blasters in trouble when they try to apply their 'expertise' to hunting.
I've fired tracers as 'target identifiers' at pretty long distances and watched the trace waver back and forth on it's way to the target. The intent was to get all the area fire weapons striking in the target area rather than putting a hit on a specific target (literally impossible or pure luck).

 

[turd]

I've killed a few deer. Mostly with a .270 or a .25-06 or, in fact, a shotgun. A couple with a handgun. I have hunted in Iowa woods, and South Dakota open space. Truly, it is not that hard to get within 100 yards of a deer. I don't think any of my kills were more than 200 yards. I, too, was taught that sure kills were the way to go, not guessing and hoping you might hit them way out there......

 

[jspick]

I killed an antelope today at 236 yards. Only my second big game animal over 200 yards.

 

[Mobuck]

I 've shot a lot of critters(mostly coyotes) well beyond 300 yards. Longest one shot/first round hit on a coyote was 3/10 of a mile (530 yards) with a 257 Wby. I used to setup a bait pile @ 1/4 mile and knocked several coyotes off the bait. Many of the stands where I used to hunt deer offered shots beyond 400. Heck, I practice @ 350 meters on 8" targets(I have a wind flag on those).
These ranges are 'doable' with good equipment but getting much beyond 500 yards simply adds too many variables. There aren't any wind flags in the hunting field. As I mentioned, I've fired tracers at long range and watched the wind move those around like a shuttle cock.

 

[BearBiologist]

^^That technology does not/can not account for the unnoticed gust of wind hundreds of yards down range or the imperceptible or unexpected movement of the game. This is what gets target blasters in trouble when they try to apply their 'expertise' to hunting.
I've fired tracers as 'target identifiers' at pretty long distances and watched the trace waver back and forth on it's way to the target. The intent was to get all the area fire weapons striking in the target area rather than putting a hit on a specific target (literally impossible or pure luck).

Why snipers have spotters!

 

[BearBiologist]

We used to practice at an iron pig made of boiler plate @ 500 yards (measured) and a deer @ 750 (measured). Sixty to seventy-five per cent% hits with a Sharps repro and a M1903A3. About the same with my .300 Win Mag (which I used for everything from ground squirrels to elk). An elk and a muley @ ~450 yards but with a rest, open terrain for follow ups. Each took an additional shot to keep them down.

 

[NewRuger41]

I am teaching my boy, age 11, to get up close and personal with your quarry. Last Sunday we harvested a doe at 25 feet and a buck at 30 feet. The current state or hunting here in GA leaves much to be desired - shooting over bait, wounding animals due to poor shot placement and lack of discipline (shouldn't have taken the shot). Probably happening in many states, sadly.

 

[noahmercy]

I believe another factor that is often overlooked is the $$$ associated with a hunt nowadays. It can cost well into the five digit range to go on a big game hunt in another state, and I feel some folks figure they are by-gum gonna' take whatever shots they can. They invest so much in the latest super-duper rifle firing the most modern whiz-bang cartridge and an optic with a 400-point reticle that costs more than a new Nova in 1976 (and has more dials) so they feel they can optimize their chances of taking a trophy in the four days they have available, even if the shot is 1,000 yards. Terminal performance of the ultra-high-BC bullet is one of the last things to enter their minds.

Honestly? A big, blunt cast bullet from a 45-70 is more likely to kill humanely at long range than some of the plastic-tipped wunderbullets. The good old standby Partition is another solid choice for long range shots. The nose is soft and mushrooms well even at the low velocities encountered at great distances, but if a close shot presents itself, there's enough remaining mass to ensure sufficient penetration even if the nose folds completely away. But of course the modern long range hunter wouldn't deign to use something as outdated as a *shudder* flat base bullet. Why, the BC isn't even over .600! No way it could even travel two or three hundred yards...

 

[jspick]

A couple of weeks ago I was hunting antelope. My second tag for the year. I belly crawled over 200 yards to get closer. I was still 410 yards away. I probably could have made the shot, but I didn't want to chance it with unknown wind drift. I crawled back out. As I was leaving the ranch a couple of big fat boys with a skinny girl came driving in, in a side by side. I knew they wouldn't be able to get close. I drove around to the other side of the ranch and thought I'd see what was there. Well the herd I was stalking over 1/2 mile away was near the west fence line. It was too late in the day to make a stalk. The sun was already down. Here came the side by side tooling down the road. I stopped them and asked them if they went beyond the parking area with the side by side. They said yes. I then said you were chasing the antelope weren't you! They admitted to that. So here they were caught running out in the ranchers pastures with a motorized vehicle, against the rules of the ranch. AND chasing antelope in a motorized vehicle, against the law. I told them if I saw them around here again I would turn them in to the game warden. They left. I saw them packing up and headed for home when I was headed back home.
Just because they are too fat to walk around doesn't mean they can break the law to do what they want. That really pissed me off.

 

[Mobuck]

"I believe another factor that is often overlooked is the $$$ associated with a hunt nowadays."
AND, most guides have a 'draw blood policy'--if your shot draws blood but the animal isn't retrieved, you're done hunting.

 

[BearBiologist]

On the long-shots I mentioned earlier, ammo was ALWAYS Federal Premium ammo with Nosler Partition bullets or a similar handloads. All shots were placed in the chest at or near the area behind the elbow. I passed a lot of less-desirable shots, also. I also guided on wild pigs in Central Cali and KNEW my rifle well, often using it to put down clients game when wounded. I also shot AT LEAST a box of ammo at the range 2x yearly. I do not recommend such shots for the once-a-year shooter.

 

[Paul B]

308 at 20yds!!! Did you get any on you?

Try 6 feet from a .308, 150 gr, Sirra Pro-Hunter. Scorhed hair on entry side and the whole off side blown open. Easiest gut job I ever had, Cut the windpipe close to to the head and ream around the exhaust pipe from the pelvis, turn over and shake once. There were two witnesses to the shot and it was a deer trying to hide and I literally stepped on it. Shot was from the hip and the muzzle was close to touching the deer. The good news I lost the rib meat on the of side but ost of the rest was still in good shape.
Paul B.

 

[Hvymax]

"I believe another factor that is often overlooked is the $$$ associated with a hunt nowadays."
AND, most guides have a 'draw blood policy'--if your shot draws blood but the animal isn't retrieved, you're done hunting.

At least they're ethical. If you're that much of a hack I would hope you were blacklisted

 

[MHtractorguy]

Who wants to walk 800 yards, find an animal, and then carry it back? Certainly not me.