myne is about 100 yards

I've shot big game from point blank range to over 500 yards but I would guess the average is somewhere around 75 yards.

Average is about 100 probably. I don't shoot beyond about 350. No confidence.

Oddly enough, the only big game that nearly walked away wounded in over forty years was the shortest shot, inside ten yards. It was a mule deer. I heard shots as I was moving through timber. I heard the buck bounding towards me. Saw his rack and flashes of body as he bore down on me. He broke clear at ten yards and I fired head-on. I hit him square in the brisket and his front-end collapsed and his momentum flipped him towards me. I jumped to get clear and he was up, and down the mountain, before I could recover. I found bits of bone the size of my thumbnail, so I knew he was hit. I trailed him about 200 yards, down, then back up the slope which surprised me since he was hurt. About then a rifle went off and I found "my" buck laying between a man and his son. We were hunting National Forest, public land. That buck just had a real bad day.

My longest was 300 yds, the closest 2 feet. The average probably 25 to thirty yards maybe less.

depends on where I hunt , the swamp about 10 yards , in the open fields about 100yds. closest kill 4 feet for a deer that stopped running in front of me.

Hi y'all

My longest shot was a mule deer at 487 paces down a coulee in eastern Montana 12 years ago. Could not get any closer and shot from prone using fanny pack as a rest. Most shots are about 200 yards, which from prone with good conditions offers little uncertainty. The longer I do this, the shorter the shots get, incidentally.

I don't shoot from standing if I can sit, don't shoot from sitting if there is opportunity for prone, don't often shoot if conditions are poor. I go home with no game now and then but gettin out of the house for a week or two is the main idea.

Tom

Wasn't it Jack O'Connor that said "If you can't hit it with a 3x scope, you shouldn't shoot" ? Thats kinda my opinion- too many ultra-long range scopes, too many ultra velocity cartridges, and too many idiots who think they can actually hit something properly at 600 yards, without a chance of wounding and loosing the game. More skill, less BS.

I have spent most of my hunting life in Wyoming, in the large open spaces, and have shot plenty of game at 300 plus. But I know my rifle, and know how to judge the distance, and most importantly, know that there will always be another day if the conditions are not right. I'd say my average shot over the years at antelope is about 225-250.

[ 06-15-2002, 02:05: Message edited by: centerpunch ]

Gentlemen, I have just finished reading all of this thread and am frankly amazed! I put in my two cents worth early on and claimed "90% of everything that's every been killed with a shoulder fired weapon was done in a 100 yards or less." I really expected most to blast me for this remark, but rather than everyone rush to tell me about the one they dropped at 595 yards, the VAST majority of you have related that your average shooting range is considerably UNDER 100 yards!" What an amazing display of candor!

This website has been a real source of enjoyment and knowledge to me from day one. I have not seen any website where the exchange of information is so free and honest and the hands as eager to help. Even when opinions differ, the vast majority disagree with class.

Makes me proud for Saeed to call me "One of Us."

"have to admit that I have not been hunting other places than in Scandinavia!."

Interesting thread. I`m thinking there`s at least one qualified long range shooter here that is quietly observing this thread for every two or three "True Sportsmen" that are pontificating about how only close shots are truely sportsmanlike.
I, and a hell of a lot of other folks on this forum commonly shoot at ranges in excess of 300 yds, and often much farther.
The rub is, if you don`t know how to do it, humanely and effectively, with a fairly certian knowlage that you will hit what you are aiming at, then you should not shoot long range.
There will always be turds that take long shots that know nothing of what they are doing. Just as there are idiots that should not bowhunt, should not use buckshot on deer, and should not fish.
The thread started as how far do you shoot? Not as "Let`s all jump on the bandwagon and deny we shoot at long range".
I grew up in the west shooting in the west, and most of what I shoot has and is found with spotting scopes, binos, and hours of glassing at long range. Many times, but not always, you will NOT get close to the game due to the open terrain or the eyes, nose, ears of the game.
My rifles have the drops posted on the stocks, out to the max distance that bullet is effective. My 358 STA has drops posted to 1000 yds. It will VERY effectively kill elk at 1000. No, I have not shot elk at 1000. In fact, I use it on coyotes when I do damage control work for a host of ranchers out here, and the longest kill is only 640 lasered yards. I and the folks I hunt with are at our private range 2 times a week and I burn between 20 and 40 pounds of powder a year. We practice at long range. With the advent of the laser rangefinder, and scopes with reliable elevation clicks, there is very little if any guesswork involved. Wind is a factor that will stop us from making long shots. Little else is, as we usually have lots of time to set up and caculate a shot. At 500 or more yards, many critters either don`t know or don`t care that you are there. We set up bipods or bags, get a good rest, identify, range, and adjust for holdover. Boom. It`s no big deal, so lets don`t make it one. If you have a factory 30:06 and factory ammo and a weaver 3-9 scope, and a harris bipod... please.... DON`T take long shots. Wrong gun, wrong ammo, wrong attitude.
There are more of us than you think. We`re not elite marksmen or snipers. That sniper bullshit is a joke. We spend our dollars carefully on quality barrels, we burn them out testing them and building loads, and we practice like hell. I`ve whacked rockchucks at over 900 yards and there were admittedly some misses, but you would be surprised how accurate a rifle you can build for about $1200 to 1500 dollars if you use your head.
My best shot? Nope, not going there, I see no need to brag about my longest shot. My BEST shot was a blackpowder hunt here in a clearcut. A huge doe at exactly 205 yards, and she was not having anyone get closer. Broadside shot, downhill steep, iron sights, through the heart with a nice neat hole from the 50 cal maxiball slug. One step, dead. That was my most memorable shot on a deer. My wife`s was the 6x7 bull she shot with her 45 muzzleloader with it pressed against his neck while it was on top of me ruining my day. But, that`s another story..
Flame away. I got the Scott Airpac on, suited up, visor down and ready to roast, hehe.

Don`t like long shots? Then don`t do them. But don`t tell us we are unsportsmanlike because we do them. Come visit the west, I`ll take you coyote hunting and you`ll see what big country is.
Lots of damn good shots out there. I know it because they come to our private range every day. They don`t necessarily want it known that they have the gear or ability.
Frankly my dear.......

Gee, Mike, I think you're getting all lathered up about nothing and may have just misread this whole thread a tad. I grew up out west and know it's a country where you can damn sure get some shots that will "strain your barrel" to reach out that far. I've made some and missed some but don't think it's got a lot to do with the price of eggs and this thread. But I know your country and contrary to the fine pictures you present, I also know it ain't ALL like your photo. Furthermore, the majority of the game is probably living in the country that AIN'T like your picture.

Anyway all in the world we've been trying to get at here is "what's the average REAL range things are shot at?" For sure there's game hunted on both sides of the "average range." in fact,your wife may be a contender for the closest shot.

Most of us with the opportunity at long shots (like fellows who live or hunt in the west) have made shots BEYOND the average. But for the vast majority of the hunting situations the average range is probably 100 yds or less. This statistic isn't designed to cast you in a bad light. The only criticism in this post is aimed at guys who recklessly take long shots without having much of a clue about their rifle or themselves and what the combination can an can't do. And I think you and everyone else has condemned this action.

In your environment and the type of hunting you do, this average doesn't apply. You're clearly work in a different situtation and you have apparently tooled up with rifles, range finders range markers, etc to compensate for that situation.

That's great. I'm glad you can do it. And I don't think anyone will attack you for adapting. Most of us would have done the same.
But I don't think your situation alters the numbers that apparently come up for average hunting distance any more than I think adding P-dog shooters to the equation would alter it. They go looking for and deliberately set up long range situations...under fairly controlled circumstances. But it hasn't got much to do with the guy in the woods and he's kinda what we've been talking about. At least that's been my take on things.

My average is about 45 to 55 yards. Blackpowder or rifle, doesn't matter. Mostly from treestand or walking trails. Closest about 10 feet right under my treestand.

Closest shot was 7 feet, stalked and ambushed a hot in lignum, longest 280 paces, hog on crop stubble. Average would be less than 100 yards.

I'll be damned. I just read a few of you will actually let an animal walk. That's amazing. Anyone reading many of these posts would think all hunters a blood thirsty lunatics.

I won't hunt with very many people just because when I listen to them talk about "I got one at a half mile" then see how they handle a weapon, it usually doesn't match up.

I've hunted with many different calibers and all my rifles have a drop table for the bullet I'm using taped to the stock. I also use laser range finders now but before that I used the stadia on the cross hairs. I practice with foot square, round and elliptical, light tan targets as far as I can see them in the scope, so I know what that size patch of hide looks like and the relationship of the cross hairs. I also want to see what it looks like against the back ground where I'll be hunting.

At one time I made up some life size and color elk and deer heads and necks and stuck them in and behind trees and bushes then started walking away, stopping and glassing at different distances. I guarantee they will all but disappear within 50 paces.

In off seasons I shoot potguts and coyotes with my large calibers and you should hear some of the comments about wasting a digger with a 250 to 300 gr, 338 bullet out beyond what most think they need at least a 220 Swift or faster for, that way I know how the bullet behaves.

My though is if I can hit a small target like that, then I can put the bullet where it will do the most good. I also just prowl the woods with range finder and a scope. When I see an animal I will make a guess about the range, look through the scope and note the size in relation to the cross hair thickness and steps or stadia marks then measure with the lazer to see how I did. I'm always humbled to see just how far off I can be even with all the practice I get and the longer the distance, the worse I get. Of course, not very many I know believe me even when they go with me and do the deed. We all need those "Bragging rights" at beerthirty.

Shooting at long range is as easy for me as short range, what ever those terms mean, because I PRACTICE. I would like a dollar for all the "you're shooting a WHAT" when I'm out dusting diggers.

But, for the most part, if I can't get withing scope filling range I just watch it boogy off. I'm not into the number game. Killing is a personal thing to me. It's not for bragging rights, it's no one's business how close or how far and I can't eat horns so guess what I take.

Using an animals natural instinct against it just doesn't set well with me either, i.e., "rattling antlers", feeding them then setting over the area, using scent, running them down with an ATV or air plane, but that's what sells now and that is what we have become.

I have to relate one happening at the range I used to frequent. I was working some 6mm Rem loads when one of the locals came up to the bench next to me and set up his newest acquisition which just happened to be a 243 Win. He knew what I was shooting and wanted to tweak my tail a little, I guess. We both are varminters so there is always some "my dog's better than yourn" going on. I had been watching a bobcat up on the hill behind the 400 yard berm for over an hour. It was just sitting there, straight up, watching all the activity down below. Now I know bob cats can be just plain stupid and all that shooting didn't seem to phase this one. We talked for a while and when the whistle blew we went to the 200 yard range and I changed my target and he put his up. I had a few good targets but most were just beginning loads and were in the 2" range. He wondered what I thought was the matter with rifle. Nice guy? I mentioned we ought to hang a few 400 yarders. He looked up and around and said the wind was just a littl to fishtaily to suit him so we headed back. We shot our loads and waited for the whistle again, talked and I cajoled him to hang at least one at 400 yards, just to get sighted in so we could hammer any diggers that happen to come up out there in the open behind the berm. All the while that bobcat was just sitting there. We went up to the 400 yard range and hung targets and all the while I was watching that cat watching us. It never moved even though we got withing 35 yards of where it was sitting. George never saw it. We shot our targets, walked up and picked them up and came down. By that time we were the only ones left. I asked him if he saw that bobcat up on the hill and he whipped around and said "Where?". The cat was still there and he never saw it. He finally found it while he was glassing when the cat decided it was time to go and jumped straight up into the air and ran as fast as it could back into the brush. That old boy just looked at me with a bewildered look, packed up his stuff and left without another word. He never talked to me again. I wasn't sure why, but he did sell that rifle. Bragging rights were very important to him I guess. Oh, that bobcat didn't stay dumb too long. About a week or so later the rangemaster and I were bullshitting and he mentioned a bobcat being zapped in the field next to the 400 yard range. Damned thing had been coming out and sitting out there anytime any one was shooting, for over a month and he couldn't believe no one had seen it before then. Neither did I.

When you do take a long shot, be sure it is within you and your rifles capabilities. You owe it to yourself and that animal to kill it quickly. You will forget many of the animals you take but you won't ever forget the ones that got away or suffered.

Makatak

The Norwegian moose I hunt usually drops between 20 - 120 yards.

Magnar

"But I know your country and contrary to the fine pictures you present, I also know it ain't ALL like your photo. Furthermore, the majority of the game is probably living in the country that AIN'T like your picture."

Pecos45:
Actually, that pic IS the country I hunt. And it`s all like in the pic. If the distance wasn`t so great, you would see 6 or 7 deer in the pic and a turkey in the bottomland. I live in western Washington, but the pic is in eastern Wa where I do all my hunting(well, most of it). I see 6 or 8 Yoters in excess of 1000 yards every day that I hunt, and they see me. It`s hunted hard and the dogs are good (I`ve worked over a lot of their relatives). The other area is just east of the Cascades and is all open sage. Shots are more like 200 to 400, with an occaisional screw-up resulting in a 25 yarder. I miss at least my share of easy shots, so the long shots are saved for when the conditions are perfect.
I was only trying to make the point with a couple posters that the original thread was (at least I think it was) asking what the average shots were, and a couple folks got on there and rather than just post their average, slammed the long range shots. The whole point was don`t lump everyone together. I have hunted with a number of folks only one time. Due to among other things, piss poor gun safety, un-sighted in rifles discovered at the expense of a lost bounty (I get paid for yote control), noise, unable or unwilling to sit still, smoking before hunting(I`ve witnessed dogs scenting smokers a mile away and leaving), but I have no problem hunting with a guy that either holds his fire due to long distance, or just plain misses.
I like hunting with others if they are serious and safe, and I`d much rather see a guy pass on a shot that is not a fairly sure bet, as it just educates them, but I tend to hunt alone as it`s hard to find a retired partner that is totally into nothing but the pursuit of the Yoter.
The folks that live here in Western Wash usually do get their elk at 25 yards as they walk them down and kill them in close, but most all of them also carry a long range heave cal rifle in a case in the truck just in case a 500 or 600 yard shot across a clearcut presents itself. It is true that the average shot here is spear distance mostly and if spears were legal, these guys would do well with them, but the locals are a different breed....
It`s a wonderful sight to see a guy in a beat up old truck stop and pull out a nice cannon, set up the bipod and some wood blocks, use a rangefinder, check his tables, take a few turns, and tip over an elk at 700 yards with one shot. As far as I`m concerned, he`s just as good in his method as the guy with the spear that can crawl up to sticking distance on a wild boar.
Anyway, back to lurk, no offense meant or taken.

Mike,

That�s some ugly country you hunt Just joking of course. My original intent with the strand was to hear from people hunting in other parts of the world about the distance they see and shoot game. As I said, a hunter in Maine would have to go out of their way to consistently shoot deer at long range. The terrain you and I hunt and the weapons we choose are as different as night and day, but doesn't detract from either, it's just the way it is. If I lived in a western state I would practice for and take much longer shots at game than I do now. I have traveled throughout the US and Canada, but haven't ever had the chance to hunt in the west (yet...)

I don't even know of a place that I can practice long-range shooting near my home. As a result, my rifles are set up for close-in shooting, and need not wear a powerful scope of long-range cartridge.

Hope that clears up the confusion. Now lets hear from some more of you long-range hunters... How about African hunting? Is that ALL close-range or what?

Mostly between 50 - 150 yards!!

I once shot a deer that was 50 yards away. I probably average <30.

mmh,
i like to say that on roes the avg distance is 80-100, nearest 3m-farest 260m
on boares avg, 40-50m, nearest 30m farest 200m
roes and fallows about 100m.
But i never calculated the avg distances, so i can be wrong, it�s just "out of the stomage".
But a good hint, maybe i sjould take a look in y shooting book, and build the average

cheers
konst#1

now i remember my closed shot on a wild boar.
It stands directly under my tree stand, so approx.3m.

But one thing that came obvious to me is, that the closer the game is, the more ancient i�m to fail the game
Don�t know why. I�m not thinking i don�t trust my shooting...but maybe it�s a bigger psychological pressure to shot on short distances, as from a tree tsand on 150 m.

konst#1

I think you have something Atkinson. "Long range" is a very subjective thing. I do a great deal of long range target shooting-enough that I am pretty confident about what I can and can't hit and at what distance and conditions. What is an impossible shot for one person may not be impossible at all for the next guy. I think I have noted before on this forum that I believe it is better to know your personal limitations than subscribe to any arbitrary determination of what constitutes "long range". I really enjoy the challenge of getting as close to game as I can but I have also brought animals down at ranges far in excess of 300 yards when I wanted to do so and conditions were right. Everyone brings a different skill set to the sport but there is room for everybody.

I haven't been hunting deer all that long, 11 total, hunting in North Dakota and Kansas...soon Missouri too. I hit the waterfowl pretty hard prior to giving this a try...been hooked ever since.

Approximate Distances: 100, 20, 85, 20, 85, 320, 440, 100, 85, 450, and 100 yards. Stats are interesting as the mean�sd = 164 � 160 yards...the closest shot to 164 yards were the 3 shot at 100 yards for a 64 yard difference. 8 of 11 are at or below 100 yards while the remaining 3 are above 320 yards??? I guess those 3 high points just skew it upward.

I agree with the fairly common theme that the closer you get the better, you're simply eliminating variables. I also would say that if you are considering taking "long range" shots (to me that means greater than 300 yards) you'd better get out and practice. Not only does it help you hit targets at those distances it also helps you learn to better estimate those distances. Like Clint said, "a man's got to know his limitations."

One last thought, I've never failed to retrieve a deer I shot. I wish I could say that about waterfowl...

Later,

Reed

My shots tend to average about 40 yds. Longest was on an antelope north of Roundup, Montana, at 600 paces, which comes out to about 500 yds. with my stride. This was taken from a prone position, forearm rest, miricle of miricles for the east Side, no wind. Rifle was a .338 Win Mag, the only rifle I hunted with in those days for everything, as it didn't destroy alot of meat.
Most of my hunting nowadays is cast bullets in a 6.5X55 at about 1600 fps or a .308 Swiss Rubin at about 2250 fps. Both are extremely effective in thier range limitations, and my true day in and day out limitations.
I wouldn't even consider a shot over 300 any more.

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that a good shot will wound or kill most of the animals he shoots at up to 800 yds..and therein lies the problem with taking long shots, your likly to wound...

A sorry shot will just miss....

Based on that I limit myself to 400 yds standing with a good rest and 300 yds otherwise..It works very well for me.

When I hunt Rockchucks I walk the Canyon Rim and shoot them offhand at 50 to 300 yds, something no one else I know does, but it sure is fun and yes I miss a lot of them...Most of the locals use portable rests and shoot at 100 to 600 yds or more and keep a talley of how many they shoot over a years time.

My friend, Jack Belk must shoot a million per year and he seldom misses one and when he does he goes into chillbains, contortions, slobbers on himself and normally passes out, He is into super accureate varmint rifles, long range shots and thats his thang. I find that a little boring, but then thats what makes a horse race. Come to think of it he slobbers all the time

If I see big game 600 yards across a clear-cut, I start plotting an ambush. If I don't have enough daylight left, I back out, and come back before daylight the next day. If I can't cut the distance down to 300 yards or less, he wins.

I pride myself on being able to out-thinkum. I get no joy out of firing "Hail Marys" at them.

This past season I had one shot kills on Wisconsin whitetails at 525 and 670 yards. A one shot kill on a Montana mule deer at 690 and a one shot kill on a Mexico Coues deer at 666.

So my average range these days is about 610.

www.LongRangeHunting.com

I dont think I have an average really. I recall one particular shot while I watched a buck come up to about 15 yds of me and stop and Ive taken some out to about 250 yds. If Ive done any shooting beyond that then its been the rare case. Most of mine have been between 50 to 200 yds though.

It seems that taking game from very long ranges is held in high esteem today but I like to get into their kitchens, into their beds and into their heads.. Is having a spotting scope mounted on the jeep window with a cup of coffee in one hand and a howitzer in the other really hunting?

With a modern scoped rifle properly tuned and with a rest, any hunter should be able to punch a 12" target or a deer at 300 yds. preferably 400 about 99% of the time, least he should stay home and take up another sport...

If he chooses to get closer that's commendable, but he should, never the less, have that much skill to be in the hunting fields and I believe all should be tested, just like a drivers license..Just my personal take on this thing.