Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting What is your typical distance range to take big game at?

#1 Under 350 Yards?

#2 350-500 Yards?

#3 500-650 Yards?

#4 650-800 Yards?

#5 Over 800 Yards?

Either 100 yds or less, or 450 and above. Comes with where I hunt: either timber or broad, open burns and canyons. I don't try to get long shots. Animals often show up in places where I can't get closer to them without pushing them out of the county.

#1

#1

#1

I’m sure like the majority #1.

Varies

The distance typically is where getting closer has more risk in being detected than probability of killing it from where I am

1

I've killed/culled well over 350 big game animals, and 95% of them have easily been in the #1 slot.

1

Perfect max range for a Burris

😂

Between 50 - 100 yds

#1

#1

Not ready for a flat bill and skinny jeans yet.

A certain gunsmith did say I’m better off with a Burris over a Leopold.

#1

Vast majority inside 75 yards.

The longest range kill I ever made was just over 900 yards on a Mule Deer. I would not have tried it but it was crippled already from someone else's bullet and was packing a rear lag that was swollen and infected.
My longest elk kill was 417 yards. Both of those kills were made with 270s.
Kills I have made on deer over 550 yards number about 12-14

Now for context, I have lost count of both my totals of elk and deer killed, but killing 2-8 elk a year for 40+ years (in several years 2-4 states each season) gives an idea of the number, and killing 4-15 deer a year over a 59 year period (also in 2-3 states per season) gives you an idea of the total of deer.

I stopped even firing at any big game over 500 yards as a personal policy over 20 years ago too.
So the "long shots" are very much in a minority.
Most of the elk I have killed have been at 150 and less and about 75% of them at 65 and less.
Most of the deer I have killed have been at 250 and less and about 50% of those being at 125 and less.

Also I have killed a LOT of antelope. And I do mean a LOT. Pronghorns are said to be the "long range animal" and so we hear and read and are told and told and told. But I kill them every year and most of my shots are at 150 and less, with many of them being at under 75 yards. In fact in the last 15 years or so I have killed about 25% of all my antelope with scoped rifles and the other 75% with irons sighted rifles and about 25 of them with revolvers (357s 44s and 45s) using the issue iron sights.

I can and I do shoot to 600 yards on my own land, and I can drive for only 15 minutes and shoot to 1600 yards. I shoot long range quite often for the fun of it, but I simply do not fire at game animals past 500. Not that I never did, but I guess I grew a brain as I aged, and had to admit to myself that in nearly 60 years of hunting I have never, even one time, EVER, had a need to fire past 500 yards for any reason on any game animal. NOT ONE TIME!
And as I said above, my kill count on game is pretty high.

I am very much a fan of learning to shoot at all ranges, but because it's a skill useful for defense of liberty, and I want Admiral Yamamoto's fear to be well justified.

But deer, elk and antelope are not my enemies. They are a blessing and I have respect for them enough to not try to use them as a stupid score card, and risk a cripple and/or a loss for no reason but my ego.

One elk at 350 and another at 475. Everything else has been in zone #1.

Most of my hunting is in the #1 & #2, with some in #3 categories.

Longest Whitetail was just under 600 - 6.5-284 Center-Grip XP-100 (Leupold Optic and the 140 A-Max)

Longest Mule Deer was right at 700 yards - 7mm-08 Center-Grip XP-100 (Leupold Optic and the 140 NBT)

Longest Elk was 666 yards - 7mm Dakota Center-Grip XP-100 (Leupold Optic and the 200 grain Wildcat)

Longest Antelope was 1036 yards - Center-Grip XP-100 7mm WSM (NF Optic and the 162 grain A-Max)

Longest Red Stag was 624 yards - 338 Lapua (Rifle-Zeiss Optic and the 285 grain LRAB)

Typical for vast majority of hunters is well under 350 yds. I often read that most whitetail in the country are under 100

All mine are zone 1.

#1

But my last elk didn't conform to the rules and on the last morning of the hunt I dropped it at a lazed 467 yards.

Rule breaker. That'll learn 'em.

ONE.....

I have some in every category, but mostly #1 and 2. My approach is similar to that of rcamuglia.

Probably most are #1. Have a few taken well beyond 400.

1

I'd say 95% of my big game animals have been taken within #1 but I've whacked some in #2 and #3 as well.

1

I try to keep track of the distances I kill deer here in michigan.

Averaged the last 10 kills and it comes to 107 yds

20 yards!

Majority in #1, but the majority of those were 200-350yds. Been a long time since I've taken a deer inside 100yds.

At least 1 each in #2 and #3.

What number is that?

😂😂😂

#1

ya!

GWB

1

#1 and a few exceptions where I ventured into #2.

# 1. Practice for #2 just in case.

Practice and prepare for anything out to 800-900, but generally speaking most shots are 300-650 yds.

#2

#1, but only to 300

Typically 1 by a large margin. Most 150-250 where I deer and pig hunt.
Only killed 2 big game animals past 400 and both of those in wide open eastern CO.

Here in Carolina hunting since 1978, My longest shot on deer was 95yds.

Hands down #1

Shot my first deer in Colorado in 1965, and hunted most years since in Colorado and Montana, plus 3 hunts in Alaska, and a dozen international hunts in Africa, Canada, New Zealand, and Azerbaijan.

#1

Under 350 yards! memtb

Wherever it shows up!

Longest shot on deer was maybe 150 yds.
Vast majority under 50. Many under 10 yards.

Last shot a couple of weeks ago ....24yards. Muzzleloader.
Longest ever, Moose in Canada 450.

My closest was point blank range on black bear, my longest 525 on moose, my average I would say 175 to 200 yards.

1

Lets's see, in the past 14 yrs since I took up LR hunting.

Elk @ 225 yds
Moose @ 15 yds
deer @ 100 yds
Elk @ 220 yds
Deer @ 115 yds
deer @ 10 yds
Elk @ 950 yds
Deer @ 500 yds
Elk @ 810 yds
Elk @ 820 yds
Elk @ 242 yds
Deer @ 588 yds
Elk @ 630 yds

Out west, #2, I can't seem to get a close shot. Back east, less than 75 yards. That said, I killed a moose in New Foundland at 269 yards and a caribou at less than 200 yards.

I've killed a few deer over 400. Lots of them over 200. Majority in the 100-200 yard range.

this year 2022 i took 2 shots /0ne at each animal, both the bang flop kills 125 yds. 193 lb.dressed buck and a medium Antelope buck 460 yards and distanced was measured afterwards.

30-45 yards, never longer.

Depends on the game and the location.

I've shot whitetail I probably could have touched with the barrel. And I've shot them just shy of 500.

Antelope from just over 100 to just over 400.

Both my elk were within 75 yards but was prepared for allot more

i used the same load 103 gr. Hammer bullet in my 257 Weatherby mag.

Mostly under 350 but this year my coues was just over 600 using 6CM. My buddy got his at 400. Elk shots are usually 150 or less in recent years.

Most of the time between 50 and 150 yards. This year 25, 250,325,250. All deer. Seemed like everything crossed as far away as I could see this year. Saw very few close.

#2

from here to there, sometimes there is out there a fir piece, farthest is 1350 yards, closest was like 4 steps

I took my longest shot EVER with a muzzle loader dialed via Leupold VX6 4-24 at 310 yards a couple of week ago.

That’s Awesome!

Great buck, Ed!

I'd like to read more about the ML & load you used.

Off topic.... but your sig line is my campfire favorite... bar none...

"typical" distance is under 200 yards. I have taken shots as far as 450 yards but rarely.

100- 300- yds. i have shot some game animals farther out.

Usually less than 400yds. I practice consistently out to 600-650yds (limited by shooting range).

#1

#1, by far. However I took my ram at @430 yds, uphill and shot a 6 point bull @540 yds across a large draw. He wouldn’t come any closer. Both with a 7mm Rem. Mag. I’ve take a few antelope @400 yds.

By far #1, but did poke one whitetail at 390 with a 300 WSM

2

I don't even know what "long range" is. Most shots are under 50 yards. I've never shot anything over 100 yards.

I shot a doe a couple of weeks ago and she was inside 10 yards. She was probably like 20 feet from the base of my tree.

#1

#1 by far, but a small number of deer just over that….
I try hard to get as close as possible, but wind and terrain are not always in my favor.

2019 Antelope @ 575 yards
2019 WT @ 750 yards
2019 Elk @ 150 yards
2020 Antelope @ 525 yards
2020 WT @ 720 yards
2020 Elk @ 175 yards
2021 Elk @ 51 yards
2021 MD @ 860 yards
2021 WT @ 75 yards
2022 Antelope @ 150 yards
2022 WT @ 100 yards

Average on big game over the last 4 years - 375 yards

#1

Number 1 for me. I have never shot at an animal over 325. Have hunted Alaska, Canada and the West multiple times. Just never had a situation where I couldn't get within that distance.

2022 deer 20 yds .243Win
2020 deer 55 yd .243 Win
2018 deer 18 yds bow
2017 deer 13 yds bow
2014 deer 16? bow

24.4 yds. avr. Not too impressive huh?

Do you ever worry about getting blood splatter on you at them muzzle sucking distances?

Lol

🦫

Sometimes I just hit ‘em in the head.






P

Depends on if you value LR shooting or all the things required to get close such as scouting, setup, ingress, scent control, body stillness, knowing when to draw based on deer behavior/obstacles, etc.

Nothing wrong with whacking 'em at a long range you're sure of making, but it's certainly not everything.

Why thanks Tyrone! It is a more intense hunting cause we hunt the swamp grass and cat tail marshes where you dont even see them till they stand up. Sometimes the deer are 20 yds in front of me when I see them . It is very high hunting pressure and the deer know it so ya need to sneak in and climb a tree almost inside the bedding area. It is a very strange way to hunt and the only way it works with 6' high cat tails and dogwood brush .

That buck is in ball peen hammer range Pharmseller.

We’re buddies.

It doesn't matter how near or far, as long as you make that first shot count. That's easy enough..

A lot of deer and 1 elk. All under #1

I killed at least three deer per year from 1993-2013. Some of those years as many as eight deer while filling tags for people in the party. One deer per year from 2014-2022 because we stopped going West River in South Dakota. Anything from 20 yards to a very few over 400 yards and two over 500 yards. The vast majority have been shot at 100-250 yards. So average is definitely in #1 with a few exceptions in #2. I used to practice on milk jugs with a .308 Win PBR XP and then we went from two kids to five kids and my shooting is limited. Can I shoot into #2? Yes. But the instances anymore where I can’t get closer are few and far between. All deer hunting since 2015 has been with a single shot pistol with a self-imposed max range of 250 yards with the .357 Max, though I will be able to stretch that with a .350 Rem Mag in a center grip XP-100.
This year’s deer were 189 yards and around 75 yards.

There would probably be as many 1's if first one was under 150 yards.I know most my elk were less than 100 yards and that is more than a few.

Deer, elk, sheep, antelope, caribou - all but one in #1 category. One elk at 370 yards. No interest in long range shooting when hunting.

I have been hunting elk the majority my life in big open/timbered steep country. I would guess my average distance as around 300 yards. I killed several at point blank, but far more at the 300 plus, my longest measured was 540 yds. Several before that, most likely the same . With a Muzzleloader ( 40, 50, 25, 100) Recent rifle killss---( 410, 250, 310 , 540, 320, 260, 310 ,320 100, 30) . I have kept records of each one since the 1960's

Longest to date is 367 yards with a 308 confirmed by rangefinder.

That was 1993

Since then all between 83 and 197 yards with most around 120-ish.

308 and 243AI for the kills. I practice regularly with the 243AI to 450 and the Fieldcraft in 6.5 Creedmoor to the same.

I figure there’s no harm in being too ready.

#1 for me, and basically half of that distance as well.

I used to do some long range spot and shoot type of hunting but the last number of years has me me still hunting/stalking.
I found that I do not have to travel as far to do this type of hunting .
All my long range shooting is done at the range.......
Cat