Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Ethical hit percentage for deer?

Is this forum so full of old farts that you cannot recognize a new member? What about my post suggests that I am trolling?

What is unclear about the last sentence? I've never fired more than 20 rounds of "high-powered rifle" ammo in a day (as I said, 5.56 doesn't count). I spent 15 years in the Marine Corps. I shot expert on the rifle range every time I went - including always shooting a possible on the 300-rapid (a "possible" means all points possible. It's particularly gratifying because they just put up one nice big plate over the target instead of marking your individual hits. So everyone sees how well you did). But that doesn't mean that I would consider myself prepared to attempt the challenge in the video - 100 perfect shots at unknown distances up to 600 meters. Before I set out to attempt a challenge like the one in the video, I would have to see how well I handled simply firing that many shots from a high-powered rifle in one sitting.

I would like to try this 600 yard test but it will take forever to gather that many 1 gallon milk jugs. Rio7

I don't get to practice long range. The longest shooting range I have access to within 20 miles is 200 yards. There is a 300 yard range in the next County but I'm not paying dues and driving 50 miles to shoot there . That said, I would very likely smoke every jug out to 300 yards at least with my .223, .22-250 or .243. I've killed boat loads of woodchucks with those rifles and will rarely miss one out to that distance. That's from a 200 yard zero using a duplex reticle and old fashioned Kentucky windage for the longer shots. It's rather amusing how so many shooters these days are so dependant on modern technology and need to dial their scope to the exact yardage to hit anything at distaces that were considered routine 40 years ago using a simple crosshair and a bit of holdover.

You sound like an honest and ethical hunter by your description. You practice. You are proficient with your rifle. You adopt the most supported positions before taking a shot. But even you are willing to admit that you have had a very small percentage of hunts that didn't go as expected.

Those are the memories that stick with you. My friend John shot a deer we didn't recover last year. He had a clear broadside shot at under 100 yards using a .270. I used the same rifle to to take at least a dozen deer over the years. John didn't have tons of practice with that particular rifle, but he had fired five rounds into a nice group before we went hunting. He said he had a good shot on the vital area. The amount of blood at the spot where he fired made me confident the deer could not have gone more than 50 yards. I fully expected to find it at the bottom of the small gully just past where he shot it. We waited about 30 minutes, then started tracking it. We followed a strong blood trail for about 3/4 of a mile up and down some really tough terrain (we were going parallel to the top of the mountain, which meant going over numerous fingers and draws). Then the trail just stopped on top of one of the fingers. We marked the last point and started fanning out. No more blood. No sign of the deer. We checked every water source around. We followed every deer path in the area. We looked from roughly 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It was cold outside, so we spent the entire next day looking for it too, including back tracking along the original path. But we never found the deer. My buddy is still sick about that shot. I have no doubt that he feels that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach every time he thinks about hunting again. The whole experience sucked so hard for me that I am considering making my next dog a scent hound. The idea of leaving an animal to suffer and of wasting meat is abhorrent to me.

But the basic premise of this thread was attempting to assign a percentage to how comfortable you feel taking the shot. That's like trying to assign a percentage to "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." There is no percentage associated with reasonable doubt. I don't think you can really express - at least not honestly - how confident you really are at the moment you take a shot. My experience has generally been that most people who are 100% confident of anything, are some combination of ignorant, stupid, arrogant, zealous, or dishonest. There are very few things in this world in which I have absolute faith (death, taxes, and the Government solution will make the problem worse, not better).

Maser?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maser ?

I have a backyard range and shoot fairly often. I say I shoot rimfire 3 times as much as center fire. That said, when I pull the trigger, I expect to make a hit, I am not naive enough to think a single shot is enough. If it’s still standing, I’m still shooting.

I took my buck last year at 30 yards so not much of an example of marksmanship. I also shot at a doe as she was walking through the woods at 80 yards and never found her or any sign of a hit. I have made that shot multiple times over the years. I had enough confidence that I looked for her for two days.

Verified rifle zero, cannot find where bullet was deflected. I truly believe I just missed some how. It happens unfortunately

Ethical: I'm uncomfortable with shots less than 100%.


Practical: yep, this!! If you're hungry enough ethics are no longer the first priority. Anyone who doesn't think so just hasn't been hungry enough.

Tom

Yep. “If it smells like dog schitt or walks like a duck … “ 🤪

Here he is responding to his on Maser / Slavek posts:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt.../19343185/re-glock-17-gen-1#Post19343185

Time for Rick Bin to start hammering some SockPuppet again.

What?

Blackheart, You have finally said something that makes sense, 100--200-300 yards are all chip shots with almost any rifle and scope i don't know any one that starts dialing inside of 300 yards, all the calibers you listed should do real well at the ranges you are using them. good luck Rio7

I am 200% confident when I pull the trigger on non wounded game. If not I simply don't shoot.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This----- Rio7

My criteria for shots on deer is how far a shot I can make with 100% certainty that it will be lethal.

This ^

Doesn't always work out that way but if not 100%, it's me, not my gear!

Out to 300yds I don't even worry about the wind unless it's really howling. Shooting out to 300yds with a 22lr has really opened my eyes to the effect wind can have on a bullet. I haven't missed in a long time when body shooting deer but I've had some rodeo's and somehow even lost a few.

You are way overthinking this in my opinion. I’m 74 and have been deer hunting since the sixties and (knock wood) I have never lost a deer. I only take shots I’m comfortable making, but I don’t go through any analysis, I just know. Most of my shots are from 30 to 150 yards, many of them offhand. I have taken shots up to 300 plus, but off a solid rest. It’s really not rocket science, it’s just muscle memory and a kind of, almost subconscious sight picture analysis.

Your question is kind of like asking an experienced wing shooter how much he should lead a duck on a crossing shot at 40 yards versus a canvasback? I have no idea, I just swing through the bird and my brain sends a signal to my finger without any conscious thought from me.

This!

I may not be the best writer on the inter webs, so I accept that people don't understand what I've written. My bad.

That said, what you wrote in bold is exactly what I was trying to say.

You won’t need many milk jugs if you shoot like the guy in the video!

I am amazed at how many perfect marksman exist!

Kudos to you all crackshots!

Yep, same !

Never had to take a 200 yard shot, on big game !

I use my hunting skills and terrain to always get with about 150 yards or less to make a good shot through the chest organs. 30-30 is a keeper! - Sherwood