Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 1 1/2 high at 100?

Boy, ain't that the truth!

JG: I seen where you hunt.I know you have seen it, too.

Amen to that.

We sat on this hill and watched elk come off a mountain a mile away. I prepared for a 400-600 yard shot with the longer ranges being more likely.

As it turned out the elk walked right up to me. I ended up declining a shot at 25 feet and taking one at closer to 30 yards.

Double post, deleted

I'm in the 100 yard zero camp. I'm more likely to have to shoot through a softball sized opening at 50-150 yards than take a shot at 300 so I don't need to be guessing where the bullet will hit.

If I do have to take a 300 yard shot, any of my rifles still shoot flat enough to 300 that I can still hold on hair and make hits. Anything over 200 just gets the crosshairs on the top of the back.

I can't see complicating things at the ranges where we all are most likely to shoot to gain very little advantage at longer ranges, where we are less likely to shoot. My 30-06 loads are only 4.5" lower at 300 yards with a 100 yard zero than with a 200 yard zero. 11" vs 6.5"

I also agree. You can never tell when or where they will appear. Heck, I've often thought I was doing well if I saw them at all.....
My own practice is to zero where the bullet flies no higher than 3 inches on it's way to the zero point. This allows some opening of the field group all the way to at least 250 yds. with anything that flies close to 2700 fps. I've got a good chance to thread the bullet through a hole in cover, or to hold over a bit if he's out there some.
I find, too, that it helps if I can dial up a bit, or down for that matter if time permits. Having a simple reticle, like the leupold duplex is another plus. It allows quick ranging for those "kinda long and gotta shoot quick" shots. E

I zero at 200. An inch or two high at 100 is a good starting point but the only way to know where a rifle hits at any range is to shoot that range. Those that adjust n amount high at 100 and call it good might be surprised to see where your bullets hit if you actually shoot at 200 or 300.

Reminds me of a hunt near to 40 years ago. While hunting quail, the dog pointed a brush pile and a whitetail doe bounded out. My Dad decided to make her speed up and when he shot the doe rolled like a cottontail. Should've seen the look on his face! Well, that ended the quail hunt and started the deer cleaning.

I zero for 200 yards on most guns. never more than that. 100 yard zero for my 35 whelen.

lochsa,

I zero my Whelen at 200. You might want to try it. You might be surprised at how flat it shoots. Mine doesn't go over 3 inches high with a 200 yard zero shooting 250gr slugs. Just a suggestion.