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Almost 100% offhand and almost always 100 yards or less.

Interesting thread. I'm surprised the low volume of offhand shooting. It looks like a geography thing. If you don't shoot offhand in the east, your not getting many deer or bears - at least in the states I've hunted in. I think it's also a bit hunting style specific. I do alot of still hunting so shot opportunities appear quick and don't last long. My favorite shooting position is seated. Shot an 8 pt Monday from a stand but was sitting. Dead deer. I've shot several elk from seated in the past couple years. Probably shot the other half offhand in the timber. Shot most of my turkeys from seated. Typing this out, I didn't realize how many animals I've shot from seated.

Of the 20 something moose I've killed, only three were taken using a rest- one at 100 yards sitting on my backpack, braced knees, one (running) at 150 yards using a walking stick between two forked willows from a sitting, stand position, and the last one (standing) at 30 yards using the snow machine windscreen as a rest. ( Hey, if it's there, use it!) All the rest moose were from standing offhand positions, at ranges to 200 yards, several with a sling-wrap around the arm. But moose are a big target.

All 6 sheep, one goat, about half of a dozen black bear, one elk, one whitetail, and all but maybe 6 close-range animals of @75 caribou have been taken out to 400+ yards, using some sort of rest - windscreen, handlebars, seat, prone, or sitting, knee-braced. Only mule deer ever taken was off-hand at about 15 yards.

So, roughly 80% of the time, I have used a rest. Of those only a few - maybe 7, have been from prone, due to terrain features. Probably 15- 20 % sitting, the rest (75%?) using a machine part, or field- improvised rest using walking stick, rock, tree, etc.

Dunno about there, but shooting from or across a road is illegal in Alaska. "Off the drivable surface" is definition of what qualifies as legal.

A lot of it definitely depends on geography and hunting style. I also think that vegetation and distance matter. You can definitely hunt in thick brush almost anywhere in the US. If you still-hunt there, then you have to shoot offhand more than if you hunt open country. I’d bet that most of our shots are a lot closer, too. I think my average shot on game in the last 25 years has been between 30 and 60 yards. I know that my longest three shots in that time have been an estimated 90 yards (blacktail deer), a ranged 110 yards (Roosevelt elk), and an estimated 120 yards (feral bull).

I also think that most of us who expect and train for offhand shots don’t consider it our first choice. We’d all much rather get a rest of some sort, or at least sit down and get more stable.


Okie John

He might be jerking our chains. Or he might get to hunt one of those huge stretches of land where everything you can see from horizon to horizon (and for miles beyond that in all directions) belongs to one person and shooting from the road isn't an issue.


Okie John

Well said.

When I was stationed in Kodiak it was very different from what I do now. Out there it was 95% prone over a backpack or using an alder limb for support. Here it's 90% using the edge of the shooting window or stand rail. I try my best to avoid an unsupported off-hand. I am not good at it and don't practice as much as I should . If I can use a tree or limb for support I will. A sling supported off hand is much better than a straight up off hand.

Mr. Winters et. al.

Before 2012 most of my hunting was on deer leases so...standing hunting.

Since 2012 I'm not using ANY stands nor feeders. I have sole hunting privileges on private family land.
I either stalk OR still hunt and many times it's a combination of both.

I've made a couple or so off hand running shots but most are OFF shooting sticks.
My older Stoney Points are 2 legged and each has 3 segments. They adjust from sitting to standing. They're too tall for
prone, which I have very few opportunities.

I have had ample time to use the sticks when hunting even in cover.
More than a few Xs I've still hunted up on deer that didn't know I was in the State.

This year alone I shot 2 deer in the neck off the sticks.
1 was @ 135-140 yds. The other was 175-180 yds. I use my LRF after the shot.
Sometimes I can't be exact but just close on the distance.

I'd never attempt those shots off hand. Both were 1 shot DRT (drop right there).

I don't go hunting w/o my Stoney Points.

Jerry

Like most that have posted above I prefer a rest whenever possible. I have shot unsupported offhand out to 225 yards, kneeling without sticks to 315 yards,at the other end I have shot seated at 8 yards I have used trees, rocks, packs crossed sticks and whatever else for supports whenever possible. I am a big fan of the 3 piece two leg stony point sticks.

When i was guiding in the barren lands of the NWT I encouraged my clients not to lean their rifles over the rock but to have a close personal relationship with the rock as well. The less opportunity for the body to move the better.

All this being said one must judge your limits from day to day as many thing affect ones ability to make a shot.

Have a great day all.

GRF

Most shots are taken sitting on my butt resting on my knees (to get over brush) or prone laying across my pack if the brush allows. That is for shots in the 100-400 yard range. Under that I have taken quite a few off hand. I always try to get a rest but it does not always happen. I shoot quite a few Jackrabbits each winter, those are always from a standing position, usually offhand or with aid of a shooting stick. Good practice for when it really counts.

The position I choose is whatever position points the muzzle of the rifle at the deers vitals. I've found that when I do this and pull the trigger at the same time, the deer falls down usually leaking fluid,

What Varmint Guy said.. Except I never hunted Blacktails, but shot some eastern whitetails off hand years ago..

I quit hunting from tree stands years ago. My preferred position is standing with shooting sticks or from a higher tree limb. Next would be from a sitting position, again with shooting sticks or a lower tree limb. My only problem with the sitting position is that I have to get up and make it to my downed game to field dress or quarter it. I'm absolutely sure that the prone position would be the best and most accurate position to take large game but, I'm an old hunter and by the time I pull the trigger, get up and make it to my game, I'd probably be arrested and charged for wanton waste.

Necessity is the mother of invention. A ton of variety here. Pretty much big sky country with no jump shooting. If in range at first sighting my first thought is finding some sort of rest. If a stalk is involved, it's to a spot where I can arrange some kind of shooting platform. Shrubs, trees, stumps, pack frames, rocks, snow, bipod, a partners shoulder or back, and even a lawn chair.

Truck Hood !

Offhand, kneeling w/sticks, sitting w/sticks, standing with a tree rest, off backpack rest, rest on back of ATV. Those are the last 2 seasons' rests for me. Hunting partner rested off knees while sitting and shot standing w/sticks as well.

25 years and closing in on 200 whitetails, I would very roughly estimate the following:

Prone - 1%
Sitting in a box stand propped on window - 5%
Sitting in a treestand free handed - 10%
Sitting in a treestand propped - 30%
Sitting on ground propped on shooting sticks or small tree or knees - 30%
Standing freehanded - 5%
Standing propped on tree, fence, atv, etc. - 4%
Archery - 15%

This pretty much mirrors my percentages but with a few prone thrown in but surely not in my home state.

Over 60 whitetails in Missouri between rifle, pistol and muzzleloader. Can't think of more than 3 or 4 shot from prone. Probably around 25 offhand, the rest with some sort of rest, be it a bog pod, forked stick or leaning against a tree.

I have shot 8 antelope, only one being offhand at 100 yds. Shot one from kneeling with the bog pod at 100 yds, the rest from prone, mostly off a bipod, farthest at 500 yds, closest at 250 yds.

Out of five elk, 2 were offhand at 100 yds or less, one sitting resting on a rock pile at 589 yds, one standing resting on oak brush at 320 yds and one kneeling with bog pod at 450 yds.

2 mule deer offhand at less than 100 yds, one prone from 250 yds.

2 bears offhand at 80-90 yds, one kneeling with a rest from 75 yds.