Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Who Is Actually, Regularly, Shooting at Game Over 400 Yards?

I've killed one deer and one caribou that were out there on 400 yards. I've killed one out near 300. The last deer I killed was 125 and the two before that around 50. That 50 to 125 is about the typical range for me to shoot deer. I've shot a number of them in the woods within 40 yards.

I’ve shot 2 hogs past 400yds here. For game animals, 400 is pretty much my limit, as that’s as far as I can regularly practice and a lot of my hunting is locations where 250yds is a max shot. If I’m hunting meat, I’ll usually try to hold out for a high-percentage shot when considering all the factors.

For me, in the last few years, I’ve killed 2 hogs and one coyote at 400 yards. When I was younger, I killed a few deer at just shy of 400 yards. These days I won’t take a shot at a deer much past 250, unless conditions are calm. I don’t want to make a bad shot and spend a long time trailing. Maybe I’m just lazy or maybe because I’m not young anymore.

Mine also, glassed good bucks way down there, got out of my stand, got closer.

I’ve killed a couple pronghorn at 400-450 yards with a custom 257 wby. I don’t seek shots over 300 yds, but occasionally when the situation is right, I’ll shoot out to 400+.
I have zero interest in the 600+ yard shooting that some do.

No, I don’t shoot/kill deer @ 400 yds on a
‘regular' basis….

BUT when I hunted deer leases, long rang ops
were there on a ‘never know when’ basis.

I have killed several WT from 350–400+ yds.
All were shot with either 300 WM or 7 RM.

I had some OPs at 500 yds but every time the deer were walking across
Re growth cutovers & brush or saplings prevented any clear shots so I
didn’t take any chance.


Because of those OPs I have kept myself &
rifles & loads ‘dependable’ for UP to 400 yds.
I hunt private, family land since 2012 and there are places
where up to 400 yds is a real possibility for shooting.

IIRC I have killed 4 or 5 on this property between 330 & 385 yds.

That is as honest & accurate assessment I can make.

Jerry

edit to add: we have such a long deer season and liberal bag limit
that I don’t have to hunt when the wind is strong.

All of my whitetail hunting on my farm is done out of a couple of shooting houses I built. 400 yards is the max range I can shoot out of either place, and when I'm shooting one of my deer rifles, I regularly practice shooting out to 400 yards. However, I have yet to kill a deer at that distance out of either stand, as I prefer to wait on a shot at a closer distance.

I've hunted whitetails for over 55 years, and have killed 2 bucks at ranges over 300 yards, one at 380, the other at 450. Both were killed with a 270. There's nothing wrong with shooting deer at long ranges............just as long as you know what you're doing, and have the equipment that will allow you to it. It takes skill to make a long range shot, just as it ALSO takes skill to outsmart an old buck and kill him at close range.

Never had an opportunity at much over 200, except for a couple of chucks, and that’s as far as I can see one where I hunt now. Haven’t taken a shot at over 50 since 2016, and that one was only 100. The nearby range goes to 300, a snap from a rest. Unfortunately they don’t permit shooting from position for safety reasons. There is another range about an hour away with longer distances and shooting from position. Might give it a go when it gets cooler.

I like to be able to make a long shot if offered, but would never seek one out deliberately. Getting close is the goal.

Most of all the game animals I've killed over my lifetime of 56yrs of hunting have been inside 200yds.I've shot a few over 300yds out to almost 400yds,but very few.It really depends a lot of where you hunt and the type of terrain your hunting.

Longest shots on deer for me are 280, 350 and 410 yards over cut fields. My normal hunting area doesn't allow much over 150 yards. The bigger issue I see when hunting is a solid setup to take the shot. Shooting out of a deer stand is much different than shooting off of a concrete bench. Prone shots are better if you have the time and the right setup.

To Mule Deer's point on those that shoot varmints, he's spot on as usual. After spending a week shooting p-dogs, everything else seemed like a chip shot. We were shooting .223s and the longest shot for the group was 686 yards. Factor in the wind and you've learned a thing or two after a few days of it.

Here in the South Texas brush country, it's rare to take a shot over 200 yrds on White Tails or Exotics, I have shot Coyotes at over 500 yrds out in the cow pastures over a dead cow, I shoot long range regularly, as i am lucky to have a 1800 yrd range. Rio7

Here on the high plains of western SD I’d say that shots of 400 or more are regularly presented. I prefer to get closer although I can shoot that far no problem. The farthest I’ve killed a big game animal was a little over 600 yards.

Most of the animals I have killed have been at 250 and under over the past 28 years. Shots over 400 aren’t a problem for me but I don’t regularly shoot at big game that far. I do regularly shoot at prairie dogs and steel targets beyond 400 yards, so a deer or antelope at 400 is no big deal to me if the conditions allow for it. If I can cut that distance in half or even by 100 yards I will do it every time.

I've never taken a 200 yard shot......which would likely be my maximum range.

Wind conditions determine if I shoot or not, more so than distance.

Andy3

Not me. 300+ is usually my limit if conditions are right.

Our hunting here in SW GA is 95% large ag fields. The long range guys can stretch it out as far as you can imagine. Most shots for me are in the 275-350 range but 400+ is a realistic probability each season. I practice weekly on my buddies 100-600 yard range and know my limitations, what works, what doesn’t.

I don’t take a shot at over 400 unless conditions are as close to perfect as possible. Dead wind, broadside standing still, good light, bag rest and just as important…the ability to mark my shot. A tree that stands out on the edge of the field, five rows of corn, peanuts etc from that ditch in the field…..marks like that. If the field is planted to cotton, I’ll take a compass bearing to where the buck fell. Get down from the stand, take my azimuth and start walking. I can walk right up to him that way.


My longest shots: 633 yard heart shot with an M1a (love that rifle), 719 on a huge 8 pt, Jarrett 300 RUM.

I suspect that quite a few people shoot at game over 400…..relatively few are successful! 😉 memtb

My experience is about the same as that of many who've replied. I've been hunting big game in WY for 50+ years and hunted a little bit in CO and ID. In that time my longest shot was a cow elk at a lasered 420 yds (couldn't get closer... won't bore you with the story). I've taken a pronghorn or two between 300 and 400 yards but, as INGWE said, 95% of my shots have been under 200 yards.

I know guys that gear up for hunting at 6-800 yds. They practice at those distances and are successful. More power to 'em. I readily admit they are better marksmen than yours truly.

The closer I can get to a game animal the better I like it.

It’s not because we wouldn’t prefer a closer shot. It’s the type of country, terrain, and where the animals prefer to travel that make a 400 yard shot common for deer and elk.

I had Kingston, a Fire member come out for an elk hunt with me. I told him in advance of arriving that typically 400-600 yards was the range he’d be looking at making a shot on an elk. He killed his 5 point at 475 yards.

Last year, I shot a 5 point bull at maybe 120 yards. This was unexpected and rare as hens teeth. I was happy as hell!

🦫

There are areas where I could, however, to date 375 is my longest shot on a deer. Vast majority under 200. Longest of the past season 247. Closest under 20.
400 would be as far as I would shoot. Main reason I don’t chase the latest BC bullet miracles. Many many deer and hogs haven’t complained a bit with the bullets I have been shooting.

GreggH