Over a lifetime of big game hunting easily95% of my shots have been at 200 yards or under
Same for me. I do a lot of bow hunting where my shots are less than 50 yards. So when I switch to a rifle hell 200 yards almost feels like cheating. LOL!
Over a lifetime of big game hunting easily95% of my shots have been at 200 yards or under
Same for me. I do a lot of bow hunting where my shots are less than 50 yards. So when I switch to a rifle hell 200 yards almost feels like cheating. LOL!
The majority of my hunting opportunities that presented long range shots has taken place in MT and ND where there are wide open spaces. In nearly 40 years of hunting I’ve pulled the trigger on two shots at a known 400+. The first was a whitetail buck taken right at 500 yds with a 300 Win mag - don't recall the load. The second was mulie buck at 490 yards with a 270 WSM and 140 accubonds. Both shots were off of rock solid rests and both animals were about to disappear from view if the presented shot wasn’t taken.
Countless other deer presented long range opportunities over the years but the conditions were never right for taking the shot. I feel confident to 400 with one of my rifles and intend to get there with another one by this fall. My intent is always to close the distance whenever possible as I enjoy the hunting aspect of the pursuit much more than the shooting part.
I practice for long range and have some dedicated setups specifically for longer range shooting. However, even here in the wide open spaces of Montana the vast majority of the game I have killed or seen killed was well inside 300. I ran some numbers from the past few years and with a fair amount of game every year (I hunt with several buddies, have six hunters in my own house, lots of tags and a commercial meat grinder) including antelope, deer, elk and bears from what I can recall less then 15% was over 350 yards.
Lately I have been doing more practicing from various positions other than prone with a rest. Mostly standing off a tripod, sitting with no aids, sitting with crossed sticks, some offhand, kneeling, etc.
To be frank, it is humbling.
I can say without question that I am personally much more comfortable at 400-500 with a good rest and laying prone then I am at even 100 or 150 using any of the other methods aforementioned. To me it is all about conditions and personal limitations.
Killing animals is killing animals. Near or far, it doesn't matter. If you felt "disgusted" with yourself, maybe you shouldn't be pulling the trigger.. I hunt to feed my family, not to feel good or bad about shooting said critter. I don't really give a schidt if it's 10 yards or 800. Still same affect...
Growing up in PENN I knew a small handful of guys that shot groundhogs and crows during the summer at 400-600 yards. They all handloaded and had custom built rifles with expensive scopes. During deer season most of them went back to typical woods hunting and didnt really care if they got a deer or not. They also enjoyed hanging out in the bars during deer season and listening to the long range deer kills that they knew were no more than 80 yards if that, but didnt call anyone out for "stretching" the truth. These guys are all gone now.......
Mule Deer, I remember meeting you in Wyoming at dinner one night in what may have been 2000 or 2001, I was there hunting Pronghorn with my outfitter Jay Lesser, you were with the Swarovski bunch, I think Jim what's his name was your host. We also toured Talley's facility when they were there, Gary is a friend and had invited us to look around. Anyway, I remember John Lazzeroni was there "product testing" a few of his rifles, he was pitching Franz, the Swarovski family member who I believe represents their crystal business in the US. John seemed to be more interested in getting as far away from the antelope to make the shots as long as possible, I think he ended up at 650 yards or something like that. I killed mine at something like 250 and that was far enough for me. I typically hunt in the south, most often attached to a pine tree 20 feet off of the ground. 300 yards can seem like a very far distance with an imperfect rest and tree swaying in the wind. I guess I would say knowing your gear, having a decent rest, knowing the distance and having a target that is not on the move would be the determining factor for me. I have several 1,000 yard rifles but consider my max to be about 400 yards on big game, much prefer under 200.
I remember meeting Jay and at least one of his clients at that dinner! Jim Morey was the head of Swarovski Optik USA at the time, and the host for our group. We hunted the Tillard Ranch north of Glenrock, where both Eileen and I have hunted several times over the years.
I remember John Lazzeroni built Marty Tillard a rifle, which he'd sent Marty earlier. It didn't shoot very well, and Lazzeroni was sure Marty's shooting was the cause. (I was not, but didn't say anything.) One calm day during the hunt John L. shot the rifle from Marty's benchrest at the ranch, and had to admit it didn't shoot very well.
If I recall correctly, that was the first year I brought my then-new Weatherby Vanguard Sporter .257 Roberts to the Tillard ranch, and after Lazzeroni test-fired Marty's rifle and left to go hunting, I shot it at 300 yards, using my handloads which featured the then-new 100-grain Barnes TSX and Ramshot Magnum powder--and three shots went into 1.49 inches, which was about like Marty's Lazzeroni shot at 100.
Dunno how many pronghorns and mule deer I killed on the Tillard ranch over the years, but the longest shot was 404 yards on a 16" antelope buck, when hunting some rough breaks with Marty's son Casey--who'd seen the buck several times before but hadn't been able to get in range. Don't think any of the others were over 300.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
Me, i dont get a shot at a coyote or rabid skunk till they get out around 500 yards in the North pasture, great fun and practice on those smaller vermin.
