Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 3 " high @ 100 yards

All of mine are on at 100. I use ballistic reticles on my rifles, so I always know my hold-over.

Saddlesore,
I don't think I can claim to have shot as many elk as you have, that's for sure. Antelope or deer, either. But from what you say, I would concur that we must hunt different country. I have shot a number of elk at less than 100 yards, but I've probably shot the majority of my elk at between 150 and 250 yards. And, like you, some have been further. I'll admit to not being a great timber or close cover hunter since I don't spend a lot of time pursuing any animal in that environment. I will concede that those that do hunt the timber or routinely shoot their game at less than 100 yards have no need for a sight-in of 3" high at 100. By the same token, though, I've never felt handicapped by that type of sight-in when I shoot an animal at closer than 100 yards and for the long-range shots, I feel it gives me less to think about when time is of the essence. As an aside, I think you and I would probably agree on 90% of hunting in CO and how to hunt elk. I'm sure I could learn a thing or two from you as well.
Test

Mine are zeroed at 200 yards.

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Dead on at 100 is how I set them. Dead on at 65 yrds would equal my longest shot at big game so that would be sufficient

I hunt in the woods.


These long shots I'm taking are why I hunt with a .243, 6.5x55, two .270's, a .270 WSM, .30-30, .300 Savage, .300 WM, .35 Whelen. This year I'll probably use one of two .223's and be done with it

Mike

Same here, but I started cheating about four years ago. Replaced the old 4x Weaver scope that was older than me with a Bushnell Banner series with the bullet drop compensator. It's not an expensive scope by no means but it works for me. Very seldom have I ever had to, but now if I have to take a shot over 100yds all I have to do is turn the compensator to the appropriate yardage. Haven't had to use it in the field yet, but dialing it in to 200yds at the range the old Savage is dead on (tennis ball grouping).

200 yd 0.

I wonder what the 'stuff shot over' vs. 'stuff shot under' ratio is... I bet it's at least 4 to 1. Given that you've typically got a whole lot of wiggle room to the right or left... even on smaller critters like coyotes and those things they call deer in Texas... I'd guess that probably 70% of all the critters that get shot at and escape unharmed... are missed on the high side. That's why I just don't buy the 3" high at 100... and 6" (or 8", or 10") MPBR theories. I'll take an 1" high at 100 and 5" low somewhere calculable... that's the same 6" circle y'all Point Blankers are touting... without the risk of launching a round right over the whithers.

This is another beautiful thing about those Ballistic reticles that we get so torn-up about. I sight in 1" high at 100... I draw down on a buck at an unknown range... the crosshairs and the 300 yard dot both fit inside the chest... and WHAMMY. I know that bullet is going to hit between those two lines all the way out to 300... I don't have to worry about the shot going high... I don't have to get out the rangefinder... or spin a turret (I know Steeley... you can do it quicker than Rossie can empty a 10 pc. bucket). I guess it's similar to the PBR (not the beer)... but again... without the draw back of the high-flyer.

I know personally my mis-high ratio is MUCH higher... it's more like 9 to 1... especially on coyotes. I used to shoot over those little bastards all the time... now I don't remember the last time I missed one high (maybe that's why I don't remember...)

Set your rifle up, so's to nail chit up close, then use your head as necessary out far...

It ain't hard, and I'm for thinkin' those F&S readin' guys got ther panties all in a wad, over nuthin.

This chit ain't complicated but there's them that want to make it so.

*urp*

How much stuff you missed low... other than steel?

How 'bout high?

DDP, PM sent

I got the second one... the first one went right over my head...

grin

I'll be here all week...

I have always known my zero and where it actually shot at measured 200 and 300 yard ranges.

Unfortunately I am lousy at estimating range. Thank goodness for range finders.

The MPBR idea with a scope and a 6-8 in target area [equivalent to 3-3.5 in high with 180gr '06/225 338 @ 100 yards] seems to work in our more open Eastern Oregon. You need to shoot it at 200 and 300 yards to see where you really are though. That is if you hold 1/3 of the way up the animal.

I further find I have to hold a bit higher if I am shooting with a tight sling from prone or sitting [ I aim halfway up the body]. I seem to pull the rifle down. I also seem to shoot a bit low offhand, especially if they are moving.

I think a lot of folks hit high because the want to raise their aim point as soon as they can't see the ticks on the deers eyes.

In Western Oregon I go to 2.5-3 in high at 100 yards for fear of holding over.

I used to own a Bushnell with a BDC, still have a 6-18 Acu-Trac and didn't care for either. The range estimating feature on the VxIII/3 seems to take too much time. I bought two Leupolds with the dots last year and so far that makes the most sense of the mechanical /optical gadgets on the lens. I am still going to use a 3" zero this year. Maybe I will change next year after I shoot the dots some more.

DB:I've been shooting a 300 win mag with the Leup VX II 3-9 LR dots,and 165 Partition at 3275.Zeroed 2 3/4 to 3" high at 100 yards the load is POA at 300 yards,and the first dot down is on at 400;the second dot is on at 500.I have not yet tried the bottom of the reticle at 600 to see if it works at that range.

I agree with you that the system is very simple, very fast,and about the easiest that I have used to 500.

If you are using a Leup variable set at 6X,or a 6X Leup and a cartridge bullet combo like a 140 AB from a 7 mag at 3250,and zero POA at 300 yards,the tip of the bottom duplex is your aiming point at 500 yards. A 300 yard zero will be put you app 2 3/4" high at 100.You will only be down 8-9" at 400, where a top of back or high shoulder hold will have him buns up.So it is possible to combine these factors to the point where the dots are not really required to 500 with fast cartridges.No doubt the dots help the slow cartridges past 300.

While we're on the subject,my 30/06 with 165 Partition at 2900,zeroed 3" high is about 4-5" low at 300;with the 2-7 Leup set at 7X,the bottom duplex is my aiming point at 400 yards.

So, using the 3" high zero(or some slight variation depending on the cartridge/bullet/velocity)along with your reticle,can be very quick, efficient,and easy to use.

DDP:First I should say that I don't use a 3" high zero for varmints and you're spot on that other systems work a lot better in a varmint rifle.That said I've killed a lot of coyotes on my trips out west,and here in the east as well with big game rifles zeroed 3" high. I've dreamed up many wonderful ways to miss coyotes.

I don't spend any time head shooting does either,so other systems no doubt work better there.

But coyotes are not big game and don't count in the equation,at least not for me.I've had two very memorable high misses that I can recall.One was a very large muledeer that was missed high when I turned a Swaro 3-9 AV up to 9X before the shot;unknown to me, this particular scope had issues with the adjustments holding, as well as a significant shift in POI(up) when the power was changed; all issues I should have uncovered before I went on the hunt,but I only had time to get about 100 rounds under the scope before the hunt,and it seemed to behave.The problems started when I got to Alberta.After the disastrous miss on the mule deer, I did manage to kill two bucks with it, but ranges were under 100 yards....both were hit higher than intended...

The second was was a big whitetail buck in New Brunswick that sort of magically appeared at the crest of a power line about 400 yards above me,moving in the fast walk of a rutting whitetail,and heading down along the opposite edge; as I dropped into a sit I remember saying to myself "...425..",and very hastily half wrapped in the sling and rested over a downed log from the sitting position.I stayed with the 425 hold and shot JUST over him,judging by his reaction(he ducked,spun, and ran,across the power line).Later verification with a rangefinder showed he was 379 yards at the shot and had been over 430 at the crest of the hill when I first saw him.I did not allow for the fact that he had moved closer in the time it took to get into position.The fault was mine,not the sight setting.

The rifle was a 270 zeroed 3" high at 100 with a 4X Leupold;I used the same rifle and sight setting the year before to shoot a 210 pound 8 point (at about 30 feet in a softwood thicket) that I had snow tracked for about 1.5 miles.Yes, I had to "thread a needle",and yes, it worked.So going to a 100 yard zero "in the timber" is nonsense to me.

Keep in mind that 4" high at 200 yards(that causes so many of these vaunted misses,and all the handwringing :)) is about the width of a hand;put your hand on the vital area of a whitetail buck,or a bull elk for that matter.Most guys are lucky to hold in double that amount under field conditions,regardless of sighting system.

I frankly do not understand the high misses everyone talks about;I have not been plagued by them.And I suspect a lot of the misses are blamed on the system, when in fact, the guy doing the missing is the one to blame,and is out looking for a good excuse.

Even had you been aware that the whitetail high on the crest had moved a bit closer to you, it sounds as if you still might have shot over him, or at least hit him too high to have made a clean kill.

Your whitetail scenario and stated reasoning for your shootin' over the top of him could be accepted more easily had it been over level ground rather than what sounds like at a steep uphill angle at 400 yards.

Your explanation for missing your whitetail made no mention whatsoever of making any adjustments of any type for what sounds like a pretty severe and long, uphill shot. I can only assume that you didn't take the angle and distance of the shot into account prior to that missed shot. I expect it had, at least, as much to do with your missed opportunity as you not knowing that the whitetail had closed the distance on you a sum total of 51 yards.

When shooting at rather steep angles whether up or down, one will always shoot higher than while shooting at that same distance on level ground. The longer the distance, the more one needs to compensate. 400ish yards, on what sounds like a rather steep uphill angle, is no exception.

BTDT myself during my earlier hunting years and you're right.......not the fault of the sight setting at all. That won't happen to me ever again (for that same reason anyway), as I suppose it won't happen to you again either.

Good luck this season........

It depends on the cartridge and the rifle.
Woods rifles are dead on or 1� high at 100 depending on the cartridge.
All around rifles are 1� �high at 100.
Plains rifles are 3� high at 100.

I pick my zero, then sight in at that range and go back to 100 to see where it's hitting.

I pick my zero based on how far I think the shot will be while in the field.

Spot

Mines 1 1/2" High at 100Yds Puts Me 0 at 50Yds and good to 200 Yds.