Shooting How Far?

[FIGJAM]

I am fairly new to this site, but have been around a while and have watched the long range industry blossom. I have hunted in open spaces and mountains, woods and badlands. In the last 30, or really 15 years, equipment and components have come a long way as has the more average shooters understanding of exterior ballistics - Physics and the limitations of projectiles of any given construction. I have read scores of posts on several sites regarding cartridges and bullets being dropped from consideration because they were possibly marginally 'elk capable' at 800 or 1000 yards. Are there really that many of y'all shooting deer and elk at 800 to 1000 yards? I am not saying there is anything wrong with the concept, this is America. What I am wondering though is with variables like wind, humidity, elevation, temperature, mirage, shooting angle, field position, etc. how many guys are actually taking shots that long and if you are, what is the success rate? It can be difficult to find sign after a 200 yard walk to point of impact, I can't imagine trying to do it as the light fades from 1k. I am intrigued. What are your parameters when you approach a hunt with the possibility of a shot like this. Spotters, rangefinders, recording for replay? How do you approach a shot like that to ensure the game comes to bag?

There are a lot of guys on this site who are much better shots than I am. I am pretty confident out to 800 on game, I shoot out to 1200 regularly at the range. For me personally, anything over 600 yards, there has to be little to no wind, or I have to be confident in my reading. In my experience it is not difficult to get to within 500 yards of game. If I shoot over 500 yards its because I want to, not because I can't get any closer. Spotters are always nice regardless of distance...while I enjoy long range hunting and shooting, its more important to me that I dispatch the Animal quickly than be able brag about how far I shot something.

 

[COBrad]

I've been fortunate to live in western Colorado and work ranching and guiding\outfitting. It's given me opportunity to hunt in some of the best elk hunting on the planet for over 40 years. I think I've killed a total of 5 over three hundred yards, the longest being 1098 yards. For that shot I was using a custom long range rifle in 7 RM shooting 180 grain Berger HVLD's. I've done a lot of long range shooting at varmints over the last 20 some years and spend a lot of time shooting and refining my data. My longest shot was 1402 on a marmot. The day I shot the long elk conditions were all perfect and that distance on an elk felt pretty comfortable after a lot of marmot shooting all fall. I also have a 1360 yard range set up at the ranch. There's a lot to know to be confident shooting at long range, not the least of which is knowing when not to shoot.

 

[Korhil78]

Never shot an animal at 800 or further. Shot a few animals in the 700-760 yard range but conditions were perfect with no wind. I have shot at targets on windy days quite a bit at long distances (1000-1300 yards) for practice as it is windy a lot of the time where I am at and for me it's just not worth it for me to try to shoot at an animal in higher winds because of the gusts. If the wind is blowing more than 5-10 mph, I will get closer if shooting an animal.

 

[FEENIX]

The "NUT" behind the trigger remains the biggest factor.

 

[bigngreen]

I've shot a lot of game in that 600 to 800 yard range, in my area that just tends to be the sweet spot in the terrain, I personally shoot the range the conditions allow. Many seem to want to make take a long range shot as a sign of lack of hunting skill but we have no issue hunting up close during bow season or if I want to stalk in the timber but many times the best shot for a quick kill with minimal disturbance to the game is with some distance on it. If conditions are good I'll shoot as far as my bullet will function so we see some go over a grand sometimes but honestly the conditions for shots beyond that happen once in a blue moon.
I like to have a spotter on any shot just not a longer one. I've missed one time in a LOT of long range kills, it was due to rangefinder bouncing of a close target and resulted in a way, way low shot. Our percentage of shots at game vs recovered game is close to 100%, much higher than before we started putting as much effort into our kill quality as out hunt quality.
In our terrain recovery is WAY easier at long range than closer, I've spent hours looking for a mule deer in sagebrush shot a a couple hundred yards but longer range your shooting from a different plane than the game so typically we can see the game clear as day piled up so you can just make a calm recovery plan and execute it!!

 

[NDF]

If hunting at any range was a certainty we'd have no need for this site let alone ability to posess all of our wonderful means to pursue this passion we call long range hunting/shooting, thankfully there are those who have the knowledge and insight to share there expertise and experiences to hopefully make the rest of us think before the thought squeeze ever comes to action on a game animal at any range, know your equipment and ability and act accordingly, everyones "distance" will work itself out if you do your homework

 

[Toolhand]

All depends on weather conditions.
I have a 1300 yard range on my property with 1/2 moa sized steel targets every 100 yards from 500-1300 and shoot regularly.
If the weather cooperates I feel extremely confident to 1,000 with my personal gear but only if the weather is calm and it's weapon and equipment that I have verified. If the weather is bad then 300 may very well be my limit for that day.

 

[Sam Pace]

I'm a competent (not perfect) shooter out to 1800 yards. My self imposed hunting range on big game animals is 450 yards with a rifle. My problem is that I have yet to train my quarry to stand perfectly still until the bullet hits my point of aim. To significantly reduce that variable I have set my own restriction. My personal motto on this subject is, "Just because you can doesn't mean you should."

 

[Will Gray]

I hunt in the deep woods of Louisiana where shots are <100yds most of the time. Did get one at 450yds in a power line cut with a well placed 338 EDGE shot but the deer still stumbled into the woods and it took a dog to find her. I also hunt on a lease as a guest so I have to be very careful not to shoot a trophy or future trophy animal. Being able to be sure that doe is not a button buck limits my shots to about 150yds.

 

[Rick Richard]

I hunt in the deep woods of Louisiana where shots are <100yds most of the time. Did get one at 450yds in a power line cut with a well placed 338 EDGE shot but the deer still stumbled into the woods and it took a dog to find her. I also hunt on a lease as a guest so I have to be very careful not to shoot a trophy or future trophy animal. Being able to be sure that doe is not a button buck limits my shots to about 150yds.

Been there done that since I am originally from the Baton Rouge area. Use to hunting in the swamps, cut overs or power lines.

 

[Shadowwalker]

A very wise man. Congratulations on your success and logic.

I was a research engineer for Savage Arms Co. and loaded my appaloosa in the trailer and wife in the truck and moved to Colorado after hunting Montana for 8 years. I came west to hunt elk. If you stay around them long enough and observe they will fascinate you with their smarts. You have to remember you have full time elk and only part time hunters.
My wife divorced me for hunting so much and married a Federal Game Warden who spent the rest of his life trying to put me in jail. However he is dead now so that makes me the winner.

 

[Toolhand]

As far as the animal moving before the bullet gets there; at 800 yards it's gonna be about a second with a magnum cartridge and at 1,000 in the 1.25 second range. As long as the animal is calm and not walking then that's not much time at all but if they are walking, running, etc it's an eternity. Hunting is all about situations and making the right decision to take or pass on a sketchy shot. No matter the distance. The longer the distance the more perfect everything has to be to pull the trigger.

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

I am fairly new to this site, but have been around a while and have watched the long range industry blossom. I have hunted in open spaces and mountains, woods and badlands. In the last 30, or really 15 years, equipment and components have come a long way as has the more average shooters understanding of exterior ballistics - Physics and the limitations of projectiles of any given construction. I have read scores of posts on several sites regarding cartridges and bullets being dropped from consideration because they were possibly marginally 'elk capable' at 800 or 1000 yards. Are there really that many of y'all shooting deer and elk at 800 to 1000 yards? I am not saying there is anything wrong with the concept, this is America. What I am wondering though is with variables like wind, humidity, elevation, temperature, mirage, shooting angle, field position, etc. how many guys are actually taking shots that long and if you are, what is the success rate? It can be difficult to find sign after a 200 yard walk to point of impact, I can't imagine trying to do it as the light fades from 1k. I am intrigued. What are your parameters when you approach a hunt with the possibility of a shot like this. Spotters, rangefinders, recording for replay? How do you approach a shot like that to ensure the game comes to bag?

I hunt mostly long range for bear moose boos and deer, I hunt from the top of Mts mostly over looking ponds bogs and game crossing point.I only do shots I know I can make and so far have never had any game go more then 20 ft or right around there. I can wait and plan the shoot I want,the game is feeding and has no inkling I am even there take the wind and all env (DA) ect then make the shot.to much wind no shoot ect we practice all summer at 1200 and 800 and 1100 on milk jugs and steel. I hunt for food only not heads and it is our winter meat.

 

[Gregory K VandeDrink]

There are a lot of guys on this site who are much better shots than I am. I am pretty confident out to 800 on game, I shoot out to 1200 regularly at the range. For me personally, anything over 600 yards, there has to be little to no wind, or I have to be confident in my reading. In my experience it is not difficult to get to within 500 yards of game. If I shoot over 500 yards its because I want to, not because I can't get any closer. Spotters are always nice regardless of distance...while I enjoy long range hunting and shooting, its more important to me that I dispatch the Animal quickly than be able brag about how far I shot something.

I can't see where a shot beyond 400 yards is technically "hunting". Nor can I rationalize that it is necessary to shoot beyond that point. We're talking about "hunting" and the nature of the "hunt". Thousands of this game has been taken inside of 50 yds during archery seasons. I rifle hunt these animals. And I have archery hunted them. Going beyond 400 yards with a rifle? No, not this guy. I enjoy the hunt to much.