How to MIL a whitetail deer?

[tacsniper0888]

Hey guys I have a question. I'm familiar with how you mil objects but how would I go about milling a mature whitetail buck for example say a thousand yards for an even number. I have a Millett LRS-1 scope 6-25X56 with mildot-bar reticle with reticle set up for 12.5x and 25x. So can someone explain to me what I need to do to consecutively get first round cold bore hits on target by using milling system out past my rangefinder's capabilities? Also does anyone know an average actual height on a mature whitetail buck? Do you mil from the ground to his shoulder or the ground to his back? Also what real world measurement do you use for your constant in the milling equation with size in mils as my variable? Thanks guys and have a great day.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

It has been discussed here before and the short answer is you don't! It's ok if you just want to practice. But due to variation it is unethical for an actual shot on game. In the military we get away with it for a few reasons, known target size, operating in and around objects of a fixed size , and it's ok to have a marginal hit on a man in combat.

All that said if you can get a deer to stand next to a road sign your gtg

 

[angus-5024]

I tried gor about 3 years, no luck. If the animal is feeding its not bad, but even at 600yards i found it pretty hard. I still practice, but for me i would keep to 400 yards and less. When milling try to use the biggest target size possible, so the lenght of the animal. The bigger the target size the more room for error.

 

[Bravo 4]

When milling try to use the biggest target size possible, so the lenght of the animal. The bigger the target size the more room for error.

Very true.
The problem is the animal has to be perfectly broadside to you. If not, any angle will change the target size as viewed from your position and throw you off. Range estimation utilizing the mil relation formulas isn't easy. Throw in even more variables such as a target that won't sit still and at angles and you have a recipe for failure.
I practice on "live targets" as well and you will be amazed at how accurate you can be. But then again you can get really good at judging distance using the naked eye.

 

[D.ID]

One mature buck is not the same as the other, As others have said. A couple yards at a 1000 matters..........Please, Please, Please....buy a rangefinder to shoot 1000 yard dear.

 

[submoa]

to answer your ? yes there is a avrage height for deer its 3 ft at the shoulders, but im with otheres here its much better to have a range finder that goes to 1000yd or better.

 

[tacsniper0888]

Thanks guys. I have a Bushnell Elite 1500 but Bushnell claims it will only range a deer to 550 a tree to 1,000 and a reflective target such as a house to 1,600. This will be my first season using it. Any of you guys have any experience with this rangefinder?

 

[Bravo 4]

I had one for a short time and it wasn't a bad unit. I bought it before an elk hunt and would practice on cows and horses in a large pasture behind the house. If I remember correctly it would consistantly range brown/tan horses past 900 during lowlight situations. Bright sunlight degrades a LRF's capabilities and with this one drastically (each individual unit could be different). Deer were obviously harder to range and the ranges weren't quite as far, but if I remember it was well past the 550 you posted. If you are gonna be in a static position then build you a range card and mark known distance objects and places deer are known to enter/exit. If you are a sniper of any sort as your name implies then you would be used to drawing them, but using Google Earth printouts is a much better option.

 

[tacsniper0888]

Thanks bravo. Already had the range card angle covered with my wet/dry data book from tactical tailor. Yea I've used this one to consistently range various targets out to thirteen fourteen hundred yards such as buildings and such but this fall will be the first time using it on a deer. Not a trained sniper, just an above average shooter and long range nut sniping is an art and our boys overseas are Picasso himself! Amazes me what those boys can do with a bullet!!!

 

[submoa]

really snipping is the art of sneaking up on woodcook or (snipe) and shooting them with a rifle

 

[sscoyote]

It has been discussed here before and the short answer is you don't! It's ok if you just want to practice. But due to variation it is unethical for an actual shot on game. In the military we get away with it for a few reasons, known target size, operating in and around objects of a fixed size , and it's ok to have a marginal hit on a man in combat.

All that said if you can get a deer to stand next to a road sign your gtg

Man i about busted out laughing on that one. That road sign comment was great. Thanks--needed it.

 

[sscoyote]

Reticle-rangefinding is a lot of fun and i have had some degree of success in field applications over the years i have been using it, but rarely beyond 500-600 yds. Would love to work some with those dot-line 1/2 mil. reticles though as they do have some serious accuracy capability if the tgt. size is absolutely known.