Long range shot. Should I and should I not?

[Boar Barrel]

So this is my question to you all. All opinions are appreciated. I have about a thousand acres that I hunt in the hills of East Tennessee that borders the Cherokee National Forest and North Carolina. For years I have hunted the hogs and deer on the property. Usually I have luck hunting the creek bottoms and the two fields I have there.
There is a lake on the property that is about 350 yards wide by about 650 yards long. The lake for the most part is surrounded by hills and mountains except at a couple of points where there are a couple of hollows where a couple of creeks empty into the lake. At one of these points where one of the creeks enter the lake I have noticed several deer gathering at the end of the day to play and get water. About the only realistic way to access this area is by boat. The terrain to get to these points by land is very treacherous even for someone who is in top physical shape, Which I am not.
So my approach to hunt this area is to set up on the dock with one of my long range precision rifles and take about a 330 yard shot. If I connect with the target then I would take a boat across and track my kill and bring it back. However I risk not being able to locate my kill and leaving a wounded deer to roam the forrest while it dies. Now I am more than capable of making a 330 yard shot and have shot further than that before.
But my question is, is the risk worth the reward or am I just over thinking this? My options of rifle is a .308 and a 6.5 Grendel. Both of which are more than enough gun to take a deer or a hog.

 

[HARPERC]

You're confident in your shooting ability, your equipment, but are stressed about the recovery?
It sounds like it's a bit of hell hole giving you second thoughts?
Risk vs reward can be tough to judge, some deer may be worth it, others not so much. Time of day can play into it as well.
I'd say take the shot, as with a good hit the deer shouldn't go that far.
Good Luck whatever you decide.

 

[CaptnC]

330 yards is 330 yards no matter what lies between you and your quarry. Regardless where it happens a bad shot is a bad shot. The added adventure of crossing the lake would only be a concern if the weather didn't permit crossing. In which case I wouldn't hunt that spot in bad weather.

IMO the Grendel might not be the best choice at the range. Might be time to get something with a bit more punch for that shot!

Any excuse for a new rfile is a good one!

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Use the 30 cal and let'er eat.

Steve

 

[Plinker147]

If you have practiced and can make that shot consistently then take it. If your not confident you can make the shot consistently then don't take it. That goes for all distances

 

[theosmithjr]

So this is my question to you all. All opinions are appreciated. I have about a thousand acres that I hunt in the hills of East Tennessee that borders the Cherokee National Forest and North Carolina. For years I have hunted the hogs and deer on the property. Usually I have luck hunting the creek bottoms and the two fields I have there.
There is a lake on the property that is about 350 yards wide by about 650 yards long. The lake for the most part is surrounded by hills and mountains except at a couple of points where there are a couple of hollows where a couple of creeks empty into the lake. At one of these points where one of the creeks enter the lake I have noticed several deer gathering at the end of the day to play and get water. About the only realistic way to access this area is by boat. The terrain to get to these points by land is very treacherous even for someone who is in top physical shape, Which I am not.
So my approach to hunt this area is to set up on the dock with one of my long range precision rifles and take about a 330 yard shot. If I connect with the target then I would take a boat across and track my kill and bring it back. However I risk not being able to locate my kill and leaving a wounded deer to roam the forrest while it dies. Now I am more than capable of making a 330 yard shot and have shot further than that before.
But my question is, is the risk worth the reward or am I just over thinking this? My options of rifle is a .308 and a 6.5 Grendel. Both of which are more than enough gun to take a deer or a hog.

330 yards is not really what I'd call a LONG SHOT, especially on a DEER! Now if you were talking a Field Mouse or a Hamster then I might tend to agree with your thinking. You stated that you OWN the property, and that you feel confident in ONE of your PRECISION Rifles, and that you've made SHOTS LONGER that THAT in the PAST! Whats the QUESTION then? I really don't understand your pondering shooting this deer. If your the Owner of the Property and you have made shots at this distance and longer; any rifle is capable of killing at 330 yards so the only QUESTION I ask is are you capable of making the shot? If you're a competent shooter dropping a deer at 330 yards is an easy shot in my opinion. TAKE IT and CALL ME when the LOINS are ON THE GRILL! Attached is a photo of what I consider a some what LONG SHOT. I took this Pennsylvania Groundhog 2 1/2 weeks ago at 873 yards with my .308 Sendero. 168 gr. HPBT MatchKing. I've taken a Pennsylvania Groundhog at 1,553 yards with my 6-284 Custom Built. 107 gr. HPBT MatchKing. This HOG was standing up on her mound and I'm a HEADHUNTER, look where the bullet impacted at 873 yards! That's CONFIDENCE!

 

[djfriesen]

330 yards is 330 yards no matter what lies between you and your quarry. Regardless where it happens a bad shot is a bad shot. The added adventure of crossing the lake would only be a concern if the weather didn't permit crossing. In which case I wouldn't hunt that spot in bad weather.

QFT. How you get to the start of your tracking is immaterial. The only hesitation I would have is if I felt disinclined to try to recover the animal in the rough country. If you can't walk to the spot on land, are you confident you can adequately track the animal through the same terrain?

If you would take the shot with a flat field between you, then taking the shot off the dock is a no brainer.

 

[Boar Barrel]

330 yards is 330 yards no matter what lies between you and your quarry. Regardless where it happens a bad shot is a bad shot. The added adventure of crossing the lake would only be a concern if the weather didn't permit crossing. In which case I wouldn't hunt that spot in bad weather.

IMO the Grendel might not be the best choice at the range. Might be time to get something with a bit more punch for that shot!

Any excuse for a new rfile is a good one!

Honestly for a shot that far I want a good quick kill which means to me a heavier bullet. The 6.5 is fun to shoot and is very accurate but your right it may not yield results as quick as I would like them so I am personally leaning towards the .308 with a 200gr Nossler Bonded load that has worked out real well at the range at distances more than twice that.

 

[Boar Barrel]

QFT. How you get to the start of your tracking is immaterial. The only hesitation I would have is if I felt disinclined to try to recover the animal in the rough country. If you can't walk to the spot on land, are you confident you can adequately track the animal through the same terrain?

If you would take the shot with a flat field between you, then taking the shot off the dock is a no brainer.

That is a good question. I have tracked kills before going through that rough terrain and overtime the terrain has been what ultimately killed the animal. A mortally wounded deer or hog can't seem to climb the steep mountain sides.
That part of the property is just not easy to access due to there are no public roads to the backside of the property. There is a forest service road that runs around the back and with a GPS you can access it just fine. It is just easier to access it from the front and go in from the lake. My biggest concern was that the time that there are deer in that area it is late in the day and by the time gun season starts it will be maybe an hour before legal shooting time ends. Tracking won't be a problem as I have done that many times before but in truth it will be when the hogs, bear, mountain lions and bobcats come out and I may have to wait to track my kill until the next morning. I am very particular about my kills being swift and humane and not letting an animal suffer. I would have the same thoughts even if I was hunting a flat field.

 

[Plinker147]

I've shot deer and ibex across canyons that have taken me two hours to get across to. This is no different.

Beautiful lake, Oh what a picturesque shot that would be. Practice and do it!!!

 

[RT2506]

I have killed hundreds of white tail deer doing crop damage control over a 15 year period as well as hunting deer for the past 47 years. I am speaking from lots of experience. Forget the 200 gr Accubond out of your 308 if you want a quick kill on a white tail deer. It is too heavily constructed especially with the velocity that a 308 Win will propel it to expand quickly on a deer. Load up a 125 gr Nosler ballistic tip , work up to it, with 46 grs IMR 4895. Depending on barrel length muzzle velocity will be between 3000 and 3100 fps. The 125 BT is a deer hunting bullet not a varmint bullet. Set you zero for 300 yards and shoot the deer in the front shoulder. BANG FLOP no tracking. Done this many times. If you want to use the 6.5 load up a 120 gr Nosler ballistic tip zero at 300 and do the above. BANG FLOP no tracking. Or if you want the excuse to get a new rifle get you a 25-06 and shoot most any 100 to 117 gr bullet and there will be no tracking 99% of the time. Deer killing-est round I have ever pulled the trigger on.

 

[Boar Barrel]

I have killed hundreds of white tail deer doing crop damage control over a 15 year period as well as hunting deer for the past 47 years. I am speaking from lots of experience. Forget the 200 gr Accubond out of your 308 if you want a quick kill on a white tail deer. It is too heavily constructed especially with the velocity that a 308 Win will propel it to expand quickly on a deer. Load up a 125 gr Nosler ballistic tip , work up to it, with 46 grs IMR 4895. Depending on barrel length muzzle velocity will be between 3000 and 3100 fps. The 125 BT is a deer hunting bullet not a varmint bullet. Set you zero for 300 yards and shoot the deer in the front shoulder. BANG FLOP no tracking. Done this many times. If you want to use the 6.5 load up a 120 gr Nosler ballistic tip zero at 300 and do the above. BANG FLOP no tracking. Or if you want the excuse to get a new rifle get you a 25-06 and shoot most any 100 to 117 gr bullet and there will be no tracking 99% of the time. Deer killing-est round I have ever pulled the trigger on.

Well in that case maybe I should give the 6.5 a little more consideration. I have 123gr Hornady SST load that is quite effective at putting a deer down.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

The Grendel does not have enough starting velocity for the 300y shot. shoot the 30cal. The last 308win that we worked with was with our 152g Hammer Hunter right at 3000fps. Zeroed at 300 yards would be a deer wrecker minus the meat damage of conventional bullets.

Steve

 

[Boar Barrel]

Plinker
330 yards is not really what I'd call a LONG SHOT, especially on a DEER! Now if you were talking a Field Mouse or a Hamster then I might tend to agree with your thinking. You stated that you OWN the property, and that you feel confident in ONE of your PRECISION Rifles, and that you've made SHOTS LONGER that THAT in the PAST! Whats the QUESTION then? I really don't understand your pondering shooting this deer. If your the Owner of the Property and you have made shots at this distance and longer; any rifle is capable of killing at 330 yards so the only QUESTION I ask is are you capable of making the shot? If you're a competent shooter dropping a deer at 330 yards is an easy shot in my opinion. TAKE IT and CALL ME when the LOINS are ON THE GRILL! Attached is a photo of what I consider a some what LONG SHOT. I took this Pennsylvania Groundhog 2 1/2 weeks ago at 873 yards with my .308 Sendero. 168 gr. HPBT MatchKing. I've taken a Pennsylvania Groundhog at 1,553 yards with my 6-284 Custom Built. 107 gr. HPBT MatchKing. This HOG was standing up on her mound and I'm a HEADHUNTER, look where the bullet impacted at 873 yards! That's CONFIDENCE!View attachment 81597

Thats a good shot. Especially considering that at that distance you are close to going trans sonic. I guess the biggest worry to me was the possibility that I may not be able to track the animal before the sun goes down. All of you have been right in the fact that if I am confident in my shot and I know I can make that shot the only problem I should have is deciding what seasoning to use on the back strap that night.