Shooting How Far?

[jlw1974]

I have had the opportunity to hunt in Wyoming where the ranges can extend well beyond 2000+ yards. While I can practice out to that distance in a controlled situation I dare try to shoot game that far when hunting. Simply because while out in the field I have to hike in, shoot from awkward positions, with winds going anywhere between 10-35 MPH AND drag out the carcass, or processing them afield and making several trips back to the vehicle. I want the shot to count without injuring the game causing me to spend more time tracking a wounded game down with the possibility of never finding it, or worse, finding it and haveing to pay a trespass fee to retrieve it, if that is even allowed.

In hunt areas where I can see 1200+ yards, I find it much more challenging (and rewarding) to find the animal and stalking it till I can get within 350-400 yards, my comfortable max-range for a humane kill on midsize to large game. This stalking can take hours but that's part of the enjoyment.

Know your gun, capabilities and limits. If the shot doesn't 'feel' right, then don't chance it and take actions to mitigate for a better shot.

 

[teesquare]

Bro, their is a guy on here who shot a squirrel at 1,300 yards with a .300 RUM.

Yeah...but...there was no evidence left to prove it....

 

[BASE424]

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.

I'm a 5th year hunter in western Colorado. Been shooting and reloading for long distance for 7 years. I'm 47, in shape, willing and able to do the work. I guess what I'm getting after is I'm looking for a mentor to show me some of the finer points of elk hunting in the area. I moved to Pagosa Springs some time ago with the sole purpose of learning to hunt big game as my food source. I've had success and failures, looking to boost success numbers. Thanks for your time.
Blake

 

[BLK]

Something I have not seen a lot of discussion about on this posting: DIRECTION of the wind means a lot as to whether or not you choose to shoot at a long range animal. I hunt the power line at my property and an 800 shot is ok even on a windy day. The wind basically blows right up the power line into my face on most days I hunt. A tail or head wind does not affect a bullet path very much at all. Check the ballistics tables. I have had all clean "drop em in their tracks" kills out to six hundred but never had a shot at 800 yards. Would love the opportunity. 7MM Rem Mag. Sierra hollow point boat tail 160 grains. Winchester Model 70 stainless with an adjustable boss. Love the rifle and the boss. I will probably wound an animal some day but hope not. If you hunt long enough you will probably wound one. Like driving: If you drive long enough you will probably have an accident but hope it is not serious.

 

[skipglo]

I'm sure there are yahoos out there that don't know what they're doing and still try for long shots. That's a vital source of wounded and lost animals. If I wanted to take a shot at a coastal blacktail deer (we have these where I live and they're tiny) at 1000yrds, I just wouldn't. Not enough area to be confident in a good first round hit regardless of conditions. If it was an elk size animal, still no way unless I've got .338Lap level power on tap. I'm 100% certain I could get my first bullet inside the lower side of the chest cavity of an elk size animal at 1000yrds and that it'd die soon. I just would need to know that it'd die REALLY soon.

I know a lot of people that hunt at long range and never shoot animals at long distances. They usually find their critter under 200yrds away. They're hopeful optimists. I know a lot of people that go out with a .30-30 and angle for short and medium range shots. They're realists. My own experience is mostly of looking for ungulates 100-400 yards away and ending up within literal spitting distance to the animal and needing to either point-shoot it or let it wander a little farther off so I can see the whole thing in my scope and make a decent shot.

Honesty is a really great policy!

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

I'm a new guy here too and I'm hopefully going to try and get into this long rang stuff. The farthest I've ever taken an animal was a mulie buck at 437 yards with my Rem 700 in 270 Win. Using that same rifle I've taken a few deer and antelope in the 300 - 350 yard range.
I just acquired a Model 70 in 270 WSM that I've yet to shoot. I have several loads ready to take it out and see what its favorite is. She is sporting a Leupold 4.5 - 16X for starters until I see how she shoots. I also just picked up a Leupold 1600i TBR DNA rangefinder. I have plenty of places to practice here in the strip mines of NEPA. I doubt if I will extend my shooting beyond 600 yards but I may just get the bug and go all out. If I can shoot accurately out to 800 yards the mountains at our camp in NCPA offer plenty of opportunity to take a shot at game should I get proficient enough.

 

[skipglo]

I'm a new guy here too and I'm hopefully going to try and get into this long rang stuff. The farthest I've ever taken an animal was a mulie buck at 437 yards with my Rem 700 in 270 Win. Using that same rifle I've taken a few deer and antelope in the 300 - 350 yard range.
I just acquired a Model 70 in 270 WSM that I've yet to shoot. I have several loads ready to take it out and see what its favorite is. She is sporting a Leupold 4.5 - 16X for starters until I see how she shoots. I also just picked up a Leupold 1600i TBR DNA rangefinder. I have plenty of places to practice here in the strip mines of NEPA. I doubt if I will extend my shooting beyond 600 yards but I may just get the bug and go all out. If I can shoot accurately out to 800 yards the mountains at our camp in NCPA offer plenty of opportunity to take a shot at game should I get proficient enough.

It's a long journey...in the beginning it can be darned frustrating trying to see which bullet, powder your gun likes best...but darned rewarding when you hit your next yardage marker on the way out... good luck and enjoy!

 

[Just an Old Cowboy]

honestly

 

[bigngreen]

Animal movement seems to be a common issue or concern on the forum over the last couple years, I think this has become more of an issue the less experience there is on the forum because it was never an issue years ago when the knowledge was a little deeper. Seems to be going hand and hand with the theme of only real hunters get close all others are just shooters baloney!
The reality is IF you really hunt and by hunt I mean study game from foot just slipping into their daily routine and learning about them recognizing the shot when you see it is not hard, I have never seen an animal move when shooting at long range, beyond 1000 yards recognizing the shot is critical though and equally important is being capable of letting a LOT of game walk, personally I believe REAL hunters have the ability to learn as much from not taking the shot as taking it.

 

[Bravo 4]

Animal movement seems to be a common issue or concern on the forum over the last couple years, I think this has become more of an issue the less experience there is on the forum because it was never an issue years ago when the knowledge was a little deeper. Seems to be going hand and hand with the theme of only real hunters get close all others are just shooters baloney!
The reality is IF you really hunt and by hunt I mean study game from foot just slipping into their daily routine and learning about them recognizing the shot when you see it is not hard, I have never seen an animal move when shooting at long range, beyond 1000 yards recognizing the shot is critical though and equally important is being capable of letting a LOT of game walk, personally I believe REAL hunters have the ability to learn as much from not taking the shot as taking it.

Love this post!!!
After going from sea level to 9,000 feet asl and over a week of hiking through some restrictive terrain and only seeing one elk, I want to be able to take that one animal at about any range I deem myself and equipment capable. It has been from under 100 to past 1,000 and I have passed on several that were in between but not a high successful shot (and ate $1,200 tag soup over it). Tell me I'm not hunting! Or better yet meet up and go with me, you would shut your mouth after one morning. I practice year round and fortunately have a job that pays me to shoot (and teach) long range.
As for people saying animals move between shot and impact...if that's such a huge problem, then you have a problem with bow hunting (at least the whitetail where I live). I've had several jump the string, even at less than 20 yards.
I do notice that folks are real opinionated about things they are ignorant of...

 

[Bigdog425]

Granted this site is for long range hunting, for me the answer to the question of how far is too far is "when I cannot get closer".
Long range hunting is not long range shooting, it's about the animal not the person behind the trigger. A large part of hunting is about finding and getting close to animals through knowledge, ability and experience. IMHO long range shooting of a game animal should be done out of need not from laziness, lack of hunting ability or most certainly not out of pride/competition for long shots.
Another way to get insight into the question would be to ask "how far is it OK to back up from a good shooting opportunity and/or how far should a hunter let an animal walk away from a good shot opportunity before shooting"? Any acceptable answers above zero yards?
My summary: get as close as you can and practice enough with good equipment under realistic shooting conditions (not off a bench) to make an ethical long shot if/when needed.
** comments for game animals not prarie dogs.

 

[Litehiker]

Brad,
Your experience with long range shooting under field conditions is what counts. I have no problem with someone sith your experience taking that long elk shot under favorable conditions with a cartridge and rifle that can do the job.

What bothers me is that someone who has not shot much, if at all, beyond 200 yards will think that his or her Kestrel/Applied Ballistics weather station & calculator information and a good scope will be all they need to make an ethical long shot on big game.
IT TAKES FIELD EXPERIENCE to make ethical long shots. That "field" can be PRS or other long range competition as well as varmint and big game hunting. But it all goes into getting to know your rifle and cartridge well under varying conditions.

Eric B.
Henderson, NV

 

[bigngreen]

A huge part of my hunting is to hunt in a manner that does not impact the game just being game, if by working in closer than I need just to act like the range has any relevance and I push game out of the country that's a HUGE fail.
I like taking the time and watching elk move, knowing when the water and what trails they use to hit certain openings then taking that knowledge and putting myself into the strongest position for the best shot on an animal that has ZERO clue I'm there. I have had many perfect hunts when I sent one round and roll an elk and the rest of the herd just feed of not breaking their pattern and we slip in and recover. The next day they are back to being elk, I've killed elk feeding around the gutt pile of other elk we've taken we try to make that little of an impact. I liken it to having to hunt with the skill of a Mountain Lion vs hunting like a pack of wolves.
Anyone who thinks taking game especially elk at long range is lazy obviously haven't hauled elk from long range, committing to pulling the trigger on an elk at range is a commitment to more work not less!

 

[Bret White]

These hunt forums bring to my remembrance the same arguments that were made in respect to bow versus rifle hunting 30 plus yeas ago. As to the effectiveness of archery equipment compared to rifle.Seems as it boils down to being effective thru practice with what ever means you prefer knowing in this game there is little certainty so you practice as much as possible and become proficient as possible.The guys or gals flinging shots out there beyond their ability are the same individuals that only picked up their bow a few times a year and they will always be out there.