What is your average hunting shot distance?

What is your average hunting shot and personal limit?

  • 0-100

    Votes: 34 11.8%
  • Sub-300

    Votes: 115 40.1%
  • Sub-500

    Votes: 81 28.2%
  • 500 plus average

    Votes: 16 5.6%
  • 0-200 limit

    Votes: 3 1.0%
  • 200-300 limit

    Votes: 13 4.5%
  • 300-400 limit

    Votes: 35 12.2%
  • 400-600 limit

    Votes: 72 25.1%
  • 600-800 limit

    Votes: 44 15.3%
  • 800+ limit

    Votes: 29 10.1%

  • Total voters
    287

FrogFire7

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 23, 2017
Messages
1,464
Location
Bradford County, Pennsylvania
Just something I thought about the other day. I know this is a long range hunting forum, but honestly here in NE PA, I rarely take a shot over 250, often because we don't get a lot of places where we can see super far, or of we can see very far, it's onto another parcel of land we don't have permission to hunt. Additionally, I'm not proficient enough to feel comfortable taking a shot at anything other than groundhogs at ranges past maybe 500 yards. Maybe 600 if conditions are perfect.

I have been scrolling here a lot lately, and I've been seeing a lot of posts with pictures from this year hunting, often with captions like "28 Nosler, 85 yards". Which is fine, I personally don't like to be under gunned and don't like to be limited by range ☺️

So, just for fun, what is the average distance you get shots on game?

While we are at it, what's your personal limit on taking a shot at a big game animal? Feel free to answer either or neither 🙂
 
I averaged the shot distances the last few years on all big game, came to 503yards. Limits are situational, but I'll shoot as far as my gun is capable. Feenix has a good rule of thumb, 1100ft/lbs for deer, 1500ft/lbs, I've found these good numbers to follow for long range. When I've shot past them, performance was disappointing.
 
Yeah, questions like this are always hard to answer in a poll. I agree that often limit is a bit situational. I guess I am answering my limit as if the conditions were perfect. I appreciate the input! So far, the answers coming in are pretty much what I expected. But super interesting to me none the less 🙂. Any input is welcome!!!
 
Yeah, somewhat the same here. Typically ambush (sit) in the mornings, often over looking field or on a travel area in woods. Woods shots are obviously close. Field shot distances are often limited either by topography (lots of rolling hills and draws here), or else property lines.
 
On my deer lease you would be hard-pressed to shoot as far as 100 yards due to brush and trees.
On my hunt to South Africa, 3 animals taken were over 400 yards. Situations (lack of cover, alerted game, etc) dictated taking those shots. I had to use shooting sticks for all of my shots which was a new experience.
 
For varmints it's a Buzz Lightyear "to infinity and beyond" thing for me.

Big game 600 yards under ideal conditions.

I would hesitate to give a big game average, but it's short. No matter how I set up for a long range shot, the critter steps out in front of me. Multiple at less than 30 yards. One deer close enough to get splatter on my hat.
 
Just something I thought about the other day. I know this is a long range hunting forum, but honestly here in NE PA, I rarely take a shot over 250, often because we don't get a lot of places where we can see super far, or of we can see very far, it's onto another parcel of land we don't have permission to hunt. Additionally, I'm not proficient enough to feel comfortable taking a shot at anything other than groundhogs at ranges past maybe 500 yards. Maybe 600 if conditions are perfect.

I have been scrolling here a lot lately, and I've been seeing a lot of posts with pictures from this year hunting, often with captions like "28 Nosler, 85 yards". Which is fine, I personally don't like to be under gunned and don't like to be limited by range ☺️

So, just for fun, what is the average distance you get shots on game?

While we are at it, what's your personal limit on taking a shot at a big game animal? Feel free to answer either or neither 🙂
Well first off you need to visit other areas of your own state if your interested in longer range possibilities. Take a weekend trip sometime to go where the Elk are and look around.
That would be just a small part of the best long range area in the state.
As for distance, that more than anything is controlled by the wether conditions, and how far you can clearly see.
In Pa. as a rule during the short rifle season the conditions arent very favorable for the very long shots because youve got to find them first, then you have to confirm the number of points. And even with the very best binoculars thats not always easy to do.
So even though there are places where 1 mile or longer shots can be made, as a rule nobody will be hunting at those type places. And the ones that are are usually just posing for pictures. lol
In about 50 years our camp average is 6 to 800 yds.
Longest is a tad over 1600 on a rare day, and not by me.
In all those years i only know 1 man whose word id trust, to have killed a (buck) at 1 mile in Pa.
No doubt some ( flock shooters) have killed does that far as well.
 
Last edited:
Well first off you need to visit other areas of your own state if your interested in longer range possibilities. Take a weekend trip sometime to go where the Elk are and look around.
That would be just a small part of the best long range area in the state.
As for distance, that more than anything is controlled by the wether conditions, and how far you can clearly see.
In Pa. as a rule during the short rifle season the conditions arent very favorable for the very long shots because youve got to find them first, then you have to confirm the number of points. And even with the very best binoculars thats not always easy to do.
So even though there are places where 1 mile or longer shots can be made, as a rule nobody will be hunting at those type places. And the ones that are are usually just posing for pictures. lol
In about 50 years our camp average is 6 to 800 yds.
Longest is a tad over 1600 on a rare day, and not by me.
In all those years i only know 1 man whose word id trust, to have killed a (buck) at 1 mile in Pa.
No doubt some ( flock shooters) have killed does that far as well.
I never said it's impossible in PA. I have game lands a couple miles from my house where you could, if the deer were in the right spots, easily shoot half a mile, if not closer to a mile. However, I stated my typical hunt style and self limited range, so even though I hunt those game lands areas, when I'm there I'm geared to traveling light, with a lightweight rifle that's capable of the ranges I would get a shot.
 
My average shot seems to fall in between 450-550yds. I think its just a function of the size of the average canyons i hunt. I set no limits as long as its a shot i practice and feel confident I can make it with the conditions a the time I will let her rip.
 
Really terrain dependent. On my personal hunting property there is only one location it is physically possible to shoot over 100 yards, with a max shot of about 200. Typical distances are 30-70 yards.

Hunting out West my average would be around 400 yards. I've shot antelope at 25 and elk at 730 but a ton of 300-400 yard shots.
 
I hunt mostly archery these days. I put 0-100 because of that. I also put 800+ because I've I have done that with a rifle on multitudes of occasions and feel comfortable doing so as long as the bullet/cartridge combo is correct for the situation. So, in other words, if I have a .308 with me, I obviously don't intend to make a 800y + shot.

Besides it being easier to get certain tags, a big reason I hunt archery IS because I find more sport and feeling of accomplishment in it. Me myself personally.
 
Top