How far can you connect?

My rule of thumb is I will take a long shot but only in two platforms either sitting with gun attached to my RRS tripod or prone on my bipod. I consider anything 800 and out as long range. The areas I hunt in the Rockies do not allow for anything much closer than 600 yds. Not much cover.

My longest shot on a game animal is 659 yards. It was a mule deer buck, standing broadside, that had no idea I was even in the country. I had plenty of time to set up my bipod. Get a jacket under the back of my stock for a rest. I ranged him three consecutive times dialed my scope and squeezed the trigger. Pinwheeled him, he literally took one step and dropped. Killed an Antelope last year as well at 547 yards, one shot and he dropped, never kicked. Same scenario, he never even knew I was there. Its not that hard to connect long range if you have the right equipment and practice alot. Take the time to set up correctly and make the shot. If you have to rush it ,forget it. That's my advice. If you haven't missed you haven't shot at enough animals.

Longest shot I've ever attempted was 183 yards (paced) and it dropped where I shot it, but it was purely luck. I hit higher than I intended and hit the spine.

Last year I took a ~75 yard shot and found one single spot of blood. I searched the area for two days and I swear I could smell that deer, but never found him. That experience is what has induced me to re-double my efforts to become a better shooter.

I can think of at least two deer that I missed at less than 50 yards. For some reason, both just kept walking and gave me second shots, which I capitalized on in both cases.

Alex Wheeler said:

The question you have to ask yourself, how far would you bet your rifle on? Meaning a cold bore hit on a 10" plate or you loose your rifle. How far would you make that bet with someone? I would bet many will take a shot on live game much farther than the distance they would bet their rifle on.

Click to expand...

probably one of the best sayings I've ever heard. I bet most long range shooters wouldn't take that bet past 750. A lot of variables to consider. I'll use that paragraph on someone sooner than later.

5gauss said:

Wounding a game animal is why I try to get as close as possible, or pass on the shot which I have done several times. An animal crawling off to die leaves a very bad taste in my mouth....very bad. 350 for Big 6x7 Mule Deer longest. (custom .257 wthby 110 Accubond one shot dead in tracks..Missed Coyote at 8 feet with 22.250 heavy barrel Remington tack driver(he was flying literally), Where I often hunt the longest shots are maybe 125 yards with the occasional 450yd possibility.

Click to expand...

While I understand, the deer in question from 38 years ago was not wounded by the cutting of his chest hair and splinters to his body, and the same deer was killed later that season. Also, in my youth and with "target fixation", I never noticed the sizable limb several feet in front of the game, and in fairly obvious Southern swamp undergrowth, I should have.

As for distance and while I have hunted in many locales, I live in the great West where many shots can reach to the horizon. MANY areas and game do not present themselves with short or midrange (SR-MR) opportunities, and in some cases, attempts to close the distance will only result in losing the game to flight or take hours to cross canyons or climb very steep terrains allowing the game to travel some distance out-of-sight.

Game animals can and are wounded far more at shorter ranges than by trained and competent LR shooters who understand their and their equipment's abilities. For many years, I lived back East, and I saw and heard many failed hunting adventures that resulted in missed, wounded and slow deaths to game.

Like most things in life, everyone has different abilities, training, skill sets and confidence. YMMV

Longest shot attempted on an elk 404 yards, connected with a double lung. I always say I'm limited to 600 yards on big game but because of where I used to hunt shots tended to be either 1 mile which ain't happening, or 3-400 yards just due to the way the topography works there.

Here's my take-I am a hunter, not a shooter. A wounded confirmed target at 404 can be a good thing....a wounded animal is not an option. There are too many variables at play in the field that can ultimately effect the lethal POI on game. Field accuracy is a world away from sitting at a bench and ringing a 12" gong at 400. I believe the biggest variable is the shooter and their ego. Most all of my game has been taken well within 100 yards, even though they were spotted hundreds of yards away. I'm sure this will rile the experts here but that's fine. Just my humble .02.

With my Longbow out to about 27 yds on a good day, Rifle on Deer I limit to 400 yds or less; varmint/critters I will try longer.

pig ranch deadeye,

For several days I have been looking at this thread. Finally I decided to participate. Longest varmint kill was on a rockchuck feeding directly away. Centerpunched the rump at 527 yards. Got a pronghorn at 420 yards broadside by aiming at the jaw. The wind was terrible to me. Missed the first long range deer I shot at. I guessed at 500 yards. After a couple tries I gave up not knowing where the bullet was hitting. I searched for quite awhile for blood or hair but nothing. It was feeding and eventually finished and walked away. I killed a jackrabbit with my .454 at 206 long steps. I aimed about a full jack rabbit high and centerpunched it. I did miss a jackrabbit at five or six steps when it walked up to the camp one time. I guess I had buck fever pretty bad.