What is long range hunting?

[GlennFromVa]

I am new to this forum and need some clarification regarding long range hunting.

Would these events classify as long range hunting?
1. a groundhog at 300 yards?
2. a running coyote at 200 yards?

3. a deer in a Virginia woods at 100 yards?
4. a prairie dog at 400 yards?
5. an elk at 300 yards?


What are the top rated cartridges for long range hunting? I know these will vary based on the target.



Thanks very much, Glenn

 

[FEENIX]

I am new to this forum and need some clarification regarding long range hunting.

Would these events classify as long range hunting?
1. a groundhog at 300 yards?
2. a running coyote at 200 yards?

3. a deer in a Virginia woods at 100 yards?
4. a prairie dog at 400 yards?
5. an elk at 300 yards?


What are the top rated cartridges for long range hunting? I know these will vary based on the target.



Thanks very much, Glenn

Perhaps these polls will help ...

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f44/longest-big-game-kill-rifle-23445/

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f44/your-next-rifle-will-cartridge-38192/

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Opinions will vary...and everything I have to say is based on deer hunting, that is what I do the most of, hopefully elk someday.

My opinion is that none of your listed scenarios are truly long range.

For many popular deer rounds 300 yards is easy, not even requiring holdover or dialing provided they are properly sighted in (250 yd zero).

I think long range starts at around 500 yards...thats too far for holdover shooting, in most cases at least. Past that a good scope that can be dialed or perhaps a holdover reticle of some sort becomes a necessity.

Cartridges....thats a debate that will go on from now on, lol...there are many good ones out there, even some of the old traditional deer rounds, in no certain order:

30-06...good for an easy 600 yards, more in certain setups.
280 Rem....excellent 600 yard round.
270 Win...another good 600 yard round with 140 grain bullets.
308 Win....easy 600 yard round.
7mm-08....a sleeper, **** good 600 yard round if you have a 24" barrel.
7x57 Mauser....same as 7mm-08.

Then theres the magnum rounds, any of these are solid 800 yard rounds, or more:
7mm Rem Mag
300 Win Mag
7mm WSM
300 WSM

The list goes on...I know I left out someones favorite...I didn't intend to write out an all inclusive list, just some basic examples.

I use a 280 Ackley Improved myself and am limited to 800 yards because that is as far as my chosen bullet (160 Accubond) has enough velocity to reliably expand (1,800 fps)...

 

[Swamplord]

Some folks will have a different opinion and either less or a lot more experience , but this is the way I see it ......

Short to usual range ...... Typical hunting scenarios that utilize PBR (Point Blank Range) where you sight in your reticle at a predermined height at 100 yards to where it impacts on target inside the kill zone at a known and verified distance that does not require holdover or dialed in corrections for drop and wind, this can be easily accomplished with standard riflescopes with a simple cross reticle and cartridges matched to the game you are hunting, PBR out to 400 yards can be established for most factory produced big game cartridges with a common sense approach to cartridge and bullet selection, some bigger magnums can stretch the PBR out further and the handloader has an advantage by way of higher bc bullets and suitable powders to scrape up the highest possible velocity coupled with extreme accuracy

Once you get into where you need to start dialing in your shots with specialized turret scopes for impact at yardages that exceed your rifle/cartridges PBR then you will encounter long range shooting ! Every cartridge and shooter has limitations and the minimum yardage will vary, some shooters are capable of 1000 yard shots with a 308 Win and some would be hard pressed to put 3 rounds into the kill zone at 500 yards

Depending on the equipment and shooter, long range hunting can start at 500-600 yards and out to 1000 yards ,
From 1000 yards to a mile it gets a bit more complicated and most consider it ELR

This may not apply to hunting but past the 1 mile mark can only be described as Far, Far Away !
(FFA ?)

 

[EricL]

For me its anything that I cant just gestimate and get close enough to do the trick. By that I would mean I really cant just put a yardage number on it. A groundhog at 300 with a .22lr is long range in my books. A groundhog at 300 with a 22-284 zeroed at 250? Not so much. A white tail at 100 with a 308? Nope. A white tail at 100 with a long bow? Real long rang! I think you get my drift.

 

[Bbear]

I think Swamplord has described it quite well. Coupling that with the caliber descriptions that Ridgerunner had in his post give you a pretty good description.
The game/distance comments in the OP's post could be termed 'long range' depending on caliber and conditions.
Example:
a groundhog at 300 yards - with a 338 Lapua or a 22 short?

 

[1100 Remington Man]

To me any big game amimal 800 yds Max why time of flight of the bullet. I don't know how to predict when any game amimal will take another step, you. could of ranged it correctly gotten into a solid rest and made the perfect shot, then the time the bullet left the barrel till it arrived on target the Monster Buck took a step and now you have a gut shot deer that slips back into the timber and is lost. This is why 800 yds is max for me, your ethics are yours not mine. I know some here shoot farther and that's fine because it is for each individual to decide what is right for them.
My self longest shot to date little over 500 yds on a antelope.
Longest shot on running Coyote just under 400 yds, unlucky coyote.
Now for shooting at Varmints my range is unlimited as far as I can hit them.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I think what is long range to one person may not be long range to the next. I don't think you can put a number on it. If 300y is long range to you, regardless of the equipment you are using, then I believe it is long range. I've been shooting what I consider long range to 10 years now. Prior to that I considered 300y yards to be a really long shot. Any more 600y feels like a chip shot. I still say that 300y is a long ways. It hasn't gotten closer over the years, just easier for me to do.

So in other words....you have the right to determine what long range is, and it is not for anyone else to decide for you.

Steve

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

I think what is long range to one person may not be long range to the next. I don't think you can put a number on it. If 300y is long range to you, regardless of the equipment you are using, then I believe it is long range. I've been shooting what I consider long range to 10 years now. Prior to that I considered 300y yards to be a really long shot. Any more 600y feels like a chip shot. I still say that 300y is a long ways. It hasn't gotten closer over the years, just easier for me to do.

So in other words....you have the right to determine what long range is, and it is not for anyone else to decide for you.

Steve

I 100% agree with RockyMtnMt.... it's all about what you feel comfortable with, the equipment you have (& it's capability), and the environment you are shooting in. There are some days when visibility is good and the wind is consistent or nonexistent, that I would shoot a particular rifle out to 800 yards and be extremely confident about it. Then... on a day when the wind is shifting, inconsistent, or there is fog, snow, or rain, with the same equipment, I might only feel that 500 yards is good. It's just getting to know you and your equipment's limitations... and then shooting within your comfort zone.

My son and I took out a new rifle this last weekend to test out... and though it was my first bit of trigger time with it... I am confident that on a good day... it's a 1000 yard gun with the bullet combination we were using. We even just tossed on an AR scope and didn't have proper cheek to butt placement. We've decided to put it to the test next time we get out in the field.... but that's provided the wind and weather cooperate...

Here's us this weekend shooting it out to 500 yards and I was using Kentucky windage. Easy to shoot well....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g-jSDBTw4A

Just get some trigger time in.... and you'll determine what is long range for you buddy! Keep shooting!!