At what distance do you decide your shooting position while hunting?

Slaymoar

Slaymoar

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I have been getting into shooting techniques and reaching about 25 yards with an 8 inch spread - standing/offhand. I am practicing to try and reach a 50 yard 8 inch spread which would be awesome.

However, at this moment, I use;

Freehand: 25 yards for minute of deer vitals (5-10 yards for grouse headshot)
Braced kneeling or sitting: 50 yards with a tight sling and an elbow(s) on the knee(s)
Improvised rest: 50-100 yards: find a branch or obstable to rest my rifle on
Prone: 100 yards unrealistic without a relaxed and calculated shot with breathing - which would be minute of deer
Prone with bipod/rest: 100-300+ yards - however, without 300+ yard gear/setup I find it quite the stretch.

My absolute game limit would be 300 yards given perfect conditions and (unlikely) vantage point.. But ethically I think 200 yards is realistic, humane and attainable for me - from prone + bipod.

However, I have the feeling that most of my hunting will never exceed 100 yards.. My only shots have been within 75 yards - which seemed a lot further than 75 at the time lol..

Side note: Is 100 yards freehand an attainable / realistic minute of deer goal?
 
Regardless of distance I always use the most steady position that is practical. My rule of thumb when planning at shot is:

1st choice: Prone off bipod
2nd choice: sitting with bipod or other rest
3rd: Sitting without rest
4th Standing with rest
5th Standing off hand

I go through that checklist on every stalk or when I see an animal and I'm always planning what my best shooting option is and seeing if I can improve my position with a slight move..
 
Firstly I'm glad to see you trying out different shooting positions and not deciding that since you can hit a clay pidgeon sandbagged off the bench at 200 yards under ideal conditions, you can do the same thing in the rain, at dusk, from an improvised firing position on a deer quartering away from you at walking speed.

Personally, I can keep shots in about 6" at 100 yards, from a free standing position, which is my "last resort" firing posiion. So, for me around 100 yards is as far as I'll shoot big game standing. This is perfectly reasonable "minute of deer".
 
tactical870 said:
Yes. I practice with irons at 100 on an 8" steel gong. Pop cans at 100 are fun too. :) Trigger time and lots of ammo, coupled with a gun that balances, fits you and is accurate will get you where you need to be.
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And this is where a set trigger - or at the very least a good trigger - can be a big help.
 
Practice makes Perfect....But some shooters just don't have THE GIFT . My wife is an excellent freehand shot, and shoots very little, except hunting. One day I asked her how she held the crosshairs so still. She said " just put it in the sweet spot and pull the trigger" I shoot thousands of rounds a year, and straight offhand, she can beat me with MY rifle.... All Golfers, hockey players, and shooters are NOT made equal.
 
My method is simple: if I can get closer, get closer. If I can get steadier, get steadier. I'd happily take a 25y prone shot if I could make it work.

I'm currently learning to properly use a sling as a shooting aid, to make all shots steadier.
 
Silverado said:
My method is simple: if I can get closer, get closer. If I can get steadier, get steadier. I'd happily take a 25y prone shot if I could make it work.

I'm currently learning to properly use a sling as a shooting aid, to make all shots steadier.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing. I use any available lean or rest no matter the range. The buck I shot on opening day was a rested 60 yard shot, but my bullet placement was exact.
 
OP, if you really want to hone your offhand skills join a club that shoots rimfire and high power sillhouette. The most humbling experience in the world for those who think they are outstanding off hand shots, is to step up to a silhouette line for the first time. It is a great sport and has real world value. I never got real good at it but it did improve my offhand shooting about 500% over 4 or 5 years.
Like most others here I take any rest, anytime I can get it and only shoot offhand as a last resort, and usually only at running game. Sheep and goats are the only animals that I can say I have almost always been able to use the prone position, most other hunting precludes the prone position. I have most often used a sitting position and find it used to be as good as prone, however since my chest has sagged to my midriff it is no longer possible. I found kneeling to be only moderately more stable than offhand, but still better none the less. I personally cannot shoot off sticks and absolutely hate them, in fact I grabbed them from my PH in Zambia and flung them in the bush. He finally stopped poking them in front of me, in my way, after that.
A lot depends on your physical make up and what you find the most comfortable and stable, and almost any rest (barring shooting sticks) is better than unsupported offhand. I really like trees to lean on with my off hand and then set the forend in the crook of thumb and forefinger. Try them all and decide what works for you and then learn to be adaptable in the bush and use that which is at your disposal to steady your shot. And finally, practice, practice, practice........................................
 
Entirely situational. It depends where I am, how high the grass is, whether or not a rest is available, etc.. I like to shoot from a sitting position with the knees up or kneeling if there's no rest around. Prone isn't that great if there's any low growth or the land is rolling. And I practice to hit the 10" gong at 200 yards offhand, any type of rest or shooting position is preferred to that though.
 
I don't get much time to think about it. Woods are thick here and most shots are under 100 yds and spotting game to game running away is usually over in under 5 seconds. I will use whatever rest is available to me. If I am sitting I will rest the rifle on my knee. My stands have a rail but one came up behind me 2 weeks ago so i had to make a freehand shot over my left side. (5 second rule!)
 
Regardless of distance...

1) Get Prone
2) If you can't get prone, sit
3) If you can't sit, kneel
4) If you can't need, shoot offhand, preferably with a fence post/tree etc to brace off.

I've made offhand shots on game from 30 yards to 300 yards and gone prone on shots out to over 400 yards. It's not about the distance so much as the time frame. Longer distance generally allows you the time to get into a braced position but sometimes the terrain doesn't allow it. As stated above, practice is crucial. I used to shoot a lot of metallic silhouette which is all offhand so I'm not as intimidated by it as some people are. But given the chance I'll get down into a more steady position. I love sitting off cross-sticks or prone off a pack. Really it's the smartest way to go.
 
I like the" if you can get steadier, do it" approach. That has lways worked for me. Of the 30 or so big game animals I've shot u can think of 2 that were off hand. And 2 that were off a bipod.

I hate bipods for hunting! They're heavy and noisy and I just don't like them. What I always do is carry a backpack I can slip off quick and use as a rest.

The longest off hand shot was about 125 and the shortest about 20 yards.

I do practice offhand at 100 and 200 yards every time I'm out though. The 100 yard gong is about 6" at my range and I can hit it pretty much every time. At 200 I can keep them in about a foot.

But all that said. If I don't have to shoot offhand I don't.
 
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