Range to shoot a deer

What is YOUR maximum comfortable distance to (standing, unsupported) shoot a deer?

  • 75 yards

    Votes: 19 7.4%

  • 100 yards

    Votes: 59 22.9%

  • 125 yards

    Votes: 19 7.4%

  • 150 yards

    Votes: 47 18.2%

  • 175 yards

    Votes: 10 3.9%

  • 200 yards

    Votes: 53 20.5%

  • 225 yards

    Votes: 7 2.7%

  • 250 yards

    Votes: 10 3.9%

  • 300 yards

    Votes: 21 8.1%

  • 350 yards or greater

    Votes: 13 5.0%
  • Total voters
    258
Silverback said:
There are not many people who can hit a target the size of a deer's vitals at 350 yards or greater standing/unsupported with any regularity and I doubt that the people who voted there could. To test yourself put up a 10" paperplate at a measured 350 yards and see if you can hit it even once out of a box of ammo. Bet you can't.:rolleyes:
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Your right, and had I read the whole thing before I clicked on the 350 plus option I would have chose the 200 range. My bad, I should have read more.
 
Strange things can happen when the animal is in sight and your heart starts pumping.
I have heard many times from people about how far they can kill fare away animals, yet I have never seen these same people able to prove their accuracy at the range.

I am an accomplished shot , and compete at long range competions and rifle rodeos during the summer, practicing out past 1K.
HOWEVER, when hunting, I try to take every advantage I can when shooting an animal.
Close is good, if conditions are right, farther might be possible, but I try to get them close if I can.
That is, unless I have a long range rig with me, range finder, etc.
cat
 
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joe-nwt said:
Nope. As posted, 250yrds under idea conditions.
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Since I have done a fair bit of off hand shooting I chose 100 yards, I do shoot at a gong at 200 yards on our range and on a good day can hit it fairly regularly but on a bad day forget it. So 100 yards plus it is sitting, knealing or even better some sort of rest for me.:)
 
I'll feel comfortable with a standing shot to around 100m in typical hunting conditions, but if given the chance I'll take a knee, prone, tree, etc. If I'm setting up to ambush and the distance may exceed 100m, I'll cut a "Y" stick for a standing supported shot.
 
will almost never take a standing, unsupported shot if i dont have to. voted 100yrds. standing leaning against a tree is more then enough support for a longer poke.
 
LOL i live in Ontario most shots i get on deer are within 50-75 yards and thats stretching it LOL hell i was walking a trail doing some scouting and stumbled across a doe munching 20ft off my right shoulder
 
i'm happy to see no one posted and wild hail mary shots that resulted in wounded animals.

i practice shooting at a 6" steel plate at 300 yards with a rest i hit most of the time (9/10). usually the first shot is a miss if its windy. i feel confident shooting 100 yards standing and would guatintee a vital hit to 350 resting. but i hunt mostly out of tree stands so rarly shoot past 100.

my farthest shot was 430 meters first shot DRT. my closest was 3. 15 year average is 50 meters.
 
Shooting at big game in the heat of the moment and shooting at paper are two different things altogether. Practice makes perfect (know your rifle). If you are like me, when you see that big buck your adreline kicks in and you are reduced to a quivering bag of nerves. Find a fence post, over the hood of the truck, a tree, or if you must, in the sitting position in the mud. you will thank yourself later, after you have missed or wounded a few.
 
I actually voted 350+ but after having read the question :redface: I would change that to about 200. I practice a lot of long distance shooting(prone, bench, sitting, standing) and will always use a rest if available in the field, if fact I more often than not would pass up a shot if I can't get my bipods down or something to shoot from. I would rather see the animal escape rather than run the risk of wounding it.

Ivo
 
Silverback said:
There are not many people who can hit a target the size of a deer's vitals at 350 yards or greater standing/unsupported with any regularity and I doubt that the people who voted there could. To test yourself put up a 10" paperplate at a measured 350 yards and see if you can hit it even once out of a box of ammo. Bet you can't.:rolleyes:
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I voted 100 yds. also. The only thing I shoot at unsupported is gophers, 'cause once hit, my job is done. I wouldn't bet against Silverback's response either.
 
It all depends on the cartridge/rifle combination, but due to common conditions, landscape in my area, and my fav' rifle type I said 100 yards. :)
 
CanadianPackRat said:
I wondered at what range most shooters feel is their comfortable maximum range for accurately shooting a deer in open territory. To clarify I’m interested to know when shooting standing, off the shoulder, not bench rest shooting.
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I voted 200 as my comfortable maximum range but would only shoot freehand at a deer if no other option was available and end of season was on the doorstep. I've passed shots less than that with a rest when things aren't right; rarely shoot at anything but paper beyond 200(other than coyotes).

To those that voted farther, I envy your range time:rockOn:
 
I personally voted 175 yards... I shoot slugs mostly and prefer a rest if I can find one!
I see lots of shooters on my own range during the fall sighting in for the deer season. Hundreds in the last few years if the truth be known. Very few of them will even shoot their rifle or shotgun off-hand and stick to a few rounds from the bench only. :rolleyes:
Invariably some will brag about a long range shot they made, or their shooting ability in general. I am sure many of you have heard this bravado before!:bangHead:
Often I will revert to my Gunnutz Personality with these guys and issue them a challenge.
The Steel Boar Silhouette is at 200 yards the vitals are clearly marked to the naked eye. I slap a twenty on bench, sometimes a pink or brown one if I smell a sucker and say "Match It and hit that Pig in the vitals off hand, I'll give you three shots!";)
I have only had to pay up three times in 15 years, most miss the Pig completely.:cool:
Guys that can shoot well off hand are few and far between... except on the inter-web.:popCorn:
 
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