800 yards deer hunting less work the better

[jpfrog]

Xbox or PlayStation make what you might need...load up on a disc called "Big Game Hunter" and get er done.

Or...do as others have suggested and spend some serious practice time at the range.

 

[skyler1101]

thank you all for the opinions and yes i have a leupold range finder as far as the shot i waited six years for the tag and it was the last weekend i understand it wasnt the best idea but it was something i felt i had to try

 

[NDF]

Keep in mind these deer that all hang around at 500 yds and beyond, you do have the option of "hunting" closer to work within your abilities, hunting isn't just calibers and distances to shoot from, our legs aren't painted on, think big picture, maybe a good pair of hunting boots is a topic for discussion

 

[WildRose]

thank you both for the suggestions i am from north dakota and hunted the badlands with a rifle for my first time this year i normally hunt local took 6 years to draw the tag i currently shoot a factory 270 wsm kimber brand with 130 grain ballistic tip ammo the last weekend of deer season i ranged a large mule deer at 680 everything was always 500 plus and i kept passing them up i knew this may be my last chance i took the shot 1st shot i put 3 feet above the back missed but seen snow blow up behind back knew i was close second shot miss third shot two feet above back and i spined him instant kill i was in disbelief i got him but i was very happy ...but for future hunting i want to be able to make a shot like that without guessing and with accuracy and no chance of leaving an animal wounded

The main ingredient to long range success is lots and lots of practice and the proper gear.

Let me make this suggestion. Pick up a quality .260 or 6.5CM and practice every chance you get from 400-800yds in varying conditions and varying ranges and become proficient with it.

Haver yourself another like the .300wm suggested above and save it for hunting season.

The cost savings with the cheaper/smaller caliber ammo will pay for the second rifle in a year or two depending how much practice time you can put in.

Of course you'll need to shoot the big gun enough to verify your zero, drops, wind corrections etc but you can do that with an average of about fifty rounds a year or less.

I will do 90's of my shooting with the 6.5's but generally have one of the STW's and maybe one of the .300's with me all the time as well once hunting season opens up.

If you do go the route of the .260 or 6.5CM take a long hard look at the Prime Ammunition offerings in .260 and 6.5CM. I have shot 2,000-3,000 rounds of it in .260 and many thousands of rounds in .40 and .45acp and they put out the most accurate and consistent factory ammo I've ever shot.

https://www.primeammo.com/ammunition.html

At their prices when it comes to high volume shooting you can't beat it. If you order a 1,000 rounds or more at a time they'll even give you a break on shipping. I generally order 2,000-3000rds at a time and get free shipping.

 

[skyler1101]

Keep in mind these deer that all hang around at 500 yds and beyond, you do have the option of "hunting" closer to work within your abilities, hunting isn't just calibers and distances to shoot from, our legs aren't painted on, think big picture, maybe a good pair of hunting boots is a topic for discussion

i totally agree im not sure if you have ever seen the badlands but it is like a chunk of the mountains you would elk hunt in it is not easy and it also doesnt help the bucks are in a full rut when season normally starts and will chase does so by the time you climb multiple ravines and get within shooting range they are now another 1000 yards away and it can be a repetitive process till you are 3 miles from the truck and its getting dark thank you for the reply!

 

[WildRose]

thank you all for the opinions and yes i have a leupold range finder as far as the shot i waited six years for the tag and it was the last weekend i understand it wasnt the best idea but it was something i felt i had to try

If you just had an accurate range and a range card you'd worked out ahead of time your odds of a first shot kill would have gone up by around 80%.

There are no shortcuts to becoming proficient at long range but there are a vast array of tools available today we didn't have just 20 years ago that can be a huge help.

Learning to read and compensate for wind will be your biggest challenge and even with the best tech you can buy that takes a lot of practice.

Even if you have a good weather meter with you, it can only give you conditions where you are standing and the wind can change both direction and speed several times during the flight of the bullet.

 

[skyler1101]

If you just had an accurate range and a range card you'd worked out ahead of time your odds of a first shot kill would have gone up by around 80%.

There are no shortcuts to becoming proficient at long range but there are a vast array of tools available today we didn't have just 20 years ago that can be a huge help.

Learning to read and compensate for wind will be your biggest challenge and even with the best tech you can buy that takes a lot of practice.

Even if you have a good weather meter with you, it can only give you conditions where you are standing and the wind can change both direction and speed several times during the flight of the bullet.

Thank you for the great suggestions and ammo suggestion as far as wind with the long range shot goes i will not take a shot like that unless its dead calm the day i took my 680 shot there was not one ounce of wind i understand that it plays a major role at the long distances thank you for the suggestions !

 

[GetReel]

thank you all for the opinions and yes i have a leupold range finder as far as the shot i waited six years for the tag and it was the last weekend i understand it wasnt the best idea but it was something i felt i had to try

I'm a ND boy too and been applying for a western mule deer tag for 4 years with no luck.

 

[skyler1101]

I'm a ND boy too and been applying for a western mule deer tag for 4 years with no luck.

waiting for that tag is tough but hunting the deer is more hard i was absolutely humbled by the deer out there ...some days we would drive and glass 20 miles of land and see 3 deer i believe the predators are far more out of control then the G and F is telling us and it shows out there, hence the reason most are seeing 4 to 9 years to draw a tag

 

[NDF]

I think the predators are getting fat off the wounded animals, you do the math ...

 

[Barrelnut]

i totally agree im not sure if you have ever seen the badlands but it is like a chunk of the mountains you would elk hunt in it is not easy and it also doesnt help the bucks are in a full rut when season normally starts and will chase does so by the time you climb multiple ravines and get within shooting range they are now another 1000 yards away and it can be a repetitive process till you are 3 miles from the truck and its getting dark thank you for the reply!

Don't forget...That's what hunting really is all about. The more success you have in situations like that, the prouder you will be of yourself and the trophy on your wall.

Wildrose is right, you need a 6.5 Creedmoor in a accurate target type rifle and a fairly good scope and learn the ropes. Then you will now what you want and need in long range rifle. There are really no shortcuts.

I would suggest a Savage Long Range Precision rifle a 24X power scope of your choice. Something like the Zeiss would be great. Another good choice is a Vortex PST. try some Hornady match and Prime ammo and figure out how it all works.

 

[skyler1101]

I think the predators are getting fat off the wounded animals, you do the math ...

i can honestly say in 3 weekends of hunting i did not see a single wounded deer the only thing i seen was a 3 legged ram that looked like from the lower joint down it was ripped off...

 

[NDF]

Skyler1101 I can honestly say I think this is a 3 legged story

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thank you for the great suggestions and ammo suggestion as far as wind with the long range shot goes i will not take a shot like that unless its dead calm the day i took my 680 shot there was not one ounce of wind i understand that it plays a major role at the long distances thank you for the suggestions !

Even if you don't see or feel any wind, it's still there. You can't even feel a 5 MPH breeze. 10 MPH is barely noticeable. If you play around with a ballistics calculator and see how wind you can't even feel (5 MPH) affects your drift from 100-1000 yards, it will help put a lot into perspective.