How far will you shoot at an animal?

[Clem Bronkoski]

I had put a reply to a post on here regarding shooting big game animals at yardages out to 1000 yards and beyond. The administrators deleted it for the reason of ethics. All I said was that shooting at an animal at 1000 yards using a bullet with a BC of .460 and MV of 3000 will have a flight time of 1.43 seconds. That's plenty of time for an animal to take one, even two steps, resulting in a hit away from the vitals. Now, being a hunter - trapper education instructor we teach that this all boils down to the individual. What his capabilities are and does he/she think they can actually make the shot and harvest the animal humanly. Its perfectly legal, same as shooting a turkey in the roost. It is up to the individual to determine if its an ethical shot. I meant no malice in my reply.

 

[johnish]

To big game animals....600...
Other varmints.....if ya cant see em'...cant choot'm....

Just watched a video on YouTube...cci 22lr traveled 11 3/8" into gelatin at 25 yards...bullet third bigger in diameter..lost a couple small pieces of bullet...
Same bullet at 300 yards....11.25"....no deformation...no weight loss...
Varmints beware.....

I really enjoy practising for long range with my .22Rf and sub sonic ammo. Great fun, much cheaper and virtually silent. Bunnies aren't so keen though...

 

[johnish]

All depends on the day for me, can I get into a really solid firing position? Is the wind 'readable' or is it likely there are cross currents that will affect impact? Is the animal skittish or very calm? Am I feeling good and confident? Like many posts above I have to feel I can do a 'good job' and deliver a humane kill. Sometimes 300 yards can be too long - other days that's an 'easy' standing with sticks shot.

 

[Wachsmann]

So for me the longest kill is 761 yards on a mule deer. It was not the best shot and the conditions were a little adverse. I think you have to look at your entire system. Are you hunting alone or with a spotter. Do you have a proven load. Can you effectively range the animal so you know your distance. For this shot I first spotted the deer about 480 yards out with some does but he kept moving. I had to keep ranging him, and I was also trying to get a good rest and settle the gun in. So for me its not just my gun or cartridge its every thing and every situation can be different. For me I need a proven load that I can shoot with. I usually work till I get my rifle, me and my load at .5 MOA at 100yards. You need to know all the drop data and have it proved out to what ever distance your going to shoot. You scope needs to be able to dial or have some type of holdovers that can place you on the target at a fixed point in the scope I think. You needs a good range finder. Then there is the atmospheric data that usually can come into play. So I look at it as a complete system that has to all work together. Closer shots I'd say out to 500 the atmospheric data probably not going to effect your shot as much as it does at 1000 yards but every little bit of data helps and practice, practice, practice. I took my wife out 2 years ago and she took here first buck at 278 yards. All I did was ranged it and told here its close enough just put the cross hairs on him and pull the trigger. She mad a one shot kill but I had her practicing at 600 yards with her 243. During our first practice session I somewhat wanted to impress here and get her to bite on long range shooting so I had my 300RUM and ranged the usual rock pile I shoot at. I had it ranged at 1026 yrds. Set up the spotter and had her watch the rocks. Told her what part I was shooting at so she could watch. I got all prone out and after a minute or 2 of controlled breathing a few drier fires I let one rip. I hit about 4 inches from where I had her look at. She was impressed and then I explained to her how she could make some good shots with similar equipment but use a smaller cartridge than my 300Rum.. So for me its about my complete system and all the conditions before I try one out and send it down range at an animal. But if someone wanted to know where I might stop at it would probably be the 1000 to 1200 yard mark until I get a bigger gun. 338 AI Lapua, 33XC, 338 Allen mag...etc..

 

[Orange Dust]

I had put a reply to a post on here regarding shooting big game animals at yardages out to 1000 yards and beyond. The administrators deleted it for the reason of ethics. All I said was that shooting at an animal at 1000 yards using a bullet with a BC of .460 and MV of 3000 will have a flight time of 1.43 seconds. That's plenty of time for an animal to take one, even two steps, resulting in a hit away from the vitals. Now, being a hunter - trapper education instructor we teach that this all boils down to the individual. What his capabilities are and does he/she think they can actually make the shot and harvest the animal humanly. Its perfectly legal, same as shooting a turkey in the roost. It is up to the individual to determine if its an ethical shot. I meant no malice in my reply.

Sorry, but I have some issues with this post. First, no one I know would try and shoot an animal at 1000 yds with the mythical load you describe. The only well shaped bullet I can find that matches it is the .277 130gr Interbond. Pretty good load out of a .270 win. Problem is it will only have a remaining velocity of 1269fps and remaining energy of 465ftlbs. This will neither expand or kill cleanly at this distance. Half that far is pushing it. A very common long range load is the 30 cal Berger 215gr hybrid. It has a BC of .691 and is commonly launched at 3100fps. This gives a remaining velocity of 1861fps and energy of 1654ftlbs. It will get it done, but is a little light, sending many guys who shoot game this far regularly to the overbore .338's with 300gr bullets. To succeed at this game, first you have to have equipment that will do the job, a capable shooter, and a strong enough knowledge of the game you are hunting to judge if he will stand there for the shot. The Turkey reference is a direct smear on long range hunting, and makes me feel this may not be for you.

 

[Remmy700]

I like to push the limits like many on this site, but like most of them I shoot a lot. I think the problem now days is how these hunting shows make LR hunting appear so easy. You can just go buy a certain brand rifle, scope combo that is a turn key dial and shoot package. While this is true with some of these packages, the best rifle and scope in the world won't perform if the person pulling the trigger does not grasp shooting fundamentals. Then there are just some people that don't care for animals and will use Kentucky windage and launch a sighter or two at an animal. Some people are not realistic on their capabilities or their weapons.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

I only referenced the turkey in the roost as an example of ethics. Meaning that shooting it or shooting at a deer at 1000+ yards are both legal and its up to the individual shooter to determine if he can humanely take the shot and if his equipment is up to it. It was not meant as a smear. You just took it out of context. Even with your equipment (BC .691 and MV of 3100 FPS) it still will take the bullet 1.25 seconds to reach the target. I definitely understand examining the animal's state of calmness. I've been around game animals long enough to interpret them. I personally, once I am confident at ranges up to 1000 yards, will not take a shot at a game animal beyond 600 yards. But that is just me. Now coyotes, groundhogs and other vermin is a different story.

 

[Orange Dust]

I only referenced the turkey in the roost as an example of ethics. Meaning that shooting it or shooting at a deer at 1000+ yards are both legal and its up to the individual shooter to determine if he can humanely take the shot and if his equipment is up to it. It was not meant as a smear. You just took it out of context. Even with your equipment (BC .691 and MV of 3100 FPS) it still will take the bullet 1.25 seconds to reach the target. I definitely understand examining the animal's state of calmness. I've been around game animals long enough to interpret them. I personally, once I am confident at ranges up to 1000 yards, will not take a shot at a game animal beyond 600 yards. But that is just me. Now coyotes, groundhogs and other vermin is a different story.

Don't know about where you live, but here shooting a Turkey on a roost is considered as unethical as poaching deer at night. That's why I did and still do consider it a smear.

 

[Greyfox]

No but it's funny how that awful little word keeps popping up on a daily basis. Makes me want to punch the cat.
I agree that we are here to help and learn from each other. Some just need to check theirselves at the door.
I like to push mine and my equipment's limits.

I feel the same, and agree completely with you. We've both -participated on this site for over 10 years and experienced this dynamic, and perhaps it will continue for another 10 years. But....perhaps we can re-define the conversation pertaining to ethics and use it to to our advantage. When said and done, the term "ethics" is basically defined as customs and beliefs of a "particular" group of people. We actually have our own definition of ethics, but we haven't defined and communicated it. Ethics as we receive the term from skeptics is "always" discussed in the context of "how far game is shot". Why don't we re-define it to our custom and belief. These custom and beliefs are adhering to good practices when shooting game at long range". These practices could include shooting skills, proper rifle and equipment, loads capable of effectively dispatching game, and game recovery skills. If one adopts these practices, they represent our customs and beliefs, and he(or she) is an Ethical long range hunter. Range is simply a variable We ARE ethical and this is our code of ethics. Bow hunting went through a similar transformation when I first started, more the 50 years ago. If a person starts talking about ethics in the context of distance, instead of saying "we don't discuss ethics on this site", the response is, let us explain the meaning of ethics on this site. With this answer we have denounced their perception of ethics, and rationally explained ours. When we simply state"we don't discuss ethics" the individual either leaves or argues being unconvinced. If we explain our ethics, he leaves or stays, maybe realizing he drives slow because he doesn't have the right car and the skills to drive it.....and may even decide he wants to learn. If you can't change someone's mind, change their perception.
I'm not sure if all this all makes sense or not, but thought I would throw it out there. I also realize it may violate the basic rule that "we don't discuss" ethics and will fully understand if this post gets canned.

 

[Orange Dust]

I feel the same, and agree completely with you. We've both -participated on this site for over 10 years and experienced this dynamic, and perhaps it will continue for another 10 year. But....perhaps we can re-define the conversation pertaining to ethics and use it to to our advantage. When said and done, the term "ethics" is basically defined as customs and beliefs of a "particular" group of people. We actually have our own definition of ethics, but we haven't defined and communicated it. Ethics as we receive the term from skeptics is "always" discussed in the context of "how far game is shot". Why don't we re-define it to our custom and belief. These custom and beliefs are adhering to good practices when shooting game at long range". These practices could include shooting skills, proper rifle and equipment, loads capable of effectively dispatching game, and game recovery skills. If one adopts these practices, they represent our customs and beliefs, and he(or she) is an Ethical long range hunter. Range is simply a variable We ARE ethical and this is our code of ethics. Bow hunting went through a similar transformation when I first started, more the 50 years ago. If a person starts talking about ethics in the context of distance, instead of saying "we don't discuss ethics on this site", the response is, let us explain the meaning of on this ethics on this site. With this answer we have denounced their perception of ethics, and rationally explained ours. When we simply state"we don't discuss ethics" the individual either leaves or argues being unconvinced. If we explain our ethics, he leaves or stays, maybe realizing he drives slow because he doesn't have the right car and the skills to drive it.....and may even decide he wants to learn. If you can't change someone's mind, change their perception.
I'm not sure if all this all makes sense or not, but thought I would throw it out there. I also realize it may violate the basic rule that "we don't discuss" ethics and will fully understand if this post gets canned.

No, should not be banned. Penned in a way more articulate way than I am capable. BUT, still buttburned about the Turkey thing.

 

[zb338]

The guys in this blog would consider my long range to be a chip shot. I
figure 300 to 350 on a deer or antelope. I could stretch it a little on Elk
because it's a little bigger target. I could probably double that range on
a barn. I don't generally shoot at barns though.

 

[Orange Dust]

The guys in this blog would consider my long range to be a chip shot. I
figure 300 to 350 on a deer or antelope. I could stretch it a little on Elk
because it's a little bigger target. I could probably double that range on
a barn. I don't generally shoot at barns though.

NO, and no one would. I have a couple of favorite woods rifles that I would consider that long range with also. Like most everyone here has said, there are many variables. I had a 30-378 that I never got to shoot well enough to shoot outside it's point blank range. I have a .308 now that's pinpoint accurate, but set up to hunt only 250yds or so. I have a couple of rifles that will shoot a long ways.... Each have their place and I would hate not having them.

 

[Jerry M]

5,000 miles!
Just shot dove in Argentina...

 

[Orange Dust]

5,000 miles!
Just shot dove in Argentina...

Love that. There needs to be another button