What is the Typical Distance Range You Kill Big Game At?

[Greyfox]

Since adopting long range capability about 15 years ago, I have kept decent records of the distances I have shot 63 game animals(whitetail, mule deer, antelope. My average falls in the 500 yard range. I will say that 20+ antelope has pushed my average to the 500-650 yard range. Whitetail and mule deer average would fall in the 350-500 yard range. A handful of each species has been shot under 300 yards, and about the same beyond 1000 yards with the furthest 1188 yards. While I don't necessarily seek a long range harvest, since adopting LRH capability my hunting tactics have changed towards adopting a longer range vantage point for my set-ups(stands/hides), and, my success rate on the number and quality of game harvested, improved.

 

[Kerryt38]

I don't know if there is such a thing as a typical distance for game. I'm not going to pass on a monster at 20 yards just so I can make a longer shot. The conditions, cartridge and where the animal pops out determine how far I shoot. One year it's 40 yards and the next it's 1100.

 

[dfanonymous]

I had to just assume it's for rifle hunting, and not just hunting. I hunt more archery than anything…it's more competitive, it's easier to get tags, and frankly it's a blast that I get more out of then lobbying a bullet across a canyon.

That would put my shots under 100y.

So I'm left to assume by "hunting" the OP means rifle hunting. In which case it's almost a split between 500-850 yard distance with the slightly higher average being in the 500-650 class, not surprisingly. For me.

 

[michaelfelix13]

Definitely under 300

 

[Rich Coyle]

Most of my hunting is in the #1 & #2, with some in #3 categories.

Longest Revolver Kill: 189 yards - Buck Antelope 357 Magnum custom GP-100 (Leupod Optic and 158 XTP)

Longest Whitetail was just under 600 - 6.5-284 Center-Grip XP-100 (Leupold Optic and the 140 A-Max)

Longest Mule Deer was right at 700 yards - 7mm-08 Center-Grip XP-100 (Leupold Optic and the 140 NBT)

Longest Elk was 666 yards - 7mm Dakota Center-Grip XP-100 (Leupold Optic and the 200 Wildcat)

Longest Antelope was 1036 yards - Center-Grip XP-100 7mm WSM (NF Optic and the 162 A-Max)

Longest Red Stag was 624 yards - 338 Lapua (Rifle-Zeiss Optic and the 285 grain LRAB)

If I include my .454 Cassul it would be an off hand shot at a jackrabbit 206 long steps away. Anything from 100 long steps and out was in trouble. Shot a buck through a log. The Freedom Arms 260 grainer (1,925 fps) traveled two feet through the log before fully penetrating the buck. In penetration test is out penetrated my 7STW with Noser partition 175 grainers (3,150 fps).

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The "typical" distance for game taken here (posts above) is more like the extreme distances that I have taken game. I take biggame where it presents itself and it's more often than not at moderate distances. The quarter mile marker is generally pretty long for me while hunting in the east.

Groundhogs are the only critters that I've taken out around the 1,000yd marker but I don't consider them game.

 

[GLTaylor]

Excluding p dogs, I set my limit at 400 yds. Confident up to that. No further. Mostly hunt fields. Farthest I can shoot is about 375-400. Far enough for me!

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

Prairie dog 750yds, whitetail deer 535yds, are longest rifle kills. 44mag Pistol 90yds on a groundhog and 38yds on whitetail deer with a recurve bow. Northwest Alabama doesn't offer much for londrange hunting unless you can find a powerline or gas line to hunt on. Most kills definitely under 350yds.

 

[orifdoc]

I have no idea how to answer this. It depends. Plains game in Africa is usually in the 100-200 yard range. Deer and elk out west are usually in the 200-400 range, sometimes up to 500 or 600. Pronghorn is often 300-500. Muzzleloader is inside of 100 yards usually. Dangerous game in Africa is usually inside of 50 yards. If something is wounded and getting away I'll shoot up to 1200 yards if I can still see it. I've done all of the above in the last few years……. so how to answer???

 

[Hard rock]

I have no idea how to answer this. It depends. Plains game in Africa is usually in the 100-200 yard range. Deer and elk out west are usually in the 200-400 range, sometimes up to 500 or 600. Pronghorn is often 300-500. Muzzleloader is inside of 100 yards usually. Dangerous game in Africa is usually inside of 50 yards. If something is wounded and getting away I'll shoot up to 1200 yards if I can still see it. I've done all of the above in the last few years……. so how to answer???

3 too 600 yds fits most of your shots , with the capability too shoot farther . Most of my shots are under 350 but my capability is 5 too 600 yds. My answer is under 350 yds

 

[pdog shooter]

I need to update my Georgia less than 100 post. While that is a truthful statement, it just makes it sound too easy. I don't plant food plots and don't set in a tree waiting for them I walk, or stalk, I believe is the correct term. There are plenty of open fields but a buck will rarely show in daylight hours, so I usually have just a few seconds to decide whether to shoot and never enough time to count horns. I tried buckshot once when I was younger and I'll never do that again. I tortured that poor deer to death.

 

[Panhandle Pete]

My first elk was taken at two arrow lengths- less than 6 feet with a 70# bow- my longest rifle antelope was at 505 yards with a 260 AI- my favoite range is hatchet distance- the closer the better.

 

[codyadams]

Most of our pronghorn average in the 500-650 range. Deer and elk are usually 650-800, with the last three years having about 14 pronghorn, deer or elk taken from 800 to a little over 1000. Averaging them all out, we fall in #4.

 

[jfolanddvm]

Although I have spent a lot of time, effort and money trying to improve my long range capabilities, and have taken multiple big game animals between 500-650, and a couple in the 800 yard range, I know my average would be less than 350. Last fall, I had an antelope hunt planned in New Mexico and spent at least a couple months working up a load for a new rifle and shooting it out to 1000 yards. On the hunt, we saw a decent buck probably a mile or so out. Worked our way up and were about to creep over a knoll that we figured was about 300 yards from where we last saw him. Just as we were about to top the knoll, he comes trotting over the hill with 3 does, stops head on at about 40 yards, and stands there long enough for me to put a 175 grain elite hunter right through his sternum. Glad I spent all that time getting ready to do what I could have done with a 20 gauge and open sights