What is your average hunting shot distance?

[CNY Yote Hunter]

In NYS average from most I talk to and hunt with I'd say for deer 50-300 yards for most. Coyote hunting is a different animal and that is 100-600 yards on average in our areas.

 

[VTbluegrass]

Its been 3 years since I've gone over 200 on a game animal. Had some shot opportunities on does further but I'll take the doe standing closest to either me or the truck every time.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Normally I can close the distance to under 400yds. Have made several shots out to 600yds. I have spent a lot of time with a bow for the last 20 years. The weather better. Both of my shoulder have been replaced in the last 2 years. So I am kind out of bow hunting. I was deadly out to 80 yards. No more pins at that point. I think I had gotten to just being out there, and didn't care if I got anything or not. Hunted for BC type of animals, and on my own. No guides in the USA. Only in Africa where you have to have a guide with you, and I use a rifle on 9 animals shot there, and all but one was one shot kills. (range was under 150yds). Age and health is catching up with me, so be it.

 

[Swordslayer1]

It depends on the size of the game, wind conditions and your "comfort distance" at the target range. In the past 5 years I have shot Elk between 100 to 620 yards with 300 WM and 210grain Berger Bullets.. For the longer shots wind will be a major factor. Only under ideal factors would I push a shot on Elk up to 800 yards. Elk are large animals with a larger kill zone compared to deer. Good luck

 

[Papa762]

I have a 1000 yd range for steel, but don't risk wounding a trophy whitetail past 400. Usual shot is around 200. NC coastal plain, with mixed woods, swamp, and field.

 

[BrentM]

Where I am you can have close in shots, I'm a bow hunter for big game generally, or way the heck out there. Can be steep mountain terrain or high open desert. I like to hunt yotes and wolves in the winter so I generally have a lot of opportunity to shoot at yotes in winter mountain range. I feel more confident sub 1000 but have shot several yotes from 1125-1475. That's a pretty tall order on a small target in less than ideal conditions tho. Not a high confidence gig unless the wind is minimal. For big game, I tend to get as close as I can first and foremost but if my cartridge is capable of producing good terminal performance I may push the max effective range. I would say it is quite typical to see 300-500 yard shots opportunities on big game here. Typical open mountain terrain. It's not that thick in my part of the state.

 

[codyadams]

Elk we generally average around 600-800 yards, mule deer we average around 600, pronghorn we average around 500. Our limit depends on the shooter, conditions, and lastly the rifle's performance. At this point our farthest animal taken has been an elk at 1036 yards.

 

[ByMyGrace]

I wish there was a way to separate western hunting from Midwest and Eastern. I'm guessing the averages go up a lot out west

Depends where out west and type/style of hunting. My last two bears were 22 & 17 yards and deer was about 20 (Oregon). Prior to that my average problem ran about 75-100.

 

[ByMyGrace]

I wish there was a way to separate western hunting from Midwest and Eastern. I'm guessing the averages go up a lot out west

 

[John215]

Where my family hunts here in Montana for mule deer, most of the time I pull up my Cabela's range finding bino's to see a middle finger emoji staring back at me. We as a family practice year round for those 1000 yard shots. With that being said we are all more than capable and have the equipment designed for it as well. Our average shot on deer is in the 700 to 800 range and I can only remember of one instance when more than one shot was required. At the end of the day it 100% comes down to two things. Ability of equipment and knowledge and ability of shooter.

 

[Oryx_Official]

If I take the average of all my "hunting" shots, I'm going to be hitting about 16.8m. I shoot a lot more grouse up close than I do anything else. I'm not complaining though.

 

[Taylorbok]

If I take the average of all my "hunting" shots, I'm going to be hitting about 16.8m. I shoot a lot more grouse up close than I do anything else. I'm not complaining though.

LOL... I never took birds into account. If I factor in duck, geese, crane, pheasant and grouse ya I'd be in the 20-30 yard range

 

[xsn10s]

My average whitetail shot (Central Oregon) was around 100 yards. I like to stalk even in the desert. Wadis are plentiful and knowing the area can get you close if the wind co-operates. I haven't got to hunt big game yet here in Eastern Oregon but the average shot could be close in with one area a 600-700 yard shot might be all I get.

 

[tomsd]

Frick - lost a post.

Growing up at 4,000 feet in Southern Oregon - I carried a lever action 32 Winchester Special - and in the heavy timber - rarely tried anything much beyond 100 yards.

At 13 years - my first deer was a very tender little forked horn - at about 30 yards.

Even Dad - who carried a sporterized 30.06 - w/ a Timney Trigger and Match barrel - would not go out much beyond 150 yards. And we were both good shoots - later I was on rifle team and qualified expert in the military.

If they were further away - we just worked to get closer - and usually did. Plus - we also had the benefit much of the time hunting with a good friend - who was Indian/Native American - and he really new how to hunt in the woods.

With today's glass - and better ammo - would love to work on reaching out much further.





With today's glass - would double that easily - if not more.