Backstops and Safe shots in flat country

[Deckerp]

I have my first Pronghorn tag in Colorado this year about an hour and a half from where I live. The area is pretty flat and it has occurred to me that part of the challenge is not only to get a shot, but to get a safe shot. The area's not so big or desolate that one needed worry about where a miss or pass through is headed, and with the land being flat it seems harder to get a shot opportunity with a backstop.

Does any one have any tips or trick for getting safe shots in the flat open country Pronghorn call home?

 

[TLowell02]

Well, if your aim is true then any pass through will have significantly less velocity (I suppose until the cartridge of choice is a super duper magnum). I think common sense should prevail.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I have my first Pronghorn tag in Colorado this year about an hour and a half from where I live. The area is pretty flat and it has occurred to me that part of the challenge is not only to get a shot, but to get a safe shot. The area's not so big or desolate that one needed worry about where a miss or pass through is headed, and with the land being flat it seems harder to get a shot opportunity with a backstop.

Does any one have any tips or trick for getting safe shots in the flat open country Pronghorn call home?

That is an interesting question / dilemma which I too have oft considered. I have always tried to be on whatever higher elevation offers a view and perhaps a stalk and shot, such as hills, knolls, small knobs, ridges ... whatever the terrain provides. I always like to shoot down if the area is mostly flat.

 

[VikingsGuy]

A basic foundation of gun safety is to know what is behind your target. Modern centerfire rifles can be lethal up to a mile, but thankfully there is a lot of drop after 1,000 yards. A few thoughts: Take a moment to be aware of what is in the path you are pointing, was there a farm house over that hill when you walked in? Are there other hunters in the area? Are you shooting downhill or uphill? Where's the road? etc. In general, try not to shoot up at a skylined animal on a ridge top, etc.

I wouldn't take a lot of comfort in the animal serving as a backstop given folks do miss. A few years ago I had a scope failure that with hindsight caused my bullet to shoot 3 feet over the animal and likely would have hit "zero" at about 800 yards.

 

[Bob-WY]

Issues like above aside (zero off by a ton), keep in mind how much drop happens. My gun and my wifes, both zeroed at 200 yards have 4 feet of drop at 400 yards. A pronghorn is what MAYBE 3 feet high? Yes bullets can travel and be lethal at a mile, but that means you aimed significantly up.

Keep common sense in mind: skylined shots, bad idea. If you can shoot down, do it. But shooting flatish the bullet will be down in terrain you can see, so pay attention.

 

[88man]

A basic foundation of gun safety is to know what is behind your target. Modern centerfire rifles can be lethal up to a mile, but thankfully there is a lot of drop after 1,000 yards. A few thoughts: Take a moment to be aware of what is in the path you are pointing, was there a farm house over that hill when you walked in? Are there other hunters in the area? Are you shooting downhill or uphill? Where's the road? etc. In general, try not to shoot up at a skylined animal on a ridge top, etc.

I wouldn't take a lot of comfort in the animal serving as a backstop given folks do miss. A few years ago I had a scope failure that with hindsight caused my bullet to shoot 3 feet over the animal and likely would have hit "zero" at about 800 yards.

I am not being critical so please accept my apologies if I am interpreting this differently as written. " In general, try not to shoot up at a skylined animal on a ridge top, etc. " A skylined animal or target is never ever a safe shot. Do not skyline a bullet or an arrow

 

[VikingsGuy]

I am not being critical so please accept my apologies if I am interpreting this differently as written. " In general, try not to shoot up at a skylined animal on a ridge top, etc. " A skylined animal or target is never ever a safe shot. Do not skyline a bullet or an arrow

We agree, I used too much passive lawyer speak in this one - it should have just said, "don't shoot at a skylined animal on a ridge top, etc"

 

[88man]

We agree, I used too much passive lawyer speak in this one - it should have just said, "don't shoot at a skylined animal on a ridge top, etc"

I see the skyline shot so often on hunting shows and videos. Scary
It is a huge pet peeve of mine.
25 -30 years ago while walking across an open field I had an arrow with a broadhead fly by me within a few feet at head high. I was walking and literally saw the arrow and then heard it as it buzzed by me. If it was meant to hit me I would never have been able to move it just happened that fast. It was a friend who took the shot as he shot at a deer a skyline shot and missed. I was over 250 yards away.

 

[ZMT588]

I see the skyline shot so often on hunting shows and videos. Scary

It makes for cool footage

 

[Straight Arrow]

As I'm dressing out a cow elk, my 12-year-old grandson excitedly exclaimed, "Look up there, Papa; there's a bull standing broadside really close! Should I shoot him?" "What do you think?" I asked. He replied, "Ah, I'd better not. He's skylined on the ridge and he's across the fence where we really can't hunt." Proud of his right answer, "I asked what's the problem with skyline? He's broadside." Grandson quickly responded, "Know your target and beyond." This papa was super proud then.
BTW, later that season he did take a really beautiful bull, which even further reinforced his having made the right decision.

 

[Deckerp]

Okay these are good insights. What's you judgment on a scenario like this: Terrain is dead flat or nearly so for at least a couple miles. There's a animal within shooting distance but beyond the animal - say a mile past, is a no go zone such as a road, home, etc. In theory even a high miss would have enough bullet drop to come back to the ground before reaching the road and then would presumably tumble and stop within several hundred more yards after hitting, but the idea of such a shot makes me vey uncomfortable. I would want to have say 2 miles minimum past the target in a scenario like that where the animal isn't technically skylined but where there's a lot of open space beyond your target.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Consider that some long range shooters claim competency at 1,000 yds. A mile is only 1760 yds, so even at a couple of miles away, a 150 grain bullet dropping onto someone or something can cause significant damage.

Perhaps the ammo gurus can elucidate and explain the trajectory and where the bullet loses all energy and arcs to earth, thus giving you a more scientific answer.

 

[Deckerp]

Consider that some long range shooters claim competency at 1,000 yds. A mile is only 1760 yds, so even at a couple of miles away, a 150 grain bullet dropping onto someone or something can cause significant damage.

Perhaps the ammo gurus can elucidate and explain the trajectory and where the bullet loses all energy and arcs to earth, thus giving you a more scientific answer.

Right - a mile isn't all that far. In my case I'm shooting a Barnes 30.06 that has nearly 4' of drop at 500 Yards. So without a miss that is significantly above the target, which is say 3' above the ground, the bullet would come back down inside of 500 yards past the target - especially if your target was already a few hundred yards out. But again, a mile still doesn't seem that far and a significant issue with your scopes zero could leave you aiming much higher than you realize...

 

[406dn]

Judging from the number of bullet holes I have seen in various traffic signs,,, they must be considered a sufficient backstop for more than a few shooters, sadly.

 

[AggieHunter]

If your hunting units with limited public land where all the pressure is in concentrated areas expect to see people forget about backstops and shoot a pronghorn between them and other hunters.

 

[88man]

If your hunting units with limited public land where all the pressure is in concentrated areas expect to see people forget about backstops and shoot a pronghorn between them and other hunters.

I hope not

 

[406dn]

If your hunting units with limited public land where all the pressure is in concentrated areas expect to see people forget about backstops and shoot a pronghorn between them and other hunters.

This is one of the reasons I haven't hunted antelope in +25 years or so. If you have exclusive access to a big slice of land, antelope hunting is grand. Trying to compete on public land, much less so. Maybe it's changed,, doubt it thou.

 

[AggieHunter]

This is one of the reasons I haven't hunted antelope in +25 years or so. If you have exclusive access to a big slice of land, antelope hunting is grand. Trying to compete on public land, much less so. Maybe it's changed,, doubt it thou.

Probably worse a dozen or more trucks at each little parking area.

 

[Bob-WY]

If your hunting units with limited public land where all the pressure is in concentrated areas expect to see people forget about backstops and shoot a pronghorn between them and other hunters.

There are a few walkin areas that are "archery only" for just this reason

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I have my first Pronghorn tag in Colorado this year about an hour and a half from where I live. The area is pretty flat and it has occurred to me that part of the challenge is not only to get a shot, but to get a safe shot. The area's not so big or desolate that one needed worry about where a miss or pass through is headed, and with the land being flat it seems harder to get a shot opportunity with a backstop.

Does any one have any tips or trick for getting safe shots in the flat open country Pronghorn call home?

You'll just have to learn to pass on a lot of shots. We've passed on a lot already this year for that reason...houses, or something else in the background.