peterk1234
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2019
- Messages
- 643
The Stolen Opportunities thread got me thinking about shooting distances and realistic expectations. I realize most folks that hang around here on this site are probably more "practiced", if there is such a term, than the average person that goes out two days before the season, takes a practice shot and decides, "yup I'm good".
This is my first year hunting out west. I am a late onset hunter, 56 years old and been hunting for a bit over twenty years. Up until this year, 100% of my harvests have been with a bow. Before this year, there was no opportunity to hunt with a rifle, it was either shotgun or an inline. I used an inline and practiced throughout the the year with it. I found it fun, but more importantly I needed to have that thing give me better than 2 MOA at 100 yards. I would test it shooting clean, I would test it dirty. I would keep the powder and jacketed bullet in it for weeks during the offseason to see how it would shoot. I just needed to be sure that it would perform the way I needed based on any situation I would find myself in during the season.
This year was my first year with a rifle in my hand during hunting season. A 308. I did not get a chance to shoot it all year long because I was busy renovating my house. But I started to work on my skills, or lack thereof, a few months before the season started. It took a bit to find the ammo that would work the best for me. I had it figured out two years earlier, but given the lack of reliable reloading supplies, I decided to go with one of the name brand loads. I settled on 165 grain nosler. I think the load is close to what I had worked up. I initially started with a box of 175 grain bullets, since that is all I could get my hands on, but the gun did not love it. 165 was the sweet spot. ,
I started shooting off the bench at first. Was doing quite well at 200 yards. 300 yards was working too, until I went to the range one day and had to deal with a 25 knot crosswinds, and practicing shooting off my pack while on the ground. Ya, I know; 300 yards is easy and wind really has no effect. Well, I must be using faulty bullets then because I could be off as far as ten inches on some of my shots. Certainly that ten inch variance has some user error built in but the wind was certainly not helping. And, I am shooting under a controlled non stress situation.
I hit the range several more times after that, but I focused on shooting at 200 yards or so. I shot prone, I shot sitting. I used my pack. I tried other various sundry items that would provide minimal support. 200 yards was good.
So I set a limit for myself this year. Deer or elk, the limit is 220 yards. I was just not practiced enough at this point to shoot further. I stuck to it. My first deer ever with a rifle was taken at 180-190 yards.
I know a lot of folks are quite comfortable shooting at 400 yards or more. I can't even imagine taking that shot today. I may never because at least for now I believe that I should be able to get to within at least 300 yards of an animal. That is my definition of fair chase with a gun. But, I will admit that it could change over time as I get more proficient.
My question to you all is what is your comfort zone and why. How often are you practicing at these distances and are you using realistic positions and the same rifle support that you would use in the field? I shoot at very busy range. I saw a lot of shooters three weeks prior to rifle season. One out of fifty shooters (maybe) were not shooting off the bench. Also, very few ever were practicing past 200 yards, maybe 20%. I'd say most shoot at 100. I think it is a very limited number of hunters that can safely and consistently take a deer at 400 yards or further. I am also willing to bet a large percentage of hunters way over estimate their abilities.
The gear at our disposal today is incredible. But as the saying goes, it's the arrow, not the Indian.
This is my first year hunting out west. I am a late onset hunter, 56 years old and been hunting for a bit over twenty years. Up until this year, 100% of my harvests have been with a bow. Before this year, there was no opportunity to hunt with a rifle, it was either shotgun or an inline. I used an inline and practiced throughout the the year with it. I found it fun, but more importantly I needed to have that thing give me better than 2 MOA at 100 yards. I would test it shooting clean, I would test it dirty. I would keep the powder and jacketed bullet in it for weeks during the offseason to see how it would shoot. I just needed to be sure that it would perform the way I needed based on any situation I would find myself in during the season.
This year was my first year with a rifle in my hand during hunting season. A 308. I did not get a chance to shoot it all year long because I was busy renovating my house. But I started to work on my skills, or lack thereof, a few months before the season started. It took a bit to find the ammo that would work the best for me. I had it figured out two years earlier, but given the lack of reliable reloading supplies, I decided to go with one of the name brand loads. I settled on 165 grain nosler. I think the load is close to what I had worked up. I initially started with a box of 175 grain bullets, since that is all I could get my hands on, but the gun did not love it. 165 was the sweet spot. ,
I started shooting off the bench at first. Was doing quite well at 200 yards. 300 yards was working too, until I went to the range one day and had to deal with a 25 knot crosswinds, and practicing shooting off my pack while on the ground. Ya, I know; 300 yards is easy and wind really has no effect. Well, I must be using faulty bullets then because I could be off as far as ten inches on some of my shots. Certainly that ten inch variance has some user error built in but the wind was certainly not helping. And, I am shooting under a controlled non stress situation.
I hit the range several more times after that, but I focused on shooting at 200 yards or so. I shot prone, I shot sitting. I used my pack. I tried other various sundry items that would provide minimal support. 200 yards was good.
So I set a limit for myself this year. Deer or elk, the limit is 220 yards. I was just not practiced enough at this point to shoot further. I stuck to it. My first deer ever with a rifle was taken at 180-190 yards.
I know a lot of folks are quite comfortable shooting at 400 yards or more. I can't even imagine taking that shot today. I may never because at least for now I believe that I should be able to get to within at least 300 yards of an animal. That is my definition of fair chase with a gun. But, I will admit that it could change over time as I get more proficient.
My question to you all is what is your comfort zone and why. How often are you practicing at these distances and are you using realistic positions and the same rifle support that you would use in the field? I shoot at very busy range. I saw a lot of shooters three weeks prior to rifle season. One out of fifty shooters (maybe) were not shooting off the bench. Also, very few ever were practicing past 200 yards, maybe 20%. I'd say most shoot at 100. I think it is a very limited number of hunters that can safely and consistently take a deer at 400 yards or further. I am also willing to bet a large percentage of hunters way over estimate their abilities.
The gear at our disposal today is incredible. But as the saying goes, it's the arrow, not the Indian.
