[Zachary]

I'll bet that 90% of all shots are taken under 200 yards. Keeping in mind that thousands of hunters use 30-30s, which means that shots are well under 100 yards, that should mean that the national average is probably 100 yards.

I may put this in the form of a poll, but for the time being, answer these two questions:

1) What is the longest shot you have taken?
2) What do you think is the average distance of all of your shots?

Let me start:

1) Believe it or not, it's probably no more than 150 yards.
2) Average is probably a little under 100 yards.

SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMING RESPONSES TO THIS POST, AND AS IT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME TO COMPUTE AND ANALYZE ALL OF THESE RESPONSES, I HAVE DECIDED TO TRANSFORM THIS POST INTO A POLL IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE RESPONSES IN A MORE CONCISE, VISUAL MANNER.

AS SUCH, PLEASE INDICATE, WITHIN THE CHOICES ALOTTED, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE DISTANCE YOU TAKE YOUR SHOTS WITH A RIFLE, REGARDLESS OF GAME. [/color]

Zachary

 

[selmer]

Deer, 427 paces, so about 427 yds. (I'm a trained orienteering instructor, I know how long my pace is because I have to) Varmint 642 paces.
Deer was .30-06, varmint was .243 w/55 gr. BT
Average shot is probably 125-150 yds out here in SD.

Selmer

 

[KN]

600+ yds all day long, don't hit many P-dogs at that range but what the hey.
OK I know this aint what you were lookin for so I'll be quiet. KN

 

[D MAN]

I'll bet that 90% of all shots are taken under 200 yards. Keeping in mind that thousands of hunters use 30-30s, which means that shots are well under 100 yards, that should mean that the national average is probably 100 yards.

I may put this in the form of a poll, but for the time being, answer these two questions:

1) What is the longest shot you have taken?
2) What do you think is the average distance of all of your shots?

Let me start:

1) Believe it or not, it's probably no more than 150 yards.
2) Average is probably a little under 100 yards

Zachary

Playing around about 170 to 180yds just showing off, but bear hunting 20yds was the shortest. BigBill

 

[BruceP]

Longest shot on Deer, 210 yds measured with a laser rangefinder. Avg. probably 100-125 yds. unless you want to average in the ones with a bow, and then it comes way down. :wink:
BruceP

 

[Graybeard]

My guess is about 200 yards for a couple shots. But had no rangefinder in those days and don't think I'd have been able to get a reading regardless. Firts was across a hollow to the hill opposite. Just waited for an opening and shot with the Rem. 7 in 7-08 that is now Mrs. GB's. Other was taken with my original R700 Mtn. Rifle in .270 Win. in an area of woods that recently had the pines cut out. In both cases there was enough trees and brush no rangefinder would have done much good. I'm very familiar with both areas tho and believe about 200 yards is an accuate guess on both.

My average shot is well under 100 yards. As a matter of fact with the exception of those two above I don't think I've made another shot over 100 yards on white tail deer. I've taken more at 25-35 yards than over 75 yards I'd guess.

GB

 

[Crayfish]

Longest shot was 240yds on a buck. First "shot" was on an empty chamber (DOOOH!), next shot missed since I was so flustered over the first mishap, next shot drilled him thru the heart (luckily he stopped just before he ducked back in the woods).

Average is probably right around 100yds since some of the others have been between 20yds and 165yds, with most under 100.

... Crayfish

 

[yella hammer]

long shots

Average for whitetail kills 32.5 yards

Missed shots average about 200 (some were close but deer was at maximum warp)

 

[Geno]

My brother and I practice up to 500 yards, what a confidence builder on game day. Longest shot at game just over 400 and another at 350 yards, dropped them both. I hate tracking others mistakes, both were previously wounded. Taken several 200 to 300 yard range. All with 30-06 165 grain BT. (got a coyote at 550 yds once with a .243). Average shot whitetails for me is about 25 yards.

 

[brdavis]

Just made my longest shot this year on a mule deer in Mecker Colorado. I made a double lung shot at 632 yards with my Abolt 7 mag. Yea, another mag lover.

I had a range finder that gave me the distance. I was shooting uphill and had to hold about 3 feet high. I didn't really think I could hit him but I have been shooting that rifle for years and had a good idea where to place the shot. Dang, if it didn't hit him!!! He dropped like a bomb hit him in the head.

 

[selmer]

Graybeard, read again. It say he double lunged it, it dropped "like a bomb hit it in the head"
Selmer

 

[Zachary]

Yea, I originally thought the same thing GB thought.

In any event, I personally would have never taken such a shot. My feeling is that, even if you are an excellent sharpshooter, shooting long distances in the field is different that shooting under controlled conditions at the bench.

I can't imagine having a holdover of 3 feet.

Zachary

 

[Graybeard]

Graybeard, read again. It say he double lunged it, it dropped "like a bomb hit it in the head"
Selmer

Oophs. My bad. Been a long day and I just didn't read it right. Obviously if he hit where he was intending to for him on that shot it wasn't too far. Still the comment applies to way too many even if not to him on this shot.

GB

 

[I am CAL.........]

Long Shots

I have made one or two long shots at 400 plus yards.This was many years ago though.I limit my shots now to 100 to 150 yards for max.distance.I try for a head shot if at all possible.Game is much easier to dress and cleaner.Most deer in my part of the world are killed at ranges more like 30 to 50 yds.We have to find a field to shoot greater distances.I am CAL....

 

[JOE MACK]

Longest and average shot

The longest distance I've killed an animal at is 500+/- yards. I've done this several times on prairie dogs. I don't take shots like this a big game. Mostly I handgun hunt so 50-75yards is average. My motto is get as close as you can and then get a little closer. I can shoot center of mass on a man-sized target at 600 meters all day in FIELD POSITIONS with my tactical rifle so it's not lack of shooting skill that prevents me from taking game at long distance. I'm just one of the people who doesn't think I need the animal that badly. Murphy is always at one's shoulder and I like to stack the deck in my favor (i.e. getting as close as I can). This is what I think hunting is all about. JMHO RKBA!

 

[freddogs]

387 paces or about 350 yards on an antelope with a 30.06. I think my average shot is about 50 yards. I do practice shooting offhand at 300 yards. That's why I shot the antelope using a bipod in the prone position.

 

[Doesniper]

longest shots

Deer; Rifle 243 AI 306yds
Encore pistol 308 & 250 AI 200yds
longest 306yds
shortest 6ft
Avg about 150yds
Varmints; Rifle 220 Swift 391yds
longest 391yds
shortest 15 ft

 

[longwinters]

Where I hunt in Mich U.P (big woods) a long shot is probably 70-100yds. The longest I have shot is 150yds. The shortest was 12 paces. Funny thing . . . both were a thrill. Average shot is about 60 yds.

 

[Zachary]

Let's put this in perspective because, like many other things, it's relative.

I wouldn't criticize someone shooting deer at over 400 yards IF[/color]the hunter is confident in shooting at that distance.

IT'S NOT THE DISTANCE THAT NECESSARILY MATTERS...IT'S THE SHOOTER THAT MATTERS.[/color]

Some people can shoot deer very accurately at 400+ yards. For these people, I don't criticize.

Some people CAN'T shoot deer very accurately at 100 yards. I would feel comfortable criticizing these people if they took shots over 100 yards.

Personally, I don't feel comfortable taking shots past 300 yards, so I don't take them. But that doesn't mean that other people, who CAN EASILY make such shots, should be criticized for taking such shots.

Your point about getting closer to an animal is almost as much about personal preference as it is ethics. If someone can shoot very accurately over 400 yards, and he doesn't want to get closer, then NO ONE [/color]should criticize him. To such a hunter, long shots are just as much of a challenge as getting to within 10 yards of the animal.

Just put things into perspective. :wink:

Zachary

 

[Idaho Shooter]

Longest Shot

Here in central western Idaho where I live and hunt, it is common to need the ability to make a 300 to 400 yd shot. I and many of my friends who also hunt here or in eastern Oregon practice for that type of shot.
My friends shoot 25-06, 270, 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06, 7 STW. I carried a 30-06 loaded with 165 Nos bt @ 2900 fps for years, but have recently given it up for a 7 STW, as well as the 264 Win Mag my son usually carries.
Our rifles are usually equipped with 3-9X40 or 4-12X40 optics and Harris bipods, and are sighted to 0 at 300 yds. This will give a midrange rise of 3.5 to 6 in depending on cartridge and velocity. I have a trajectory chart taped to the side of my buttstock with readings to 500 yd, although I have never needed to take a shot at over 400 yd on game.
I carry a Bushnell 800 yd compact range finder.
The longest shot I have ever needed to make was 400 yd, clean one shot kill, prone with the bipod. And I also have killed a couple of deer at ten to fifteen yds, funny thing is that on both of these shots,after the deer were dead I realized my Burris 4-12 was set on 12 power. I didn't find it to be a handicap.
The reason for our style of shooting is because of our terrain. We usually hunt from horseback. We ride the trails on Nat'l Forest which are often located on a ridge top or near the top. From the trails you often can see one or both slopes of the ridge you are on as well as the opposing ridge slopes. Most of the time we have a view with a radius of up to a mile.
Even though we have a lot of brush and timber, it is usually confined to pockets. If one sees game go into one of these pockets, one can usually find a vantage point overlooking it and wait for the game to come out.
Deer and elk will often see us at the same time we see them. At 400 yd they will often stand and watch as we dismount, tie the horses, and set up for the shot, if it is early in the season. If it is late in the season and the game has been hunted hard they will spook and run at 600 to 800 yd.
We prepare for big game season by hunting the Columbian ground squirrel. He is a little guy, maybe six inches tall when standing on his hind legs, for a large adult. When scurrying about the ground, he is 2 1/2 in tall by six inches long. The desert hills surrounding our homes are extremely overpopulated with these guys. Sometimes you can count hundreds of them dead on a five mile stretch of road near my home. There are simply so many of them they get run over crossing the road, then you see the living run out to ingest the dead and they get run over also.
We practice in the spring and early summer by shooting these little squirrels out to 300 yds using our game rifles and field positions. It is very easy to burn up 200 rounds in each of a couple of big game rifles in a day for each person. The only problem is cooling the barrels.
We feel if we can reliably kill these small rodents at 300 yd, then we are competent to hit the vitals of a deer or elk to 400 yd. I do shoot my rifles on paper to 500 yd, but am not confident of a clean kill on game at that range, so I do not attempt it.