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Max Distance to Shoot a Deer

3K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  jehler 
#1 ·
I know a guy who took his son deer hunting and attempted a shot I don't think they should of tried. Just looking for comments and opinions. The son a teen had shot several deer over the last couple years so not a newbie. He shot at a buck that was 431 yards away (about a quarter mile). It was fairly open country. I don't think there was noticeable wind. The shot hit the upper front leg of the buck. They attempted to follow the blood trail but lost it in heavy almost impenetrable brush. I say that distance , a shot should only be taken by an experienced hunter who is a well practiced expert marksman. I do not know the caliber of the gun or the scope it had. I personally think I would not have taken that shot but I know guys who are probably competent to make that shot. What say you?
 
#2 ·
That seems a bit far in my opinion. Seems like an experienced hunter would have made a stalk to shave some yardage down. I'm in the northeast and I don't think I've ever killed a deer at more than 100 yards. We just don't have the wide open country like out west

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#3 ·
I was in that situation the Friday after Thanksgiving. I was in a ladder stand watching over a large fieldthat bordered lots of brush. A small buck came out across the field and ten minutes later a nice 8 point came out. I had a padded shooting rail , a range finder and a heavy barrel 6.5 Creedmoor along with a Leupold CDS scope that i can hit a 4 inch gong out to 520 yards(furthest the range goes that I shoot at.) t here was no chance to move closer and the deer was not coming closer either. Rock solid little or no wind ranged it and shot it at 408. Dropped in its tracks, had there been wind or if i didn't have the rest i did I wouldn't have shot. i practice with and shoot that gun quite often so i was confident in the shot. Any of my other rifles no.
 
#4 ·
Soggy Socks said:
I was in that situation the Friday after Thanksgiving. I was in a ladder stand watching over a large fieldthat bordered lots of brush. A small buck came out across the field and ten minutes later a nice 8 point came out. I had a padded shooting rail , a range finder and a heavy barrel 6.5 Creedmoor along with a Leupold CDS scope that i can hit a 4 inch gong out to 520 yards(furthest the range goes that I shoot at.) t here was no chance to move closer and the deer was not coming closer either. Rock solid little or no wind ranged it and shot it at 408. Dropped in its tracks, had there been wind or if i didn't have the rest i did I wouldn't have shot. i practice with and shoot that gun quite often so i was confident in the shot. Any of my other rifles no.
You are obviously a good and ethical hunter and a damn fine marksman. You know your limitations. My limitation is about 300 yards. I don't practice shots beyond that. If I don't feel confident or comfortable with a shot I don't take it. I wish there more hunters like you.
 
#7 ·
baltz526 said:
California Sprig said:
I know a guy who took his son deer hunting and attempted a shot I don't think they should of tried. Just looking for comments and opinions. The son a teen had shot several deer over the last couple years so not a newbie. He shot at a buck that was 431 yards away (about a quarter mile). It was fairly open country. I don't think there was noticeable wind. The shot hit the upper front leg of the buck. They attempted to follow the blood trail but lost it in heavy almost impenetrable brush. I say that distance , a shot should only be taken by an experienced hunter who is a well practiced expert marksman. I do not know the caliber of the gun or the scope it had. I personally think I would not have taken that shot but I know guys who are probably competent to make that shot. What say you?
It was not the shooter. It was the teacher who failed.
You are 100% correct. The shooter was about 18 and it was his father that told him to take the shot. That kind of thing makes me sick.
 
#8 ·
Everyone has limits-and everyone flubs shots, near and far. Equipment means everything but only if you use it often enough to be skilled with it. 400 yards to me is nothing, while to others, it might be far out of range.
we celebrate Nash Buckingham and his “Bo Whoop” shotgun for their ability to crush long shots, while we crucify “sky busting” for waterfowl. I’m not defending this deer hunter, but I’m not judging him either-sad that he crippled one, but it will happen in any arena. . .
 
#10 ·
Waterfowl and Arizona coues deer are my passion. I used to judge people who took the long shots until I became proficient myself and understood what all goes into it. The key is understanding what all goes into it, and only taking those shots because you can't get closer and opportunities are few.
I'm not saying it is right, but if you want to kill deer every year out west (especially Arizona), 15x binoculars and lots of 500-600 yard practice make those 300-500 yard shots part of getting it done. Shooting past 500 is when it really gets tricky and there is more than the wind to worry about.
In this situation with dad and an 18 year old semi-accomplished shooter, I would base any judgment on how much practice was put in at extended ranges, the result of said practice and what the attitude was when the shot was taken and missed.
 
#11 ·
Most "Good hunters" will only shoot where the rifle,load and shooter can place the bullet in a kill area......
100% of the time for the conditions and skills at hand, for the type of wepon used, be it bow, BP, revolver or rifle.

After 200 yards, most hunters can only place 50% of their shots where they want them............
at 400 yards, about 1 out of 10 hunters can hit the target 5 out of 5 shots in a 12" area.
My longest shot on a deer was around 540 yards.......
but it was on a wounded deer one of our party hit in the front leg, looking at us at 300 yards +/-.

"Watch this" type hunters are not allowed in our deer camp.
 
#13 ·
From this forum here is exactly what we are discussing. I’m against it-but you all get to form your own boundaries and retrictions
Vertebrate Font Mammal Gesture Screenshot
 
#14 ·
Deer are like Nazi’s. If you see one you shoot at it. They’ll make more next spring
 
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