Average Distance for Shooting Western Big Game

[147 Grain]

Would like to hear from western hunters as to the average distance they're shot Big Game at (i.e. deer, elk, bear, & etc...)?

[Redhawk1]

I have had shots from 100 to 300 yards. 300 yards is what I set for myself as the max distance I will take game. But there will be opportunities of shots beyond 300 yards if you are up for the task.  

[Turtle]

I would agree with Redhawk on that.  On average 100-300 yds but I have seen some amazing shots past that.  The situations were right and the individuals knew what they and their firearms were capable of.

[Lawdog]

Out West here you can find brush/ timber as thick as you care to hunt.  Then there is the big wide open country where shots can be as far as you are capable of taking.  As Redhawk1 said shots usually run from 100 –300 yards but I have taken a few shots that went over 400 yards when trophy was too good to pass up.  Lawdog
 

[freddogs]

Many times I've had shots at antelope that  have been 100 yards or less.It seems most of my shots are in the 100 to 200 yard area.  I  usually limit myself to shots under 300 yards. 300 yards is a pretty long distance and most times animals are not as far away as you think. Many rifles zeroed at 200 yards allow you to shoot dead on out to 300 yards. Practice shooting at long ranges is really useful.

[crow_feather]

I shot this deer once that was a good distance.  Deer was so far out that he had to send me a telegram tellin me he was dead.

C F

[Redhawk1]

I shot this deer once that was a good distance.  Deer was so far out that he had to send me a telegram tellin me he was dead.

C F

I got one too, from my Caribou I shot.   :-D

[cobrad]

All my experience has been in western Colorado. Nearly all my shots have been in the 75 to 150 yard range. I've also shot several elk in the 3-500 yard range. I shoot a .300 sighted 3" high at 100 yds. That gives me a PBR of 300 yds.

[147 Grain]

I'm a precision shooter and normally don't sight high powered rifles 3" high at 100 yards.  For those that do, where to you aim on a Big Game animal at 100 yards:  i.e. 3" below where you hope the bullet hits or just put the crosshairs on target and don't worry about it?

[Slamfire]

I'm a precision shooter and normally don't sight high powered rifles 3" high at 100 yards.  For those that do, where to you aim on a Big Game animal at 100 yards:  i.e. 3" below where you hope the bullet hits or just put the crosshairs on target and don't worry about it?

Behind the forleg, 1/3 of the way up the body. That means you hit the middle of the lungs from 100 to 250 yards with a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps or there about.

My average in 33 years of western huntin' 226 yards, accordin' to my journal. All ranges were estimated, some were paced, but ground contours made pacing inaccurate.  :wink:

[Redhawk1]

I'm a precision shooter and normally don't sight high powered rifles 3" high at 100 yards.  For those that do, where to you aim on a Big Game animal at 100 yards:  i.e. 3" below where you hope the bullet hits or just put the crosshairs on target and don't worry about it?

Well if I have my gun sighted 3 inches high, I still aim where I normally do. There is a 14 inch area on a deer that is the vital zone. 3 inchs is not going to make for a bad shot.

What do you do for all the different distances you may encounter a deer at?  What is your sight in? Dead on at 100 yards? So where would you aim at 300 yards?

Most shooters can sight the gun in for a specific range and know that when the animal steps out at any range from 100 yards to 300 yards, your point of aim is the same. And I don't consider it not worrying about it. I know it will still be in the vital zone.  

[BeanMan]

Of all the deer, elk, and antelope I've shot in western Colorado the farthes was about 400 yards and the closest about 15 feet (my first bull).  The bull came up out of a draw that other hunters were pushing.  He turned around to look at his back trail while I put my sandwich down and put my rifle up.  Average shots around 75 yards more or less, I'm hunting high country timber.

BeanMan

[roper]

I hunt the Middle Park area of Co and you can kind of pick the distance you want (shoot)hunt from the dark timber to just wide open.  I prefer the wide open and I don't keep records but say around 300 plus yds on elk abit further on deer.  Depending on what caliber I decide to use but most times I sight-in dead on either 200 or 300yds.  If I get drawn of an antelope I sight the 6.5x284 at 400yds dead on.  I hunt the south east corner of Colorado and all you get is a long shot and gets real bad after the first day of shooting.  Well good luck to all.

[longwalker]

This will probably be disapointing but here goes. How about 107 yards. That is 9 deer antelope in 4 years. The five with a revolver skew the results dramatically, as they were all significantly under 100 yards. Where the Antelope and Mule deer were over 100 yards one over 350.

longwalker

[cobrad]

147 grain, I'm a bit of a precision shooter myself. I use a laser rangefinder and practice out to 650 yards. I also use a 1/2 mil reticle in a 2.5-10 tactical scope. At 1-200 yards I use the 1 mil hash mark above the cross hair. That puts me within an inch at those ranges. At 400 yards I hold 1/2 mil high, which puts me about 1" low. At 500, 1 1/2 mils high, which puts me right on again. These figures have been verified by shooting at measured distances. Most of my big game has been shot at less than 300 yds, and sighted in as I do I don't lose any time clicking in elevation or estimating hold over. Hold where you want to hit and squeeze. I don't shoot at big game at 650 yards, but the practice makes 300 yards seem easy.

[james]

For nine elk and three mulies the average has been 70 yards in Colo. That was using a 50 cal. muzzleloader and most were about 40 yards.  My Wyoming antelopes averaged 200 yards with a scope sighted .308.  I have heard the old mountain men made some extremely long shots.  One even stated he put salt behind his bullet so the meat wouldn't spoil before he got to it.  
James