How many of you are planning to shoot a deer over 300 yards?

[hunter399]

Over the years the only way I've found to for sure get a spooked deer to stop is a well placed bullet. Trotting at 50 yards I've seldom had a problem getting em to stop, but learned to shoot quickly hunting the thick oak brush in Utah. Kinda like jump shooting ducks.

One could make the argument that taking snap shots on moving animals in thick cover is much more likely to result in poor shot placement than taking your time, setting up properly and dialing on a stationary un-spooked critter at 600 yards. If you're confident in your skillset to do so then more power to you, but that's a pretty good illustration of how ethics isn't a black and white issue and how it all boils down to the individual and what they're comfortable with. IMO 90% of the hate against "long range" hunting is simply one generation being uncomfortable with something they're not used to because they didn't grow up with it being the norm.

Personally not a long range shooter hater.  If that's how you enjoy hunting, that's fine with me.  You are correct it's personal thing.  I started going hunting in the fifties. Very few hunters had scopes and if they did they were not variable, usually 4 power and fogged up constantly. The equipment we used simply didn't allow long range shooting.  You either got good at fairly short range,open sight shooting or you didn't get your deer or elk. Heck, if the gear to shoot long range had been reasonably available we'd have used it, so I don't resent the hunters who use it now that it is available. Personally just am comfortable and enjoy hunting the way I grew up doing it. Now days, for me, the hunting experience means way more than the actually shooting part anyway.
 

I remember those days.
I'm not an old timer,but I grew up hunting with a few.
One guy I remember when I was a kid,walk around with his 30-30.
Hammer cocked all the way back ,ready to rock all the time.
Quick shots at closer ranges was how tags got filled.
Safe on rifles slowed you down.

[bearhunter99]

I would say 90% of the animals I have taken were less than 300 yards with a rifle.  That being said - I practice out to 500 with my rifle and 100 yards with my bow.  My biggest issue is watching guys shooting across a canyon - even with all the practice, money spent on a rifle and optics and shooting at a range there is just no way to predict wind drift.  It might be blowing 8 mph left to right where the shooter is but the other ridge could be blowing 10mph the other direction on the other ridge 800 yards away.

With a bow I limit it to 60 yards.    A 60 yard shot with my bow feels like nothing after practicing to 100 yards but even though I can put all my arrows in a 4" circle at 100 I would never shoot at an animal that far - just to many variables.

As many on here have said there are too any people that shoot father than they should and for some 100 yards is too far with a rifle....  Too much influence on social media and hunting programs give people a false sense of what can be accomplished.  Couple that with some dealers telling guys that if you buy "this" expensive rifle you can kill anything out to 1000 yards....

[baldopepper]

Hypothetically, if they made it illegal to use any magnifying apparatus above 4 power, restricted possession of firearms in an atv, and no baiting during hunting seasons would you still go hunting? 

[Geno]

Knowing that both you and your equipment are capable of the shot, regardless of the distance because you have become proficient through practice that is more than putting a few bullets in a paper plate from your lead sled at 100 yards at the local range or gravel pit. What I find most concerning is a hunter who empties their rifle at an animal that is clearly over 200 yards and has no idea how far it really is because they don't carry a range finder. I question the ethics of shooting at a moving animal regardless of the distance, it's always situational of course. I think most hunters including myself have done it,  the outcome is usually not pretty. Shooting at a running animal unless it's a follow up shot to complete the kill is a hard NO for me. Hunters who want to become more proficient at distance should try hunting predators like coyotes,  the deer will benefit from your success also.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I passed on the biggest buck I’ve ever seen because my scope just wasn’t enough IMO, and he was waking in and out of lodge pole pines. Later ranged it at 400 plus yards. At the time I had a Leopoldo VX 2 3x9 on my .300WM BOSS.

I had done some long range shooting on milk jugs at 1000 yards and hit them, but a deer is a whole different story when moving.

The herd of deer moved out of the bowl I was glassing because a couple other guys had pushed them out, they followed them into the timber and got a really nice buck with lots of trash on him.

But the one I saw was a huge typical 4x4.

[Stein]

400 is my magic number although I would be surprised to shoot one that far.  It seems like I usually can't see them that far or it's fairly easy to cut the distance in half.

[Wingin it]

It is fun to shoot long distance at targets. I have the equipment and am capable of shooting long distance confidently when conditions permit. That being said, I’d rather shoot an animal at 50 yards than 500. I still live by the motto that closer is always better! If conditions are good I’ll shoot to 600 but if I feel I can get closer I’ll work to do so. My longest kill to date is 378. I have not had to attempt shooting an animal at longer range yet. I’ve had chances to but I’ve always been able to close some distance.
One of these days when I pull an antelope tag I think the longer ranges may come into play. I think we owe it to the animals to get as close as we reasonably can to minimize the chances of wounding and possibly not recovering them. Just my two cents.

[brokentrail]

Hypothetically, if they made it illegal to use any magnifying apparatus above 4 power, restricted possession of firearms in an atv, and no baiting during hunting seasons would you still go hunting?

Yep.  I enjoy my time out there even if I'm not carrying a weapon.  I spend a lot of time scouting and enjoy it just as much as the actual hunting,  but the result of hunting success sure tastes better!

[JBBeck]

Here in Eastern Washington a 300 yard shot at a deer is often possible. I enjoy practicing for long shots. Merry Christmas!

[kodiak06]

My gun is set to 700 but I prefer less than 200. My BT this year was 280 but I couldn't get any closer like I wanted.
I usually bow hunt and just use my gun to fill elk damage tags

[Crunchy]

Everybody has their own preference or style of hunting.  Me, these days I hunt areas where the only place you'll see deer is 400-600 yards on opposite hillside.  I prefer close shots, but my last two were 535 and 426 on deer.  Both one shot kills.  I like the idea of a super lite little pump action .243 open site and hunting timber and ferns, but the day I bring that rifle, the deer of a lifetime would walk out at 500 yards.  Getting older, I like to listen sit in the truck, listen to the radio, drink coffee and glass 

[teanawayslayer]

Always practice an prepare for long range shots.last 4 years have been 300 and under. Am sufficient out to 800 in the correct conditions, would not hesitate!

[Okanagan]

I don't plan to shoot a deer over 300 but like to be able to.  I've killed more big game at under 100 yards than over, at least a third of them well under 50.  I put down a wounded bull at 690 that should never have been shot at.

Plans and expectations had best not be rigid when it comes to wild animals. My grandson dialed in a long range rig and was confident to 600 yards-- and then two years in a row in mostly wide open alpine, killed a bear at 15 yards with that rifle.

[callturner]

Not into shooting game at long range but I would if I was comfortable. Most of my deer have been at 100 or less. That saying my first mule buck was at 524 yds ranged. There were 2 across a canyon and I was able to lay down and take a shot. Dropped him DRT. The only running shot was at 50 ft with a 41 mag pistol going away. Head shot and blew off one antler.  I shoot targets a long ways away. 600, 800, 1000, yds shooting BPCR with no scope and planning on trying the Wasserberg mile shoot in Sept. Just for the fun of it.

[boneaddict]

I had a day once, about a foot of fresh snow and the migration was on.   I was on a ridge and had lots of company.   I glassed up a giant dark antlered typical just standing there, way down in the valley below me.  Nothing but rocks and Thick timber between us.  He just stood in the open spot like I was meant to see him.   He was big enough I had to try.  I knew I was way out of my league with this shot.    I got a good rest and held just above his back and let fly. He didnt move and I saw nothing that indicated where the bullet hit.  25-06 117s.    I raised it up about a foot above his back and fired again.  Same thing.  I put my rifle down and sat and stared at him for a bit through the binos.   Revaluated again that there was no way I'd get to him. I had to walk away.    He lived to feed a cougar or ended up being someone's buck of a lifetime.   I figured it was about 800 yards.  It was probably closer to 1200 or so.  Those were the good ole days.