Post by: GOcougsHunter on June 21, 2022, 11:47:19 AM
The vast majority of my large game harvests have been under 110 yds (rifle and bow)
I am a big fan of "closer the better" But, also am in awe of folks who can reach out to amazing yardages.
Post by: D-Rock425 on June 21, 2022, 11:53:03 AM
Post by: jstone on June 21, 2022, 11:54:53 AM
Post by: gaddy on June 21, 2022, 11:56:55 AM
Post by: timberfaller on June 21, 2022, 11:58:11 AM
Closest one was, when I got to where I wanted to be before daylight. Sitting with my back against a big pine. At shooting time I was scanning the area looking for deer coming up from the fields. Nothing in front of me, BUT felt like something was watching me, slowing looked behind the tree and up the hill about 40 yds was a three point laying in his bed. Went into the freezer!!
Post by: elkaholic123 on June 21, 2022, 12:04:20 PM
Post by: mburrows on June 21, 2022, 12:06:35 PM
I want to shoot a mule deer with a 30-30 and open sights one of these days.
Post by: Griiz on June 21, 2022, 12:09:42 PM
Post by: Karl Blanchard on June 21, 2022, 12:11:52 PM
Post by: MightyWhite on June 21, 2022, 12:18:42 PM
Big his eyes
Were when he realized he was duped !!!
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on June 21, 2022, 12:26:17 PM
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Post by: jowings22 on June 21, 2022, 12:30:23 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on June 21, 2022, 12:44:27 PM
Post by: Woodchuck on June 21, 2022, 12:50:51 PM
Post by: JJB11B on June 21, 2022, 01:00:55 PM
Post by: Westside88 on June 21, 2022, 01:08:47 PM
Post by: Farmer72 on June 21, 2022, 01:09:52 PM
My closest Antelope was about 50 yds. with my 270 Win
My closest and biggest Elk was 40 yds. with my bow.
Post by: deerlick on June 21, 2022, 01:19:37 PM
Post by: Fishmaker57 on June 21, 2022, 01:21:15 PM
Post by: baker5150 on June 21, 2022, 01:22:18 PM
opening morning a Buck popped up at 22 feet and I just couldn't help myself.
Post by: Fletch on June 21, 2022, 01:30:21 PM
Post by: KP-Skagit on June 21, 2022, 01:30:40 PM
I have a knack for this for some reason, I have taken 3 deer and a bear within 10 yards.
Post by: phildobaggins on June 21, 2022, 01:43:26 PM
Post by: Alchase on June 21, 2022, 02:17:27 PM
It took us all day to pack him out, because he ran off the road and fell 35 feet straight down into a culvert wash. Nothing but mud and Devil's Club.
After I tried to gracefully get down to my elk and started uncontrollably sliding, then took a nose dive right into the mud and devil's club next to the elk.
It took a combination of two tire chains, various lengths of rope and a tow strap my cousin rigged together to haul the quarters up and then myself out of that hell hole.
Now I keep a good rope in my truck and 550 para cord in my pack, :chuckle:
Post by: Magnum_Willys on June 21, 2022, 02:25:40 PM
Post by: WildBear on June 21, 2022, 02:42:35 PM
Post by: Dan-o on June 21, 2022, 02:48:38 PM
Heard them coming, and they walked right up to me in thick brush and popped out practically in my lap.
Post by: metlhead on June 21, 2022, 03:09:03 PM
Post by: GWP on June 21, 2022, 03:11:14 PM
My first Black Tail was 30 feet with a bow.
Another year the closest ‘could’ have been a doe (doe permit, modern, I was handgun hunting) I touched as it walked by me. Did not take it and I ended up skunked that year! Worth it though, for the experience of that hunt.
Post by: GWP on June 21, 2022, 03:16:01 PM
Had a wild boar charge me in Texas, I dove to the side and touched off 12 ga buckshot on hogs shoulder at range of about 6 to 12 inches. Dead hog landed right at my boot.
That’s why you hunt them from a helicopter!
Those things don’t play around! I understand there are folks that find it fun to kill them with just a knife. Yeah, I’ll pass on that.
Post by: duckmen1 on June 21, 2022, 03:22:06 PM
Seems coyotes are attracted to me during muzzleloader seasons. Shot another yote at 10 steps. Another one at 20 yards, and several others over the years.
Big difference in distance then the bobcat I shot with a 270 at 458 yards.
Post by: duckmen1 on June 21, 2022, 03:27:19 PM
Closest elk was 38 yards with a bow.
Closest deer roughly 15 yards muzzy.
Post by: jeffro on June 21, 2022, 03:49:11 PM
Damn near ran into it at sunrise as it jumped into the road in front of me
.44 mag from my Raging Bull to the neck, maybe 10’, I was back to the truck by 8am
Post by: highside74 on June 21, 2022, 03:51:15 PM
15 yards 1st bull elk
15 yards bull moose
Post by: fowl smacker on June 21, 2022, 04:02:56 PM
Post by: luvmystang67 on June 21, 2022, 05:10:36 PM
Closest elk was last years bull at 5 yards with the bow.
Closest deer... surely 10 yards or less on the islands, but it happened so many times I can't think of a specific instance.
Average bow shot is probably 20 yards, average rifle shot is probably 80.
Post by: duckmen1 on June 21, 2022, 05:14:40 PM
Post by: Alchase on June 21, 2022, 05:22:31 PM
Had a wild boar charge me in Texas, I dove to the side and touched off 12 ga buckshot on hogs shoulder at range of about 6 to 12 inches. Dead hog landed right at my boot.
I had a huge wild boar step onto the trail I was on and turn towards me at about 10 feet. I suck at estimating the size of wild pigs, but through my scope, he was a friggin monster. He had some scary cutters.
It happened so fast, all I saw was his ears go up and I put a 300 Win Mag 180 gr, between his eyes. I had my pistol out before I even thought to grab it.
At least my instincts worked well, this time.
This pig does not count though, I did not harvest it.
I count count the times when I was young, that I had my scope cranked up so I would not miss the long shots, only to have a shooter buck show up danger close, throw up the rifle, and all I see is fur. Can't tell what part of the body I am looking at. By the time I dial down, he is gone. :bash:
Post by: h20hunter on June 21, 2022, 05:39:15 PM
Post by: PolarBear on June 21, 2022, 05:45:03 PM
Post by: NOCK NOCK on June 21, 2022, 06:41:38 PM
BUT, here is the funny part. Years ago I missed a spike elk at 5 feet. :bash: I shoot compound and at that point, had never practiced at point blank. 2 spikes come up a trail i was sitting on, they had zero clue i was there, and they were going to walk right thru me. I had no idea where to aim, and ended up sending 1 right under his chest...........boy the woods/trail come alive after that.....fur and curse words were a flying. :chuckle:
Post by: bigmacc on June 21, 2022, 06:48:19 PM
Another inch or two in any direction and he would have been a circle 😆😆
Post by: NRA4LIFE on June 21, 2022, 07:17:09 PM
Post by: 7mmfan on June 21, 2022, 07:50:41 PM
Ones I didn't kill though were way closer. Had a doe and 2 fawns walk by at arms reach. Had a 6pt bull elk walk up and stand literally with his chin over the top of my head as I sat on a rock next to a tree eating lunch one time. Of course, spike only season. That was pretty amazing.
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on June 21, 2022, 07:53:35 PM
Post by: RobinHoodlum on June 21, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
Post by: nwwanderer on June 21, 2022, 08:28:31 PM
Pronghorn at less than 20 yards
Missed a decent bull with ML at 10 feet or so, went for the head shot but was wound up pretty tight as 75 or 100 had already thundered by
Dad killed a decent pronghorn at less than 50 yards, ran about a 5 mile circle and died almost exactly where he first shot him
Post by: Sliverslinger on June 21, 2022, 08:43:03 PM
Post by: 7mmfan on June 21, 2022, 09:03:33 PM
Post by: Okanagan on June 21, 2022, 09:10:42 PM
Post by: Jason on June 21, 2022, 11:48:17 PM
Post by: Jpmiller on June 22, 2022, 06:55:08 AM
Post by: h2ofowlr on June 22, 2022, 08:07:20 AM
Post by: OutHouse on June 22, 2022, 08:56:27 AM
Post by: Igottanewknee on June 22, 2022, 09:12:32 AM
Post by: blindluck on June 23, 2022, 07:07:28 AM
Post by: CamoDup on June 23, 2022, 08:21:17 AM
Also, shot a 3 point buck at about 20 yards with a rifle. He must had been running from another hunter because he was coming straight at me. He went into a little draw and I popped over the edge and he was standing there broadside looking around. I stood up quick to get above the brush and I shot off hand. He took off running like he wasn't touched. I seriously thought I just missed. When I got to where he was standing I saw the blood and lungs splattered on the trees. He went about 50 yards and piled up. He was a dead man running. I still can't believe he ran that far. Shot him with a .300 Weatherby Mag at 20 yards.
Post by: JJB11B on June 23, 2022, 11:11:54 AM
Post by: KDfishbiologist on June 23, 2022, 11:40:56 AM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on June 23, 2022, 11:45:29 AM
Shot cow elk with my bow at about 9 feet. At first light I gave a cow call and it responded right up the hill from me about 40 yards away. Walked right down to me and shot her broad side. My arrow flew through her and I never did find it.
Also, shot a 3 point buck at about 20 yards with a rifle. He must had been running from another hunter because he was coming straight at me. He went into a little draw and I popped over the edge and he was standing there broadside looking around. I stood up quick to get above the brush and I shot off hand. He took off running like he wasn't touched. I seriously thought I just missed. When I got to where he was standing I saw the blood and lungs splattered on the trees. He went about 50 yards and piled up. He was a dead man running. I still can't believe he ran that far. Shot him with a .300 Weatherby Mag at 20 yards.
I shot a WT doe at about 15 yards last year, detonated her heart. She ran a good 40 yards. The nice part was I barely got my hands dirty when I gutted her.
Post by: Farmer72 on June 23, 2022, 12:14:59 PM
I remember quail hunting with my Dad and Uncle, quail were flushing everywhere and I locked onto one flying toward me, he wasn't far off the tip of my barrel when the shot broke, mostly some feathers and feet is all we got of that one
I didn't even think about bird hunting. I shot a quail when I was a young that was a foot away from my head with a 22 rifle. Essentially I was kneeling down looking under some tall Scotch broom for quail (as they would run around under the scotch broom and I would shoot them with the 22 rifle when they stopped), when a quail flew up and landed on a branch of a small alder tree, I was next to, a foot from my head. I slowly turned the rifle and put it about 4" from the quails head and pulled the trigger.
Post by: Stein on June 23, 2022, 12:55:04 PM
Post by: Karl Blanchard on June 23, 2022, 02:10:43 PM
Post by: JJB11B on June 23, 2022, 03:17:31 PM
Hahaha! Oh birds! My first year hunting my dad took me out to the wenas for the youth pheasant opener. First rooster we kicked up I took forever to shoot and the bird was too far away. Of course I got yelled at for screwing it up :chuckle: So the next rooster that kicked up I wasn't gonna give him an inch and promptly spatchcocked him with a load of #6 shot. Needless to say I once again got yelled at. There's probably STILL feathers floating around the hay shed out there :chuckle: 🤦♂️other than the species this sounds very much like the detailed version of my memory lol!
Post by: dilleytech on June 23, 2022, 05:13:43 PM
Post by: brew on June 23, 2022, 06:41:49 PM
Post by: Shawn Ryan on June 23, 2022, 08:10:37 PM
20 yards on a bear with bow from the ground, no blind.
2-3 feet on a 3x3 mule deer that someone else shot in the lower back leg. The poor deer was hiding under an apple tree. I just pointed from the hip and shot.
10 yards on a rock chuck with a 20 gauge shotgun after sneaking up on it in an open pasture and shallow ditch. I was young and would hunt anything. I was rewarded with #6 shot in the shin after ricocheting off the rocks.
Have had to move out of the way of elk to not be stepped on. May have slapped the butt of a bison in a National Park. Stalked/walked up on a cougar eating a porcupine--7 yards.
Post by: Russ McDonald on June 24, 2022, 06:07:55 PM
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Post by: bfranklin81 on June 26, 2022, 12:16:17 AM
Post by: Rutnbuxnbulls on June 26, 2022, 06:29:59 AM
Post by: Caseknife on June 26, 2022, 07:07:08 AM
Another was about 15 years later and I had my Winchester 338WM, opening morning of elk season just up the ridge from camp at what my buddy named the "changing rock". Standing there looking up the ridge and across the canyon, I heard huffing and puffing below and behind me. Here come 4 elk, three cows and a spike, up the steep trail and right to me. Shot that spike bull at about 20 feet. Not a real good test of the venerable 338, but dead elk opening morning. Had to go find a phone spot and call my buddy who was missing elk season because he was moving and rub it in a bit, haha.
Post by: TommyGun496 on June 26, 2022, 02:33:14 PM
Post by: Ricochet on June 26, 2022, 07:46:43 PM
Blacktail buck(bedded) at 25 yards with my rifle.
Blacktail buck at 6 yards with my shotgun.
Mule deer at 20 yards with my muzzleloader.
Cougar at 12 yards with my handgun.
Thanks to the OP for starting this trip down memory lane. :tup:
Post by: TeacherMan on August 01, 2022, 04:46:53 PM
Post by: timberfaller on August 01, 2022, 05:02:46 PM
Post by: HUNTIN4SIX on August 01, 2022, 06:22:42 PM
Post by: Lumpy Taters on August 01, 2022, 07:52:24 PM
Post by: CavemantheHunter on August 02, 2022, 03:48:25 PM
Post by: Magnum_Willys on August 02, 2022, 05:25:51 PM
Shot my last Idaho bear at 15' +/- 3'. Spot and stalk, no hounds.
:yike: Uh with a little more practice you might not need to stalk so close next time..... ? :yike:
Post by: Caveman123 on August 02, 2022, 05:34:41 PM
Post by: CavemantheHunter on August 03, 2022, 09:08:50 AM
Shot my last Idaho bear at 15' +/- 3'. Spot and stalk, no hounds.
:yike: Uh with a little more practice you might not need to stalk so close next time..... ? :yike:
I definitely would've preferred to be further, but it was in thick brush with only one trail and about 20' of visibility where she popped up.
Post by: kball4 on August 04, 2022, 10:23:07 AM
Post by: npaull on August 04, 2022, 01:27:34 PM
Post by: Old Man8383 on August 09, 2022, 05:39:49 PM
Post by: Dirty Mike on August 09, 2022, 06:28:30 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on August 09, 2022, 09:52:20 PM
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Post by: pat2bear on August 09, 2022, 09:58:16 PM
Post by: haus on August 10, 2022, 04:14:38 AM
6 inches. Mole in my back yard. :chuckle:And the winner is this guy ^
I’d pay to see that :chuckle:
Post by: nwwanderer on August 10, 2022, 05:35:42 AM
Post by: boneaddict on August 14, 2022, 12:28:37 PM
I put the barrel of my 30-30 to a bears head to kill it when he came out of the tree and landed next to me, does that count?
Post by: bigmacc on August 14, 2022, 08:06:55 PM
10 feet on a whitetail when I pulled the trigger, slid past me and at about 2 feet when deadYep.
I put the barrel of my 30-30 to a bears head to kill it when he came out of the tree and landed next to me, does that count?
Post by: NWWA Hunter on August 15, 2022, 12:02:35 AM
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Post by: Dwrecknfish on August 20, 2022, 08:34:12 PM