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Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: GOcougsHunter on June 21, 2022, 11:47:19 AM


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Title: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: GOcougsHunter on June 21, 2022, 11:47:19 AM
Lots of good talk about long distance shooting and being effective at long ranges. Let's go the other way.  What is the closest shot you have successfully taken an animal?  My biggest blacktail, to date, was taken with a shotgun with a slug during the rut at a staggering 10 ft.  He was chasing a doe and had no idea I was even there.

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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: D-Rock425 on June 21, 2022, 11:53:03 AM
Shot a bear last weekend in Idaho at 22 yards.  Montana buck last year was at 30 yards.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: jstone on June 21, 2022, 11:54:53 AM
First deer 10 yards black tail spike with a 30-30
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: gaddy on June 21, 2022, 11:56:55 AM
I'd say about 10' as well.  Cow Elk with a 30-06. Was sitting next to a tree and she brought the group  from the other side of the tree. At the shot, They wheeled around and went maybe 15yds and stopped not knowing what happened and never saw me. She was the lead. After a bit, seemed like forever, she groaned and just tipped over.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: timberfaller on June 21, 2022, 11:58:11 AM
All the deer I have harvested, my longest shot was 80yds.  Don't worry about doing and long range stuff.

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!!
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: elkaholic123 on June 21, 2022, 12:04:20 PM
Less than 5 yards on a cow elk with bow, out of a tree stand, It walked directly under me!
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: mburrows on June 21, 2022, 12:06:35 PM
6 yards on a whitetail in a ground blind with my bow a couple years ago.

I want to shoot a mule deer with a 30-30 and open sights one of these days.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Griiz on June 21, 2022, 12:09:42 PM
My largest blacktail was at about 15 feet and 2 black bear from 20 and 30 feet. I was sitting on a deer carcass in thick brush for the 20 feet bear. I jumped him off of it earlier in the day. There were two trails coming into it, I would have shot him at about 5 feet if he came in on the trail nearest me. I was glad when he came in on the other trail. I could have shot a coyote at 3 feet while sitting against a stump, but didn't want to make noise as I was deer hunting, so I waived at it when it was next to me. My first blacktail was at about 30 feet. It was windy and I saw something moving in a salmon berry brush patch at around 7 feet. I couldn't make it out for a bit. It was a bedded deer and it was licking itself. It got up and left, so I snuck around the patch and he was standing near where I first saw him. I dropped him and my uncle Larry helped me dress him out.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Karl Blanchard on June 21, 2022, 12:11:52 PM
Belly crawling through tall CRP in some serious wind and rain on a stalk on a different buck. As I parted through the grass there he layer facing into the wind. Not exactly sure on the distance but the sabot from my 50 cal was a few inches into the hole in his neck  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: MightyWhite on June 21, 2022, 12:18:42 PM
15 ft on a 3pt muley  bedded in the big sage…i rememember how
Big his eyes
Were when he realized he was duped !!!
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on June 21, 2022, 12:26:17 PM
Shot my biggest muley buck at about 10 yds, tracked him up to his bed and bumped him right out from under my feet but he stopped to see what I was and that was his mistake. Killed another buck in the same spot 2 years later at about 40 yds in his bed. Shot him in the forehead because the rest of him was obscured by sagebrush.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: jowings22 on June 21, 2022, 12:30:23 PM
First 3 archery elk were a combined distance of maybe 20 yards.  :tup:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on June 21, 2022, 12:44:27 PM
Black bear that I scared up a tree at 8 feet.🤣
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Woodchuck on June 21, 2022, 12:50:51 PM
I killed a whitetail buck at 10 steps that I snuck up on out in the wheat stubble. I wanted my nephew to shoot him but he couldn't believe we were that close to him and kept looking up on the hillside. lol
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: JJB11B on June 21, 2022, 01:00:55 PM
my very first deer was bedded down in a tight little draw on the opposite side of me not 10 yards away, He came out of the grass almost under my feet. shot him at about 20 yards, small basket rack 4pt whitetail
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Westside88 on June 21, 2022, 01:08:47 PM
Big mature black tail at about 15 yards. Hunting along a trail slow and quiet. Got him on the way back out when he tried to cross behind me
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Farmer72 on June 21, 2022, 01:09:52 PM
My closest and biggest Blacktail (3x4) was shot at approx. 5 yds. with a 6.5x55 Swede.
My closest Antelope was about 50 yds. with my 270 Win
My closest and biggest Elk was 40 yds. with my bow.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: deerlick on June 21, 2022, 01:19:37 PM
had a bear come running into to our bugles during muzzleloader elk season a few years ago, shot him at 3 feet when he looked like he was going to run me over
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Fishmaker57 on June 21, 2022, 01:21:15 PM
Shot my Moose last year at 30 yards, with a 6.5 PRC.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: baker5150 on June 21, 2022, 01:22:18 PM
A few years back I finally finished a 21/2 year "long range" rifle set up and load development.......

opening morning a Buck popped up at 22 feet and I just couldn't help myself.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Fletch on June 21, 2022, 01:30:21 PM
I shot a 3 pt mule deer at 6 steps.  a friend of mine jumped it in the CRP and it ran right too me.  I knelt down and let it come... almost too close.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: KP-Skagit on June 21, 2022, 01:30:40 PM
I shot a blacktail spike one year at about 2 yards. I saw him from a distance away through thick brush, dropped into a canyon and came up to him over a small rise.

I have a knack for this for some reason, I have taken 3 deer and a bear within 10 yards.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: phildobaggins on June 21, 2022, 01:43:26 PM
Shot a 3x3 mulie at 15 yards, and a 4x4 at 9 yards, both from a knee.  :tup:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Alchase on June 21, 2022, 02:17:27 PM
My closest was a bull that stepped out of the brush 5 yards in front of me, on a closed road 200 yards from my truck.
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:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Magnum_Willys on June 21, 2022, 02:25:40 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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: WildBear on June 21, 2022, 02:42:35 PM
Closest shot was my first deer. Swear it was just 20ft. Came running up the hill to a plateau, looked up as the buck looked up. I thought, “It’s Legal” when I got to the 4th point. Dropped him with the ‘Ol 30-30
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Dan-o on June 21, 2022, 02:48:38 PM
Cow elk at 3-4 feet with my muzzeloader.
Heard them coming, and they walked right up to me in thick brush and popped out practically in my lap.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: metlhead on June 21, 2022, 03:09:03 PM
Blacktail doe was a few feet with my recurve. Many deer less than 10yds with the muzzleloader. Closest gun kill was a blacktail at eight yards with my shotgun.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: GWP on June 21, 2022, 03:11:14 PM
Some time back there was a questionnaire and the average shot deer in Washington was less than 70 yards.

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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: duckmen1 on June 21, 2022, 03:22:06 PM
3 steps from a coyote with a muzzleloader. He spooked a 5x5 whitetail away as soon as I was getting ready to shoot the buck. Out of frustration he took the lead pill when he came closer and about stepped on me. The cloud of smoke covered the coyote from the shot.  :chuckle:
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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: duckmen1 on June 21, 2022, 03:27:19 PM
Closest bear was shot at 6 steps. 270 150 gr fusions. Put it down fast in a frontal shot.

Closest elk was 38 yards with a bow.

Closest deer roughly 15 yards muzzy.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: jeffro on June 21, 2022, 03:49:11 PM
First deer I ever harvested, riding my mountain bike into “the spot”
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
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: highside74 on June 21, 2022, 03:51:15 PM
8 yards Blacktail archery buck spot and stock and 13 yards Blacktail buck from a ground blind.

15 yards 1st bull elk

15 yards bull moose
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: fowl smacker on June 21, 2022, 04:02:56 PM
Don't know "exact" distance, but I shot a cow elk that I had to actually step back from with my bow drawn so she wouldn't walk into it.  I was behind about a 7ft tall fir tree.  I'm guessing when I released my arrow it was about 6" from her.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: luvmystang67 on June 21, 2022, 05:10:36 PM
This is fun.

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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: duckmen1 on June 21, 2022, 05:14:40 PM
I think most can agree close is way more fun and exciting then long distance shots. Makes for a funner experience. Long shots when neccessary but feels more like shooting at the range. I am more impressed with those that get close and make a hunt truely a personal experience.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: h20hunter on June 21, 2022, 05:39:15 PM
5.....6 feet? Just a slick headed mules but she was close enough to see her eyelashes.  Right in the chest, arrow punched her heart, she went 8 hops per the blood and fell over. Bear.....maybe 15 yards, 270 150 gr Barnes.  Dead bear.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: PolarBear on June 21, 2022, 05:45:03 PM
Blacktail buck at 12”-18” with my bow. He walked right up to the tree that I was standing behind in an absolute torrential downpour. My arrow went completely through him and only my fletchings were sticking out of the ground. My last 2 rifle blacktails were at less than 20 feet. They were both at a dead run at me and I had to yell at one to get it to stop for a shot. Last year’s wouldn’t stop so I hit him full frontal. He basically dropped at my feet. Calling at the end of October can really get em stupid. 🤣 Killed a raghorn bull at 16 feet with my bow in heavy jack firs. I like up close and personal  hunting. 🤣
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: NOCK NOCK on June 21, 2022, 06:41:38 PM
As an archery guy, have shot several critters at under 10 feet.

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:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: bigmacc on June 21, 2022, 06:48:19 PM
I think it was around 1961 or 2. Dad and I were walking up a ridge, we had sat at a spot and waited for it to start lightning up because it was an area that deer bedded in during migrations. We set out, dad telling me “when we get up here a hundred yards or so I’m going to let you get in front, we might jump something “, we walked maybe 50 yards and jumped “the butterball”, dad was in front of me, he swung a 300 weatherby off his shoulder and dropped the buck in one movement. The rifle never was shouldered, it was fired from the hip. Blew an exit hole that was pretty unbelievable😆. Buck down, was bedded behind a deadfall, jumped up in front of us and dropped. Maybe a 20 foot shot, scared the crap out of both of us!😆. It had horns! A nice big 2 by 2 (26” spread “) 230 lbs but had the shortest body I’ve ever seen, from head to butt, hence the name “ butterball”👍

Another inch or two in any direction and he would have been a circle 😆😆
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: NRA4LIFE on June 21, 2022, 07:17:09 PM
Somewhere around 13-14 feet.  Only reason for the guess is my deer stand was 12 feet off the ground and he walked directly under me.  My muzzle was 13-14 feet I figure.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: 7mmfan on June 21, 2022, 07:50:41 PM
The closest I've killed was about 15 yards. 2x3 mule deer near Winthrop when I was about 15. Also killed a blacktail at a similar distance justa year or two later.

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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on June 21, 2022, 07:53:35 PM
Shot an elk frontal im guessing around 5 feet, i remember thinking " i better shoot so my arrow has some momentum".  :chuckle: crazy thing was he swapped ends and took one step before falling over, I had to get out of his way to avoid getting hit. 


Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: RobinHoodlum on June 21, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
Closest and most exhilarating shot for me as a black bear at 19 yards with my bow. Spot and stalk from a 1/2 mile away. Sat and waited with fingers crossed for over an hour in an area with downhill shooting lanes and uphill thermals. He fed up and into my side hill so I crept about five steps steps to clear a knoll and glimpsed the top of his head. Waited for another minute and  came out of a crouch at full draw. He noticed and turned to me as I released. Frontal chest shot passed through and the bear let out an immediate roar/woof noise, then turned and burned. Dead on his feet before crashing into trees 30 yards downhill. Checked my pants and fortunately all was good on that end!
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: nwwanderer on June 21, 2022, 08:28:31 PM
Little WT buck at 10-15 feet
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
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Sliverslinger on June 21, 2022, 08:43:03 PM
In super thick brush I called a giant bull in and my buddy next to me arrowed it at 5 steps. It bolted right past us. Pretty gnarly. Probably the most intense was another time I call a bull in in super thick reprod. He bugled in my face 2ce from directly on the other side of a jackfir. Maybe 3 yards. I didn’t have a shot on him and he winded me or maybe heard my knees knocking, but it tied the closest I’ve ever been to a bull and made my ears ring for days.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: 7mmfan on June 21, 2022, 09:03:33 PM
Forgot about a whitetail buck i shot at with my bow at less than 10'. Bedded in tall canary grass all I could see was his ears and antlers. Was nervous about a head shot so shot where I thought his vitals were. Obviously a terrible decision. Luckily he was facing the wrong way and I missed cleanly.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Okanagan on June 21, 2022, 09:10:42 PM
4 inches on a spike bull elk in the Blues, when I was 15.  He ran over me in a thicket.  I could hear him coming but could not see him till he was so close I jumped backward and to one side and twisted my upper body away from him to keep his shoulder from hitting the muzzle of my 30-30 carbine.  Powder burn on his shoulder, in the 2 to 6 inch range as judged by what the muzzle flash looked like on that rifle. 



Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Jason on June 21, 2022, 11:48:17 PM
63 yards spot and stock Archery Antelope in Montana 2017. Buck made Pope and Young book.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Jpmiller on June 22, 2022, 06:55:08 AM
My first deer was a spike blacktail hanging out with what I'm assuming was his twin brother. I shot mine and the other hung around. I really wanted my dad to shoot it but he wouldn't, eventually that other buck went the same way as mine. As we were walking up to my buck the other one just refused to leave. We were coming at the deer from slightly different angles and my dad had the surviving brother in between him and my deer. I kept telling him to shoot it and he kept saying he didn't want to process two deer that day. The buck refused to move and all of a sudden my dad was very uncomfortable with how close they were and raised his rifle. He couldn't see anything through the scope and had to ask me to confirm if he had the barrel in the right spot. I let him know he did and he fired. Powder burns all over the front of the deer, less than a foot away from the muzzle. To this day he still claims it was self defense and now I know why he didn't want to process two deer in a day.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: h2ofowlr on June 22, 2022, 08:07:20 AM
I shot a blacktail buck at about 10 feet with buck shot.  I was standing next to a tree and it walked right past me before I fired.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: OutHouse on June 22, 2022, 08:56:27 AM
Maybe 8 yards? Muzzleloader whitetail back in 16'. Should be in that deer thread. It was awfully close as I recall. Buck had me pinned in a blind had to lean down and shoot out the crack in the door.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Igottanewknee on June 22, 2022, 09:12:32 AM
We were making a drive while bow hunting back in Wisconsin. Shot a spike at about 18” from the tip of my arrow as he was running by me. Wish I would have been in that position the day before when my cousin missed a huge 12 point (6 by 6). Cousin panicked and shot an arrow into the dirt about 3 feet away from him.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: blindluck on June 23, 2022, 07:07:28 AM
Opening day Archery 7am,  Cow and calf running right at me then Veered off to my left and I shot without even really aiming they were so close. I walked 3 big steps to where they ran by. Arrow blew through her and stuck in a log
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: CamoDup on June 23, 2022, 08:21:17 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. 
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: JJB11B on June 23, 2022, 11:11:54 AM
I remember quail hunting with my Dad and Uncle, quail were flushing everywhere and I locked onto one flying toward me, he wasnt far off the tip of my barrel when the shot broke, mostly some feathers and feet is all we got of that one
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: KDfishbiologist on June 23, 2022, 11:40:56 AM
Whitetail at 12 yards. My stepdad shot a doe down a steep hill. I walked down to her while he got the four wheeler. Little spike walked out of the trees and right up to me. Almost felt a little bad, but I mounted his little spikes.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Stein on June 23, 2022, 12:55:04 PM
I shot a wigeon at about 1 yard, hopefully won't do that again.  It was close to a self defense situation, usually they fly away from me quickly but this one did the opposite.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Karl Blanchard on June 23, 2022, 02:10:43 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: 🤦‍♂️
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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!
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: dilleytech on June 23, 2022, 05:13:43 PM
In my 25 years of hunting archery, muzzy, and rifle. My furthest shot was about 150. My closest probably 15
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: brew on June 23, 2022, 06:41:49 PM
Was archery hunting in Weyco.  Driving down a road early morning saw a deer a little ways down a spur. Drove past and parked the truck and walked up the spur and saw a deer trail in the cut where the deer was pointed.  Snuck down the deer trail and jumped up on the beaten up old growth snag laying across the trail.  A deer was bedded just feet away on the backside of the log and stood looking at me after taking a step.  Dont remember how many feet away from me it was but I was staring at the dew drops on the spike's whiskers and eyelashes as I drew my bow only half way and horizontal when i released...didn't even use the pins and he went about 3 steps and tipped over.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Shawn Ryan on June 23, 2022, 08:10:37 PM
7 yards on a bull elk with bow.
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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Russ McDonald on June 24, 2022, 06:07:55 PM
12 years old my first deer.  10 pt white tail 30 yards rifle.  Last shot before he tipped over less than 2 foot.  Archery my first mule deer 20 feet out of a blind.

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Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: bfranklin81 on June 26, 2022, 12:16:17 AM
I've shot 4 deer with my muzzleloader. Longest shot was about 40yds. Two of them were within 20 feet.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Rutnbuxnbulls on June 26, 2022, 06:29:59 AM
Archery late whitetail- in a two man ladder stand, weather was terrible all day so I was shivering and wet, buck chasing doe come by just before last light. First shot on buck grazed his brisket just under at 35 yards (buck fever!) Doe was hanging around the corn pile, buck spooked a bit then came back around to check on his doe. He ended up about two yards away just under my stand, second arrow did the job and he expired within 50 yards. Neat hunt that day I also had elk come through due to wind and weird weather because my stand was basically set up near backyards of suburban Spokane Valley. Goes to show you never know what’ll happen just get out there!
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Caseknife on June 26, 2022, 07:07:08 AM
When I was 19 or 20, I was hunting with my Mom's .270 that was built by Winn Vickerman, it had a Stith Bearcub 2 3/4 power scope with a 2 minute Lee dot.  It was about the third day of elk season and had seen a huge rutting muley a day before, so when I smelled a gamey animal, thought it was the same buck from the day before.  Looked to my right about 15 yards, I could see an elk eye, ear and spike antler above some regen firs looking right at me.  Hmm, where to aim.........that Lee dot lined right up with the eye of the bull, boom!  Huh? He is still standing there, WTH?  Take a step to the right and shoot again at the base of the skull, down and kicking this time.  No idea why that bull made the fatal mistake of standing still after the first shot, but it worked for me.

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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: TommyGun496 on June 26, 2022, 02:33:14 PM
10yrds on a bull.  I missed him at 130yrds (muzzy) about a half an hour before.  I know they were they were going, so I headed that way and set up on there escape route.  The stars aligned after that!
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Ricochet on June 26, 2022, 07:46:43 PM
Bull elk at 7 yards with my bow.
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:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: TeacherMan on August 01, 2022, 04:46:53 PM
I’ve taken a coyote at 6 yards with a 7mm and a 3pt whitetail at 5 yds with my 7mm 😂
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: timberfaller on August 01, 2022, 05:02:46 PM
Does walking up to a animal and grabbing his antlers and it bounding up and running off far enough for me to see it in my scope before I finished it off count?? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: HUNTIN4SIX on August 01, 2022, 06:22:42 PM
Shot a large black bear at 10ft.  Woulda been 1ft if I’d have gathered myself faster.  Spot and stalk too.  Looong story.  Instinctively shot at him as he turned to run and hit him perfectly in back of head.  I am no bad arse it all just kinda happened.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Lumpy Taters on August 01, 2022, 07:52:24 PM
About 20 feet on a 5x5 bull with a rifle.  Last 3 have all been 20 yards or less.  Snuck up on him while he was feeding.   Waited for him to clear the heard for a few minutes. 
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: CavemantheHunter on August 02, 2022, 03:48:25 PM
Shot my last Idaho bear at 15' +/- 3'. Spot and stalk, no hounds.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Caveman123 on August 02, 2022, 05:34:41 PM
Shot a coyote in between my legs with my bow, vanes didn’t leave the rest before the dirt stopped it. Have a picture somewhere on my phone, first and only coyote.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: kball4 on August 04, 2022, 10:23:07 AM
15ft 2x3 regressing blacktail during late season rifle hot on a doe. Did a 360 jump about 5ft in the air and collapsed.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: npaull on August 04, 2022, 01:27:34 PM
Caribou, longbow, 1 yard. Shot from the bank of a river it was wading. I hit an 18" whitefish in the head with the same single shot. No I'm not kidding.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Old Man8383 on August 09, 2022, 05:39:49 PM
First buck, under 10'.  Slipping around a corner on an old skid road and walked into a spike blacktail buck.  Never got the  303 British to my shoulder.  Plugged the trigger as he was spinning to turn and run the other way.  Double lunged him and he fell at my feet. 
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Dirty Mike on August 09, 2022, 06:28:30 PM
About 2.5ft Night time camp robbing field mouse with an arrow found in the woods.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: dreamingbig on August 09, 2022, 09:52:20 PM
3 steps on my first bull.  A couple more at 5 yards.


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Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: pat2bear on August 09, 2022, 09:58:16 PM
6 inches. Mole in my back yard.  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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:
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: nwwanderer on August 10, 2022, 05:35:42 AM
npaull, Alaska surf and turf
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: boneaddict on August 14, 2022, 12:28:37 PM
10 feet on a whitetail when I pulled the trigger, slid past me and at about 2 feet when dead

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?

Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
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 dead

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?
Yep.
Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: NWWA Hunter on August 15, 2022, 12:02:35 AM
Almost shot a way over 400” bull at 18 yards. Thought he would step out at 12. But never got the shot that day…


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Title: Re: Closest shot on a harvested animal?
Post by: Dwrecknfish on August 20, 2022, 08:34:12 PM
Vertical distance about 20-25 yards horizontally about 7 feet.
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