Most common range and shooting positions for blacktail

[SaltyAquaholic]

Hello,

I’ve grown up hunting with my dad in Florida but Id still consider myself newer hunter since it was mostly less then 50 yards on private land, and all I’ve taken is hog. So I’m trying to get a feel since I’ve moved out here to western Washington. This might be a redundant post and ideally I’ll eventually practice all of them, but I figured I’d try and narrow it down to what’s most common. What shooting positions have you all taken most of your black tail at and at what range? I appreciate any feedback you have. I plan on trying to go to any NRL one day matches nearby and I when I have a couple more pieces of gear.

 

[z987k]

Around here you can shoot them as far away as you want, or wait for them to come sniff your hand and ask to be friends like a dog would. So... 0-whatever you want?

 

[Nickziegler]

Are you talking alaska or NW

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[Tmac]

In that area it will depend on the terrain. Still hunting timber, probably be some close shooting like you are used to. Lots of clear cuts or cross a canyon, it can be quite a bit longer. I don’t sight in or prepare to shoot differently in W OR or W WA than I do in the high desert open sage country.

 

[SaltyAquaholic]

Are you talking alaska or NW

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Western Washington, and fair enough. I guess I’ll just keep it to distances I think I could shoot well at under pressure. Probably 50 to 300ish for now.

 

[longrangelead]

w wa, my first was 300yds down in a clear-cut, after that, all in timber from 40 feet to maybe 100 yds.

first was prone off the edge of the road, the rest were off hand or standing supported on the side of a tree.

 

[SaltyAquaholic]

w wa, my first was 300yds down in a clear-cut, after that, all in timber from 40 feet to maybe 100 yds.

first was prone off the edge of the road, the rest were off hand or standing supported on the side of a tree.

Awesome, much appreciated. So basically I can find deer in whatever kind of country and range (within reason) I’d like, it’s basically going to come down to just finding them.

 

[Tmac]

Western Washington, and fair enough. I guess I’ll just keep it to distances I think I could shoot well at under pressure. Probably 50 to 300ish for now.

You’ll be fine. Just practice shooting using field type rests. I’d carry a shooting aid of some sort that could be used sitting and kneeling. Often you’ll have a tree or sometimes stump/rock close you can use, sometimes not. Occasionally you may be able to get prone where I’ve hunted in the western parts of OR & WA. Plan on it always being wet, even with no rain, it will be wet. Blacktails love the rain it seems. Good luck.

 

[SaltyAquaholic]

You’ll be fine. Just practice shooting using field type rests. I’d carry a shooting aid of some sort that could be used sitting and kneeling. Often you’ll have a tree or sometimes stump/rock close you can use, sometimes not. Occasionally you may be able to get prone where I’ve hunted in the western parts of OR & WA. Plan on it always being wet, even with no rain, it will be wet. Blacktails love the rain it seems. Good luck.

Thanks, definitely planning on it always being wet. I’ll try finding some forestry land that I can practice more unconventional type shots that I probably couldn’t replicate at the gun range.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Ive shot off of packs, rocks, trees and bipods but most have been killed offhand. Killed far more inside 100 yards than past 200.

Really depends on the ground and how you hunt though

 

[blackveltbowhunter]

How you hunt and where is huge. I have never shot at a buck past 200. And that's counting my longest shot at 170. My hunting partner takes most of his bucks between 300 and 450. I prefer timber hunting and glassing in grown up tighter clear cuts. If spending time in big logging country behind glass you can potentially shoot as far as you want. I have shot from nearly every position you can think, offhand, prone, rest, kneeling, sitting. I would say off hand, kneeling, or off a pack have been most popular. The under brush can make it tough to see over so prone or seated shots for me have been more rare, but still happen. As far as gun setup, I want it to handle quick and be easy to shoot offhand. I won't sacrifice that for range is my go to.

 

[SaltyAquaholic]

How you hunt and where is huge. I have never shot at a buck past 200. And that's counting my longest shot at 170. My hunting partner takes most of his bucks between 300 and 450. I prefer timber hunting and glassing in grown up tighter clear cuts. If spending time in big logging country behind glass you can potentially shoot as far as you want. I have shot from nearly every position you can think, offhand, prone, rest, kneeling, sitting. I would say off hand, kneeling, or off a pack have been most popular. The under brush can make it tough to see over so prone or seated shots for me have been more rare, but still happen. As far as gun setup, I want it to handle quick and be easy to shoot offhand. I won't sacrifice that for range is my go to.

Do you prefer a swept/traditional grip stock or a vertical grip stock? I have a vertically gripped Weatherby but I might pick up the new Capra after I handle one at sheep show.

 

[longrangelead]

Awesome, much appreciated. So basically I can find deer in whatever kind of country and range (within reason) I’d like, it’s basically going to come down to just finding them.

yes, finding them is the key. Stay focused, they have a way of showing up right when you space out.

 

[Howdoyoulikemenow]

SW Washington on all of my blacktail hunts. Big timber mostly. I’d say near a 100% of my bucks have been less than fifty yards and offhand. And each has happened quickly.

 

[hibernation]

My blacktail range from 20 yards to around 200. If you set up over clearcuts and glassing reprod, you can specialize in longer shots and it'll probably be some form of prone or seated off a rest, whether that's backpack, bipod over a stump, tripod, shooting sticks, or crossed trekking poles.

I mostly hunt in the timber, so fast offhand shots are pretty common. Also, standing with improvised support off a tree. I got my last blacktail at 150 yards on a very steep downhill angle in open forest, sitting with the rifle resting over the top of my pack.

Thread 'Equipment versus practice posts and Rifle practice/shooting'

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This isn’t in response to anyone I particular, but there is an up tick in the amount of “I want a XXXX distance hunting rifle” traffic the last few months. I am getting a lot of questions relating to this, which I do not mind helping, but thought a public post might help answer some questions. It’s an attempt to get to actually using your rifles.


People online tend to act like 600/800/whatever yards is a rifle, cartridge and BDC scope purchase away. When someone asks for advice, or says I’m building an -insert whatever rifle/cartridge you want-, people are discussing hardware not...

• Formidilosus
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Check out the drill here if you haven't already. It hits all the common positions and works on shooting efficiently under time constraints, which is also pretty important for blacktail hunters in my experience.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Do you prefer a swept/traditional grip stock or a vertical grip stock?

Thats all on what you like and know.

I've missed out on snap shots when I had an AR with me. That I know I coulda made, if I had had a tikka or my m77.

All the vertical grip bolt guns I have been around were long heavy things that never go far from the landing.

For my needs I'll take a normal stock that fits me. Screw on a 3-9x or a 6x and call it done.