Realistic Shooting Distances

[Long Cut]

As the title states, what is your self imposed shooting distance from a tree stand *with a rifle*

Personally I prefer keeping shots inside of 150 yards, ideally sub 100 yards if I’m shooting “free hand”
If I have a shooting bar, rest etc I’d feel comfortable out to 200-250 yards.

That being said, what distances do you limit yourself to in tree stand settings?
-No bipods, not prone, not mounted to a tripod or shooting sticks… Freehand or braced on a rail, “c” clamp on a rail or tree etc..

 

[fatlander]

This is such a subjective question. Everyone is situation is different, and everyone has different skill levels.

I only bow hunt. Have killed somewhere around 100 whitetails with the bow, and I can count on one hand how many have been further than 35. A couple fingers on that hand were dang near double that distance. In a perfect world they’re all slightly quartering away at 7 yards.


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[*zap*]

I never shot at a deer with a long gun over 130. I just put myself in the right spot.

 

[Ringbill27]

Typically I cant see much farther then 50yds but I feel very confident I a 150yd shot if presented.

Picture is my view currently.

 

[7RemMag]

I’ve killed more deer at 300 yards than I have under 150. Hunted the first 12 years of my hunting career exclusively in Northcentral Pennsylvania. Moved to Wyoming in 2022. I’ve killed 3 deer and 1 bighorn sheep. All were killed over 300 yards with the farthest being 400 and change.

Inside of 300 I’m super cozy. Stretch it out to 400 and I’m still confident. I wouldn’t see myself shooting much past 600 yards and even then only under ideal conditions which are admittedly rare. I have access to lots of different rifles and cartridges between my Dad and I, but primarily have hunted with various cartridges of the 7mm diameter. No dial turning, just sighted in for MPBR.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

It would depend on the situation. I use anything I can to build a solid position, trekking pole(s), tensioned tether, tree, bracing on bone, again, depending on the angle/etc. At some shots/angles I can build a solid position and get locked in...other times offhand is the only option.

For me, a 400 yard open ag field shot from a solid setup on a relaxed deer is much easier than a 75 yard offhand shot threading the needle between limbs, etc, on a mover.

 

[knale87]

I don’t hunt whitetails from a stand much with a rifle but when I do I really don’t deviate much from my bow setups. So most of my shots have been sub 50 yds with the majority of them being within 30. Between the terrain and vegetation in a lot of the places I prefer to hunt makes it tougher to see much past 50 most of the time let alone get a good shot. I’d likely be comfortable shooting out to 100 in the perfect situation but I’ve yet to come across that.

 

[gentleman4561]

Really depends on my stability/position.

I have made cold bore/1st round impacts multiple times on targets smaller than deer out to 1,000 yards, but I think anything past 500 on a live target would require perfect conditions for me to feel comfortable taking.

A lot can happen in 500 yards.

My longest kill was a crow at 520.

 

[Long Cut]

Thanks for the input guys.

I’ve been a lifetime bow hunter, but more recently just due to interests and time constraints… have been getting into rifle hunting.

I’ve been hunting more properties with cutovers, power-lines and gas-lines where the opportunity for a 300+ yard shot is a reality.

Moving forward I definitely want to practice shooting more offhand and learn various techniques to make that happen. I feel comfortable shooting out of my saddle, as I’ll typically “C” Clamp off the tree or tether.

 

[Ringbill27]

I’ve been hunting more properties with cutovers, power-lines and gas-lines where the opportunity for a 300+ yard shot is a reality.

I feel comfortable shooting out of my saddle, as I’ll typically “C” Clamp off the tree or tether.

As long as you practice and you are confident I see no reason why not to pull the trigger.

I’ve toyed with the idea of practicing out of my saddle at the range.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Anything under 400 yards is fine for me. Since the stands we use are big tower stands where I can just put a Gamechanger bag on the rail, an AG Puff Pillow under my elbow, and be almost prone-stable. It's thick as hell here so it's best to use the roads themselves as shooting lanes. Gives long sightlines.

 

[TonySkyline]

I’m always using a tripod or some sort of gun rest and have shot and killed out to 450 yards. I would not attempt to do that freehand but my furthest freehand shot was just under 300 yards and I likely wouldn’t do that again. I did kill the buck but it wasn’t a great shot. I tie together the base of a tripod and take that in the tree if the stand does not have a shooting rail. That at least gives me confidence out to that 300 mark.


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[SloppyJ]

I've killed all of my deer but 1 under 100yds and probably more like 50. I've shot one at 350. Ive never kept a count of how many deer ive killed but i average 5 per season. I often take friends at the end of the year for doe control for an additional 3 or 4. Like you, most of my treestand work is in thick woods. I setup a blind yesterday at a choke point with 200yds either direction. Hoping to find a crusing buck in the next week or two. Packing in my tripod makes for an extremely stable position.

Most tree stands aren't conducive to stable positions unless its a box blind. If i had my 300prc or 6 creed which I've practiced with extensively and a stable position, I wouldn't have a problem out to 400 or 500 pending the conditions are good. To me, that's an extremely long shot on a deer.

 

[loganwayne]

Most of the deer I hunt in the mountains I'm going to be under 50 yards. I'm also using a 45-70 with a 1-4 scope. Down middle of the state where I hunt I can make 150 yards from a lock on pretty easy. Climbers 200 if I can use the climber to get stable. From the ground anything 400 and under if I'm prone or have shooting sticks

 

[camping1601]

A lot of factors involved, but in a big tree with no wind 3-4 hundred yards for me.

 

[Rich M]

In 45 seasons ive only shot say 10 further than 100 yards. Very comfortable out to 250 when hunting.

 

[Yoder]

Most places I hunt in PA, you can't see more than 100 yards or so. My longest was maybe 120. I took a knee when I shot. I don't know what my max would be. I would have to see how bad the crosshairs were moving. I'm thinking around 200 would be the limit.

 

[sclb745]

I hunt in upstate SC, some pasture, some wooded. In the woods, I've never taken a shot further than 85 yards and I'll either take my bow or muzzle-loader for those sits. I will only carry my rifle(s) if I'm watching a pasture or bean field. Even then, I try to set my stand in the middle to cut the shot distances in half in either direction for the exact reason you mentioned. You're right though, when your brace is a small 1" bar that's not always at the optimal height or direction you need to shoot, it's not uber easy to make an easy/accurate shot. When in a stand, even on a field, I try to get my shots inside 200 yards.

 

[Long Cut]

Thanks for the responses folks, keep them coming.

To emphasize, I believe we all are trying to setup for that “perfect” 20-75 yard broadside shot right in front of us… Reality is we’re hunting wild animals that do wild things.

Where I hunt in the Southeast, we’re either hunting thick woods where you’re lucky to see 50 yards… or food plots, AG fields, pasture, Power/Gas line ROW’s or clear cuts. The reality is in many of the places listed, you can expect a shot at 50 yards or out to 400 yards.

Even splitting the difference and attempting a 150-250 yard, freehand shot is not easy.
It’s something I’m going to practice more this off season, because it’s cost me several big deer already in that 175-225 yard range where I didn’t feel comfortable pulling the trigger.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Hunt a lot of ag fields, think peanuts, soy beans, ect...450 is limit out of a tree stand...I have kill out to 430ish.