The long shots

[mtnbound]

I was just reading another recent post in this forum about the distance people are shooting their bucks, and it really got me thinking.. I didn't want to hijack that thread, so I figured I'd start this one to see if I could dig a little deeper into that subject. It seems many people are shooting 300-600 yards at deer fairly regularly. My questions is.. why is that? what is the reason you are taking shots at the distances you do? Is it because there is no way to get closer in those instances? no closer cover? being closer would risk getting winded? because when you see the buck you feel it is necessary to get him down sooner rather than later & getting closer would risk losing the buck? is it simply to test your long range shooting capabilities on an animal? or because you just know you're that good of a shot and so why bother getting closer? Is the decision to take a shot or get closer more of a terrain dependent thing? Are the longer shots taken during a spot and stalk scenario or is it a different type of hunting you are doing when taking long shots? I'm just genuinely curious about thought process and reasoning for different lengths of shots.

One other thing to keep in mind is that distances are often embellished afterwards telling the story. Yes, there are long shots but there are also lots of sub 400y shots. Practice so you know what you and your system are capable of and remember it’s ok if the animal wins that encounter. There will be others.

 

[willfrye027]

For me, when I spot a deer I want to shoot immediately I am thinking what are my best odds to be standing over this buck.

I am factoring in distance, wind, chances of getting closer without getting busted..etc

I have a good idea of my capability in both stalking and shooting. My biggest buck (190”) was a 30 yard neck shot on the run. Longest kill was 675 with no possibility of getting closer, and plenty of opportunity for follow up/finishing shots if I misjudged the wind or screwed up somehow.

The actual distance is not really a major consideration. 450 yards in thick brush on a steep side slope is way harder than 650 yards prone with calm wind. I’m thinking can I make this shot with a high degree of confidence? Should I make a move/stalk for an easier shot? It all comes into play, and often times the terrain I’m hunting lends itself to 400-600 yard shots, and often times it’s closer.

Long range is just another effective tool, like glassing off a tripod.

 

[Kelvin Wolther]

It's a decision made at the time. I will try to get as close as possible.
That being said, I'm super confident in my set up. I'm willing to make longer shots.

 

[30338]

I tag along on a few hunts with my son in the high country. This year we setup on a spot where deer could be 75 yards to 450 yards away. Its sort of a crossing area. His buck this year popped up at 300 yards. And that is where he died. Everyone hunts different country and has different needs.

I hunt the plains. Very flat. But I typically get under 50 yards on mule deer and 100 yards on whitetail with a muzzleloader.

If I ever decide to hunt up high, I'll be prepared for 600 yards and in. Way harder to close the gap in the spots he is hunting versus where I typically hunt.

 

[Brad1974]

For me, when I spot a deer I want to shoot immediately I am thinking what are my best odds to be standing over this buck.

I am factoring in distance, wind, chances of getting closer without getting busted..etc

I have a good idea of my capability in both stalking and shooting. My biggest buck (190”) was a 30 yard neck shot on the run. Longest kill was 675 with no possibility of getting closer, and plenty of opportunity for follow up/finishing shots if I misjudged the wind or screwed up somehow.

The actual distance is not really a major consideration. 450 yards in thick brush on a steep side slope is way harder than 650 yards prone with calm wind. I’m thinking can I make this shot with a high degree of confidence? Should I make a move/stalk for an easier shot? It all comes into play, and often times the terrain I’m hunting lends itself to 400-600 yard shots, and often times it’s closer.

Long range is just another effective tool, like glassing off a tripod.

helpful info for sure.

I already have mentioned my only experience with my own mule deer tag was WY high desert type of area. Yes it's very open as far as being able to see a long way if you can get a good vantage point, but the topography and other brush besides sagebrush makes me feel like getting close is an option very often. The only other mule deer hunts I have been on is CO high country. Both early September time frames. I spotted a good buck for him, and gave him a really solid plan. He did what I told him until the most important part... when he veered from the plan I suggested and he ended up getting busted. In that spot a 200 yard shot would probably not be possible, and I would guess the spot I was trying to send him to would have been closer to 75-80 yards from the buck, which was a great spot for him to get a shot with his muzzleloader.

I can definitely imagine spots that would require longer shots, I just haven't seen it yet due to my limited experience. You mentioned the terrain you hunt lends itself to 400-600 yard shots. What type of terrain is that? Also, what time of year do you hunt there? Are you trying to put a buck to bed and stalk to the set up to shoot him in his bed? or are you setting up to ambush a moving buck in some way?

 

[willfrye027]

helpful info for sure.

I already have mentioned my only experience with my own mule deer tag was WY high desert type of area. Yes it's very open as far as being able to see a long way if you can get a good vantage point, but the topography and other brush besides sagebrush makes me feel like getting close is an option very often. The only other mule deer hunts I have been on is CO high country. Both early September time frames. I spotted a good buck for him, and gave him a really solid plan. He did what I told him until the most important part... when he veered from the plan I suggested and he ended up getting busted. In that spot a 200 yard shot would probably not be possible, and I would guess the spot I was trying to send him to would have been closer to 75-80 yards from the buck, which was a great spot for him to get a shot with his muzzleloader.

I can definitely imagine spots that would require longer shots, I just haven't seen it yet due to my limited experience. You mentioned the terrain you hunt lends itself to 400-600 yard shots. What type of terrain is that? Also, what time of year do you hunt there? Are you trying to put a buck to bed and stalk to the set up to shoot him in his bed? or are you setting up to ambush a moving buck in some way?

A lot of times it is really steep stuff. If you are on the same slope as the deer, you wouldn’t be able to see it due to the angle. So it’s either cross canyon, or archery range. During most rifle seasons a deer is probably headed into the thick cover to bed where you probably won’t be able to see exactly where, or into timber and who knows how far he’s going.

So if you’re going to get a shot, it’s early in the morning before they make it into the trees and disappear. And on a steep slope with a few minutes to make it happen, it might be cross canyon.



This was from 2024. Buck was up in the sunlit area (pic from evening before opener making a plan to hunt him). I got to the small ridge at shoot time, spotted them feeding across the bowl towards a thick patch in the gray light. I tried to stalk in to a secondary ridge that is out of sight here for a 350 yard shot, but some does busted me and alerted the bucks. They had me pegged and starting moving quickly to the thick stuff. So, it was a 575 yard prone shot or nothing in that case. In my 30-06 days I might have just waited there to see where they went and tried a different stalk…but the odds would have been low of that working out. It was super still/quiet that morning, the hillside is way steeper than it looks, and every step was dry noisy brush and rocks wanting to roll.

Where you got your archery buck last year is pretty conducive to sub 300 yard shots. Lots of draws to hide/stalk in and fairly rolly hills vs steep canyons.

 

[missjordan]

Echoing what a few people have said already that i see LRS as an opportunity to get your target animal on the ground. And lots of factors come into play as to why hunters choose to take those shots. Could be the best opportunity that is presented. Getting closer doesn’t guarantee a harvest. Differences in steepness, cover, and even time spent hiking might not reveal the deer when you get to the other side.


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