What do you consider a "chip shot"

[wind gypsy]

If a hunting "chip shot" means the same chances of being one and done as a golf "chip shot" - I'd say about 1600 yards.

If "chip shot" means its pretty much a sure thing, I'll say maybe 250-300 yards with good conditions, a good rest, and calm breathing/heart rate?

 

[S.Clancy]

This thread makes me certain we need to start implementing weapon restrictions. Growing up I never heard of someone shooting over 300 yds really, now everyone wants to send it @5-600 all the time. Bring on the open sight rifles baby!!!!

 

[Formidilosus]

That’s the $64,000 question… what’s a chip shot mean?

This isn’t a condemnation, just a discussion that needs to be had a lot, which made less clear than it should be, by virtue of the internet.

80%, I’d say that’s pretty good when the second shot killed the deer. I have seen hunters throwing lead at closer ranges and miss at higher percentages.

It’s an interesting thing how the mind works. You have data points- you are 4/5 on animals past 400 yards, which is 80%, but you lr words are justifying it because others hunters throw lead at close range.
I haven’t stated whether I think that 80% is good or bad, so there is no justification required.

I figure, a chip shot is a golf and it’s not a “gimme” so I am going with high a confidence shot.

The definition that you listed below states it “denoting an attempted action has a low degree of difficulty”, that says “gimme” to me and most others in common use.

In field conditions I can make much higher than 80%. And, my one “failure” was at 575ish on a coues and I think it was my failure to manage recoil of my 7mm so I evaluated honestly and adjusted to a .25 cal.

Again, it doesn’t matter why you missed, the reality is that you are at 80%, it doesn’t matter why.

Statistically speaking, 4 out of 5 is not really valid to say I am 80%, sometimes crap happens, maybe it was the one that will fall outside of the bell curve.

No, statistically the data set is small, however being it is all you have to go on, it’s valid for your use and this discussion.

Maybe I shoot 5 more and then I am at 90%.

Maybe, and maybe you miss the best 3 in a row. It’s man believe- what you have is 80% so far. That’s the only evidence that can be used.

I would guess that the vast majority wouldn’t consider an 80% probability a-

Chip shot (idiom), a phrase denoting that an attempted action has a low degree of difficulty

 

[TaperPin]

Here's a test for everyone. Do it and be honest with yourself and the results.

Steel targets at 200 and 300 yards. Targets are 14" wide/12" tall. Three shots at each target starting at 200. No prone at 200. You can use an upright post or any other position you'd like including tripod. Just no prone. 300 yard target can be prone. Do it all under six minutes. You miss, you're out.

Colorado CPW uses this to weed out shooters for their elk cull in the Sand Dunes. Passing rate is ~15% and every single person I've mentioned this test to cannot believe the passing rate is so low. I've shown a few folks how to shoot positionally like you would at an NRL Hunter match and every one of them believes the above test is a cake-walk. I'd guarantee each of those would fail the above test.

I wish that was a common test for all big game licenses out west.

 

[JohnJohnson]

I'd say anything under 400 yards (from tripod or prone) for my current shooting abilities. If I could get a comfortable prone that number would probably go up a little bit but I haven't yet had a good prone position while hunting so I can't say for certain.

I am assuming I have a fair bit of time to get comfortable and set up, especially if I have to shoot from a tripod. If I had to get off a shot very quickly then my "chip-shot" distance probably falls to 300 and under, assuming I can get a prone position. I'll need a lot more practice before I can do anything quickly from my tripod.

 

[jimh406]

Seems like a question without an answer to me. There is the ability of the shooter/equipment and the likelihood of something going wrong all as factors.

That being said, people miss 100 yd shots, so the distance isn’t the only factor even if we only consider what normal people might do.

 

[ianpadron]

I'd say anything under 400 yards (from tripod or prone) for my current shooting abilities. If I could get a comfortable prone that number would probably go up a little bit but I haven't yet had a good prone position while hunting so I can't say for certain.

That's one of my main goals right now, getting more comfortable in makeshift positions.

I shot an antelope this past year at like 125 yards, standing, off a tripod, all I could see was neck up...and I was less confident (highly likely vs almost certainly?) on that one than the 300 and 525 yard kills prone off a pack a few weeks later.

 

[JohnJohnson]

That's one of my main goals right now, getting more comfortable in makeshift positions.

I shot an antelope this past year at like 125 yards, standing, off a tripod, all I could see was neck up...and I was less confident (highly likely vs almost certainly?) on that one than the 300 and 525 yard kills prone off a pack a few weeks later.

I edited to put more caveats/context in my post. Anything I do with a tripod right now takes time so if I was rushed and prone wasn't available, I'm probably not getting a shot off at all. That'll improve with practice though which I'm going to be starting soon. I carry an extremely solid shooting tripod so if I have time to use it, my positions are very steady but again it does take me more time than it should currently.

 

[TaperPin]

This reminded me of a conversation with a guide who covers an area known for elk out in the sage flats - similar to the Red Desert elk herd in Wyoming.

He has a “chip shot” elk rifle that he will loan clients if they want. It’s a 20lb 300 mag shot with a heavy rear bag and wide bipod that has taken dozens of elk to 1000 yards. He says nobody has missed yet, but he’s right there, essentially unlimited time, the rifle is well dialed in.

When someone solo with little experience, shooting a rifle that is barely squared away, is probably in over his head at 400 if they know it or not, and they probably don’t know what they don’t know.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Prone? Deer or elk vitals? 400 and in I expect to make the shot 100% of the time, excluding some type of failure.

 

[parshal]

... they probably don’t know what they don’t know.

This applies to 99% of hunters.

 

[go_deep]

There are no "chip shots".

 

[Ryan Avery]

Come to the Shoot2hunt University at the end of the week and tell me about "chip shots."

 

[CamoPirate]

Gotta agree with @go_deep; maybe you can get away with more with a rifle, but I guarantee you the shot you think is a chip shot as a bowhunter is the shot where you don't see the small branch in your arrow path, or you don't get the accurate range you thought you had, or you get lazy on your form and miss.

Every shot is a chip shot if you don't treat your shots like a chip shot.

 

[156821]

I dunno to me a chip shot is where you comfortably free hand shoot and not have to think very hard about it. I have popped deer and moose well under a hundred. Just pull the rifle up and kaboom.

 

[huntnful]

The easiness of a shot for me, involves stability, more than range. I've missed a trotting buck free hand at 100 yards. I bet most people have lol. So in that instance, even 100 yards wasn't a chip shot.

Free Hand with adrenaline pumping. Maybe 30 yards

Calm Heart rate. Seated. Front rest only. Maybe 150 yards

Calm Heart rate. Seated. front and rear rest. Maybe 250 yards

Calm Heart rate. Prone. Front and rear rest. Calm Conditions. Maybe 500 yards

 

[ianpadron]

The easiness of a shot for me, involves stability, more than range. I've missed a trotting buck free hand at 100 yards. I bet most people have lol. So in that instance, even 100 yards wasn't a chip shot.

Free Hand with adrenaline pumping. Maybe 30 yards

Calm Heart rate. Seated. Front rest only. Maybe 150 yards

Calm Heart rate. Seated. front and rear rest. Maybe 250 yards

Calm Heart rate. Prone. Front and rear rest. Calm Conditions. Maybe 500 yards

Ton of variability for sure. I'm fairly confident that I can shoot a tighter group at 400 yards prone off a pack than I can off-hand at 100 haha

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Well I’ve killed multiple coues deer between 500-600 yards but missed a bear the size of a VW bug last year at 70 you can always be humbled

 

[huntnful]

Ton of variability for sure. I'm fairly confident that I can shoot a tighter group at 400 yards prone off a pack than I can off-hand at 100 haha

I feel the exact same way for sure

 

[wind gypsy]

I'm fairly confident that I can shoot a tighter group at 400 yards prone off a pack than I can off-hand at 100 haha

My level of precision capability offhand is probably 10 times or more worse than prone supported.