Hunting Yardage?

[robtattoo]

If'na Grizz was running towards me at 75 yards, I think I'd've shat too!!!! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[BrownBear]

If'na Grizz was running towards me at 75 yards, I think I'd've shat too!!!! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

It's a fer-sure sphincter test.

 

[RickD]

Dont you make knives??

 

[robtattoo]

Dont you make knives??

Used to. Waiting for a new workcave to be built, then I'll be back at it. :hatsoff:

 

Thanks agian for everyones two cents. I do also shoot instinctivley, I used to shoot long bow and recurves. No special glasses here except the ones on my face, sorry guys I need them. I am very good at judgeing yardage. Just going to use my open sights, and practice a lot. Just like bow hunting I had to "pick a spot" not the whole kill zone, but a hair in the kill zone. That why I say aim small, miss small.(Also from the Patriot movie), I am not saying I said it first, but we used to say that a lot back in the day. I hope to meet a lot of you some day either at a Rondy or maybe in the woods, or a hunting trip.
Thanks agin to all, it is always great to get a lot of opinions, and ideas.
I love this site.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I shoot a TVM 54 Leman.
I shoot 110 grns of FFG Goex express. I get one inch MOA a 100 yrds.
I WILL NOT!! SHOOT OVER 125 TO 150 YRDS, WITH THAT LOAD.
To be honest nobody should with open sites.
IMHO
:thumbsup:

 

[brubincam]

-----if you didn't get it out--the bear would dig it out when he catches you-----always hunt bear with someone you can out run----- :idunno:

 

[oletymepreacher]

Although I have made a few spectacular long ronge shots with centerfire rifles, I limit shots to 75 yards. Why? All of the elk I have killed were within this range, a few at point blank, maybe 15 yards. Deer have been killed less than 30 yards, with no exceptions. The whole point of hunting is to hunt, stalk close, and get off a good shot. Television shows are mostly frauds showing 400 yard shots on game, to ambushing from a tree seat a deer on his route to food . My horse doesn't lay that many apples in the pasture.

 

[410-er]

50-60yds.

 

[Headhunter]

I take a McKinze deer target and lay it on cardboard, cut it out and paint it. I shoot at it from various field shooting positions. By doing this at various ranges, you can tell your max range in short order.

I know with my 58 Hawken, in good light, its a WAYS out there.

HH

 

[RickD]

I think what it really comes down to is know your limits..Respect the game your hunting and keep it all real..

 

[Snow on the Roof]

I think what it really comes down to is know your limits..Respect the game your hunting and keep it all real..

Yep! :thumbsup:

Snow

 

[necchi]

OK, now that we've been through all of this;

How did you guy's learn to judge that distance in the feild?

I know of more than one guy that's taken shot's at what they thought was 80 yards, only to walk it off and find out it was closer to 150 :redface:

 

[longcruise]

Range estimation is a skill that can be developed. I can nail a distance under any field conditions out to 200 yards. From 100 to 200 my error margin is about five yards plus or minus. Under 100 yards it's closer to 3 yards plus or minus.

This just comes from many years of hunting mountain country where ranges can vary from 20 yards to 500 yards. It's a gut instinct thing that once developed does not require much thinking.

The most difficult for me is judging distance across a steep valley, gulch or arroya. This makes me think that the brain is unconciously calibrating off objects between the eye and the "target" such as trees, rocks, bushes, etc.

I don't own a range finder but suppose it could be handy for training oneself to judge by first estimating and then checking with the range finder.

 

[rabjr]

I don't just pick out a spot and hunt it, sure theres been times I've taken a little stroll to a new area for a day but my normal spots were picked for a reason and every spot where I know will give me a possible shot was measured a long time ago. So I know how far it is with every openning in every spot I hunt before hand. :thumbsup:

 

[410-er]

Rangefinders :grin:
Before that I would estimate a range while walking then see how many steps I was off to get there.

 

[bushytail]

Summer time is a good time to get your practice at yardage estimation on groundhogs.Something to think about. :hmm:

 

[Snow on the Roof]

Out west, as you say, 150 can look to be 80. Here in the midwest, where hunting ground is limited, we hunt from pre-scouted stands. I pace off the range to my limit {75 yards} and remember the land marks. I keep a journal record of all stands and note the distance markers for each. Last year I paced off 50 yards at the stands my wife used and hung orange tape out. She knew not to shoot at any deer past those markers.

Snow

 

I can share something that worked for me, and it might you as well. I went to my old high school and asked if I could put some different objects on the football field, obviously they were not practicing. No shooting just practicing yardage. I took my deer decoy and some other objects with a friend placing them around with my back turned. I then would turn around and look how big or small the objects were and guess the yardage. After awhile you train your brain at the way an object looks at different yardages. Especially since most of everyone here is talking 100 yards max, this works great.
Try it you might think it is silly and you will get some strange looks, but it works.

Aim small, miss small...

 

[paulvallandigham]

I grew up in a suburb where the frontage of each lot was exactly 50 feet. I can close my eyes and see 3 houses down, and know that is 50 yards, within a yard. I can see 6 houses, and be within 5 yds in the field.

When I set up a stand, I try to make shooting lanes thru the brush and trees, cutting off branches that obstruct the view, and shot. I don't hesitate to use my axe to put a blaze on trees at 50 yds, so I know exactly what range I am seeing from the stand.

I know hunters who take out ranging stakes to place around their stands. That is Not a bad idea. Bow hunters are more likely to use ranging stakes, around here, I have found.

In woods and brush, once I have ONE marker at 50 yds made, I can use that blaze to accurately estimate the range in a 360 degree circle of the stand. One year, I took my 50 foot tape measure out to check my accuracy. I was within a yd. at my 50 yard blaze.

The most difficult estimation I have had to make is over a flooded river, where a snag was bobbing up and down in the water about 70 yards downstream. I closed my eyes, and counted " House lots" back home to come up with 75 yards, and the snag was short of it by a few yards. A friend and I put 6 .45 rounds out of 6 shots into that snag from a revolver, at that distance. It was the longest yardage he had ever shot with a handgun.

I will admit that judging distances over plowed fields or over winter wheat is difficult. I can only assume that estimating range over open prairies is also difficult.