shooting accuracy

[cornfed]

Just wondering what criteria you use to determine your maximun effective distance for shooting an animal.Example a three shot group of x many inches at x yards.Whats your thought on this?Any self imposed guide lines?How about some of these hunts where you have to pass an efficiency test,anybody know what they use for guide lines?Won't be long and some of you will be flinging arrows.

 

[l_elwess]

In archery they say if you can hit all your arrows in a pie plate then your good to go at that distance. I would say if that rule is good for archery then that would be what you should use for rifle as well. I myself don't shoot farther then I know I am zeroed for and have shot. I try for three shots in about a 2 to 3 inch diameter. Of course a good shot group is only good if you know where the vitals are.

 

[schmalts]

depends on the animal, wind, distance, and situation. On WT deer, my limit is 30 yards. Lope, more than double and that falls into the situation factor because the animal can usually be glassed for a long time after the shot. It is really your judgement call, and as many times as this has been discussed the end results are always the same. use good judgement and no one will think your a slob if you do not take a long shot.

 

[Southwind]

For centerfire rifle I like a rifle that shoots minute of angle accuracy at least. (which is shooting 1" or under groups at 100 yards). To sum up what I could write volumes on I like an old adage that came from Craig Boddington. "Hold on hair" meaning don't take any shot where you have to hold over the animal. For most modern high power cartridges this is around 300 yards. I think for most people in most hunting situations this is a very reasonable guide to use.

I am not a long range hunting advocate. I love shooting long range and have been a long range competitive paper puncher for years but hunting is a much more intimate experience for me. I would rather see how close I can get to my quarry rather than how far.

This brings me to bow hunting accuracy. I practice with a pie plate at fifty yards but never intend on shooting an animal at that distance. That distance exposes any flaws in my form and allows me to stack my arrows tightly at twenty yards. For me I always hope I can get my game within twenty yards. As you get out to thirty and past the animals reaction time can cause problems if the animal is alert at all. About the longest shot i would take would be forty yards and everything would have to be perfect. The longest shot I have ever taken an animal with a bow is 35 yards.

Anyway, those are my personally imposed limits.

 

[Fish]

I have read quite a bit about this in the past. I am trying to recall the exact details i have heard Chuck Adams say or write about. I am pretty sure it goes with take an animals avg vitals, maybe 8 inch for antelope, 9 inch for deer, 16 inches for elk. Take that target size and times it by .75. So for example: antelope 8 x .75 = 6 inch circle. Then from that size target, with broadheads on, where you can shot 85% of your shot in that target size, (6 out of 7 arrows) that is your maximum effective range. So if you shot a 5inch broadhead group at 60 yds, thats in your range. Then of course in a hunting situation other things come into play using your judgement, nerves, wind, animal, brush, etc. But this at least gives you a basis to start from. And not field pt groups, a lot different shooting broadheads.

Getting the target size definitely sounds on, not sure if 80 or 85%, gave you some margin for a bad shoot. My range doesn't differ that much with the animal, more with my confidence of how i have been shooting. Good luck, Fish

 

[cornfed]

Good comments guys.Anybody got a link to info about the size of the vitals on various animals ect.Every year I have good intentions to measure a few dead deer for reference but never do.I keep getting better at my shooting ability but every year that big whitetail seems to just stay outside of my effective range.I think this year I may win the battle.

 

[TLC]

cornfed, on a deer, go about 6 inches forward from the back of the rib cage. anywhere in that area, from center down, will kill a deer fairly quickly. good rule of thumb for whitetails, center of ribcage, and shooting to the opposite shoulder/leg. hard to see, but this one went about ten yards after she wa shot. went thru right behind the ribcage, thru the liver, lung, and clipped the heart also. didn't get the BH back til a butchered her.

 

[mrd]

Sounds like I use a system similar to Chuck Adams , at least on whitetail . I consider my max effective range in the field to be a six inch group ; so on the range a four inch group is what I look for .With a bow I always throw in that "stuff happens" factor . That's kept me at 100% at 40 , 50 is my max ; never got the perfect set up to use it though . Too much foliage in my neck of the woods .

 

[azoutback]

newbie

Hey guys, great forum here, my system is 2 inch group at 20 yards 3 inch group at 30 and so on until I cant get all arrows in a circle for that yardage. So at 60 yards if one of my four arrows is out of the six inch circle, my max is 50 yards. Hope that made sense.

 

[BOHNTR]

I use the the same practice criteria as azoutback.......when used you'll see how consistent you really are.

I'm not really into the "paper plate" size targets, as I want to push myself to be more accurate than that. Under the system used, a 9" paper plate would only be an acceptable target for 90 yards.

 

[CHILEAN-HUNTER]

just want to thank you all for all your valuable info, azoutback that is a very sensible way to practice i shall start practicing asap, one should not conform with just ok, one should do better!!!!

 

[mdcrossbow]

one area I can not speak too. I have never been about to pull a bow I probably could but risk the use of my left arm. I do practice with the crossbow in the shop a lot, I get a 19 yards shot inside and that is basicly the distance I limit my shooting too. If I can not get close I usually will not shot but will work my way into shot range the next time out. With the Xbow I have to shoot a different dot's or damage arrows with same dot placement.

 

[bow hunter]

its always been my personal preference to aim low, right at the heart. if the deer drops, then you still get the lungs and if he doesnt, its a heart shot. plus, if your shooting from an elevated position such as a tree stand, your arrow will fly a lil higher than your x anyways