Would you take the shot

John Gryphon

Well-Known Member
I saw these young stags ( we consider meat animals) the other morning,feeding and frigging about at various ranges from 260 - 267 metres. A few broadsides were presented and in my mind easy enough shots at that range.
Do you UK blokes mind having a crack at targets like this,remember they are robust big *******s with a 20" square sweet spot.
Personally I do like to get closer but if not no sweat I will bang them. I had an open paddock `tween them and me that precluded a sneak in.
Yes I do realise some may consider it to be a bit of a snipe anyway interested in replies.
I dont see much difference in rolling a Highland Red in the Scottish forest at a similar distance.

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I would opt for the animal slightly further away, Wouldn't want one of those trick bullets two for one shots! Maybe take the other boy on the reload.
 
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I wouldn't see a problem with any of those shots! They all look to have a safe backstop so if the shooter had confidence in his abilities and rifle setup then why not take the shots as and when they presented themselves!
 
I don't practice at that distance, but they seem safe shots so if did and was proficient I would.
 
Personally I wouldn't simply because I don't have the opportunity to regularly practice at those sort of distances, however if I was confident that I could accurately deliver the shot I might.

A different consideration is finding and retrieving the carcase, e.g. already at 260m distance plus possibly running a 100m in an unseen direction in the woodland behind, if the OP took the shot perhaps he will let us know the outcome.

atb Tim
 
With a solid rest, yes. Off sticks no ;)

Edit - not with my current set up though until I'd actually worked out bullet drop over 200 yards. The furthest I've ever had to use it on deer was a ranged 185, although I've shot further in Scotland a couple of times with an estate rifle. Mostly I shoot at ranges where it would be hard to miss a 50p coin.
 
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Never shot a deer at those ranges but I have plenty of foxes and even crows so cant think why I wouldn't :). Beautiful photos btw.
 
Yes I would take the shot with my 30 06 also have a gwp if follow up needed
tim only one so far mentioned about the follow up just look at the background it looks black
as your hat under that canopy of trees
more to think of than just the distance !! also the outcome if the shot goes tits up
regards pete
 
No the OP didnt take the shot,he had a camera tripod to shoot from and a 358 Norma Mag with 225 grain pills in it,at that range it shoots as flat as a **** carters hat. The two bigger stags left early as per standard for the more mature boys and I wanted to go back next morn to try and ID them (size) I didnt go alas as it was teeming torrential rain,the deer are in the cover then.

And yes (to the 20") these are big boys quite a bit larger and heavier than your caribou. But of course any reasonable shot would reduce that down to a far tighter square,especially from a rest.
 
Yes, why not? safe looking shots, good broadsides, and if you have a steady rest, it's not that small a target at that distance...providing you're practiced and confident. If a stalker cannot take a deer off quad sticks with a kill zone of 20 inches at 260 yards, then there's something wrong with the sticks or their technique.
 
260 yards is longer than I would like to shoot at and if I can get closer I can and do. I have taken shots out 287 metres and that was an old hind that was in poor condition and waste deep snow from me to her so no way of getting any closer. It also depends very much on the calibre, bullet type and impact velocity and how the bullet behaves, your confidence in your rifle and its zero and your ability to follow up if required. Weather and in particular wind plays a big part in if its an easy or difficult shot. A 10mph wind can move a bullet 3 or 4" at 100 yards - thats a foot at 300 yards. Also a lot depends on the hunting, cull plan etc. - do you have lots of time and other opportunities so you can pass up a longer shot because you can always come back tomorrow, or do opportunities present themselves rarely and you need to take whats offered.

Saying all that with a decent rifle shooting a hard hitting bullet sighted a 1 and half to 2' high at 100, then a 260 yard shot off a steady platform with no wind shouldn't really be an issue. Hold a bit high on the beast - ie on its back bone and bullet will go through the vitals. Given the photo plenty of good backstop.
 
If a stalker cannot take a deer off quad sticks with a kill zone of 20 inches at 260 yards, then there's something wrong with the sticks or their technique.

Pah! I could do that freehand, in a blizzard while being blinded by the sun in the middle of the night and soaked through with driving rain :cool:
 
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