Thread: Average range of deer shot?

Morning all,

With the proliferation of quality and well priced optics, gear and firearms available to the hunter today, I am interested to see if a average ranges of game shot has increased?

Over the past 18 months I've kept an excel spreadsheet with ranges, time, weather etc. My results are as follows;

2020
Min range: 15yds
Max range: 476yds
Animals shot: 40
Average range: 182yds

2021 so far
Min range: 10yds
Max range: 531yds
Animals shot: 23
Average: 192yds

Keen to see anyone's results if any.

James

That's very interesting. I'm surprised it is that far in your neck of the woods.

I honestly thought my figures would be higher as most is open tussock, tops type shooting. Seems that atleast with my results, that the ole 200yds or less is fairly accurate, despite quite a few shots being 300plus.

Across the last 10yrs or so, pretty much everything including Tahr (that you seem to need long range cannons for, apparently.....) has been under 300yds, only rarely longer. 95% inside 200yds, I mostly hunt open country but get a kick out of Keeni Meeni tactics to shorten the range .243 comfortably does it all for me as does my short .308. Does mean I get to use cheap non designer pills that are plentifully available too.

NZDA did a survey several years ago I'm too lazy to go and find it but from memory most were under 100 and only a small percentage less than 10 were over 200

Recently I have seen part of several episodes of Hunting Aotearoa on TV. Half of the shots I saw taken at game were misses. Of the half that weren't a fair number required finishing shots.
I mention this as while you might collect data on what the recent improvements in equipment allow, this will be overlaid with how effectively the respondents are actually able to make use of this gear. In the area I hunt there is anecdotal evidence of a large increase over the past 3-4 years in deer being shot at, shot and injured, and also (eventual) carcasses not being recovered, all probably as a result of these improvements in equipment.
How cleanly game is taken if the distances are being extended would also be of interest then?

Probably less than 50m. Not a fan of carrying deer these days...

Originally Posted by Puffin

Recently I have seen part of several episodes of Hunting Aotearoa on TV. Half of the shots I saw taken at game were misses. Of the half that weren't a fair number required finishing shots.
I mention this as while you might collect data on what the recent improvements in equipment allow, this will be overlaid with how effectively the respondents are actually able to make use of this gear. In the area I hunt there is anecdotal evidence of a large increase over the past 3-4 years in deer being shot at, shot and injured, and also (eventual) carcasses not being recovered, all probably as a result of these improvements in equipment.
How cleanly game is taken if the distances are being extended would also be of interest then?

That's a bloody good point mate, and I know a particular chap who bought himself a 6.5prc and now thinks he can shoot long range. Alot of supposed "misses" that were probably wounded however, not followed up.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

NZDA did a survey several years ago I'm too lazy to go and find it but from memory most were under 100 and only a small percentage less than 10 were over 200

That would pretty much sum me up too. Most bush shots are 20 or less. Open country maybe 50 to 200. Almost none over 200. After a life time of hunting, there have been very few I couldn't drop to under 200m to shoot. I know there are exceptions, but I am talking generally. Shooting deer further away often happens because the hunter actually wants to. In my experience many people spend a lot of money and time setting up for 1% of their shots. Then the 1% percentage increases because they want to test their flash gear or stop trying to stalk or get closer.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....animals-64280/

Originally Posted by MB

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....animals-64280/

Cheers for the link MB, interesting numbers but I wonder if there was actual data in support of those votes or guesstimates.

I would only shoot 8-10 deer a year, when i started hunting most of my deer were shot up close while stalking, all well inside 100 yards, most inside 50. In more recent years i tend to hunt differently, glass from various vantage points, and shoot deer at greater distances. Now its vary rare for me to shoot a deer inside of 300 yards, I shot two over the weekend, one at 320 yards and the other at 345 yards, but that was due to extremely strong winds and deer not being out in the open exposed places like they normally would be, and the wind not being ideal for longer range shooting anyway.

Most of my deer are shot at distances of 400 to 600 yards, with the odd one pushing out closer to 700 yds if its in a spot that i know the recovery isnt too bad, but this comes down to the places i choose to hunt and how i choose to hunt them.

In years past all our deer shot in the northern bush were under 100 - many under 50m. Occasional one out to 200 in clearings etc. Not more.

My last three deer were all under 20m. The young fellas I take hunting both shot two at 150m, one had a miss at 200m, and between the two of them have had three deer standing still at 15m or less and never fired a shot!

Only shot three in my life. Two in the bush at about 50m, and one with a guide at 200m.