Range vs Shooting Position: Changing up my preseason

prone, longest shot was 505 yards, buck was heading downhill and away, I pulled the trigger while aiming 1 foot above his head and 1 foot in front of it. Bullet took out his femoral artery... bad idea, but good luck. 7mm RUM
Second longest, 350 yards, but not prone. propped up in the v made by the open door and the A pillar. buck never took a step. 270 Wby.
I practice all positions, seated, cross legged, prone, supported, unsupported. when I can... which isnt often enough. I wish I was a better shot.

D.B. Cooper said:

That most glorious of all seasons is quickly upon us (it's almost hunting season), and I'm looking to up my preseason marksmanship game. The basic question here is what field shooting position(s) do you consider most appropriate (i.e. ethical, effective, etc.) at what range for large game hunting?

I hunt caribou on open tundra. Literally miles with only hills obstructing my view. I know that my chosen projectile with my handload will drop below minimum performance velocity (the hollow point may not open) at 350 yards. Subsequently, my maximum range is 300 yards. At 300 yards, I wouldn't even consider shooting at a moving caribou, and I would only shoot from a prone and supported position. However, in your mind, what are the cutoffs for other positions?

For example, what's your max range on a moving target? At what range do you feel it acceptable to simply take a knee and then the shot? (Or a shot from the sitting position.) At what range does a standing off-hand shot cease to be ethical, effective, etc.?

Of course, we all have our own individual answers to these questions. What I'm really looking for is a sounding board. For my preseason practice this year (I usually shoot all year long, but with the ammo shortage...), I'm looking to do most of my training with 22LR shooting at 25 yards using various diameter targets based on MOA an the average 12" kill zone on an average caribou. If I say "No offhand shots past 100 yards, then I only need to practice off hand on a 3" target at 25 yards with a 22. Likewise, if I say "only prone after 200" then I probably just need to be shooting prone at a 4 MOA target of 1" diameter with a 22 at 25 yards. (Aiming black would be the same size as the 12" vitals at 300.)

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So I'm the exact opposite. Modern cartridge or black powder, my shots are always under the max effective/accurate range, due to tight, rolling terrain and trees. I always have a tree that I can steady upon.
I have in the past, however, hunted fields and meadows, and some of those shots are out at 200 yards.

In your area, were I there..., I wouldn't go past 100 yards on a "moving" target, and I think more left-right or right-left, when I say a "moving target", as opposed to walking toward me. Also the speed would be a walking, big game animal. If it was trotting or going faster, nope, I'd pass on the shot. Scope or not, I just like a pretty steady sight picture.

I wouldn't be shooting offhand, aka standing-unsupported. I just don't like it. When I've been in fields or meadows without a tree for me to use, I've carried a walking staff that I used as a sort of monopod, but only for a shooting situation that was unplanned, such as I was crossing an area and a deer appeared, before I had chosen a spot and set up. I do like your 300 yard limit.

In your area, I'd consider the old "Crossed Sticks" and a sitting position. Prone never worked for me as the grass where I am is always knee high, and I always end up looking at a grass wall. Crossed sticks worked for bison hunters, and granted, that was at a time when rifle trajectory was really curved, but I've found them good now. They give me a less tight position than a full sitting or kneeling, and thus I don't go numb or cramp up waiting for that shot. Because, it's always been the case in the past, when I've used a tight shooting position in sitting or kneeling..., the animal takes it's darn sweet time presenting me the with shot that I want. Numb isn't so bad, but a cramp that gives the shakes..., I'd rather use the sticks.

LD

D.B. Cooper said:

This is rather enlightening. I need to invert my strategy. Instead of thinking in terms of matching a range to a position, I need to match a position to a range. Instead of saying "no offhand shots past 100," I need to shoot and shoot until I find the distance at which offhand is ineffective.

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Dry fire drills will enlighten you on what range each position is good for. It gives you the ability to focus without recoil. If you're honest with yourself. You know if you're crodsshairs were actually where you wanted them when the trigger broke.
I "feel" my shots in the field. If the doesn't feel right I don't shoot. My passed said are becoming less as my confidence increases. But I still passed on a nice 10 point white tail last fall that was inside 100 because I didn't feel right.

I’m good the 300, because that is the furthest that my gun range allows me to practice.
I shoot often from the ground and sometimes in a stand.
The stand has rails I shoot off of.
On the ground I use shooting sticks, bipod sticks most often.
They telescope and attach very nicely to my pack for carry in.
My shortest distance to a stand area is a quarter mile so I’m walking a bit before I sit.
I carry a pack because my extra clothes are in it so that I can add for warmth later, after I start to cool off from walking/stalking in.
My longest know shat has been 256 yards, and I know this as I ranged it from where the animal was back to where I was sitting.
I’m certain I could go out further but have not had to try just yet.
I practice dry fire a lot with my bipod and body positions in the off season as well as shooting at the range to make sure loads and sight are on.

Spent yesterday morning and again in the PM helping other folks, zero etc, but I got some "me" time this morning. Headed out back to practice with my little M7 in .223 for our upcoming WY antelope hunt. Great conditions, cool light variable breeze.



Kneeling at 220yds 4rds, positively a last resort:


Need to practice this way more or stick to 100yds or under.

Sitting, Bogpod tripod with my backpack on my lap for an elbow rest (positively my favorite and most accurate sitting position), 3rds at 307yds. I find it almost as stable as going prone.



I've got a couple weeks left to practice, so I'll working on the kneeling and standing.

D.B. Cooper said:

That most glorious of all seasons is quickly upon us (it's almost hunting season), and I'm looking to up my preseason marksmanship game. The basic question here is what field shooting position(s) do you consider most appropriate (i.e. ethical, effective, etc.) at what range for large game hunting?

I hunt caribou on open tundra. Literally miles with only hills obstructing my view. I know that my chosen projectile with my handload will drop below minimum performance velocity (the hollow point may not open) at 350 yards. Subsequently, my maximum range is 300 yards. At 300 yards, I wouldn't even consider shooting at a moving caribou, and I would only shoot from a prone and supported position. However, in your mind, what are the cutoffs for other positions?

For example, what's your max range on a moving target? At what range do you feel it acceptable to simply take a knee and then the shot? (Or a shot from the sitting position.) At what range does a standing off-hand shot cease to be ethical, effective, etc.?

Of course, we all have our own individual answers to these questions. What I'm really looking for is a sounding board. For my preseason practice this year (I usually shoot all year long, but with the ammo shortage...), I'm looking to do most of my training with 22LR shooting at 25 yards using various diameter targets based on MOA an the average 12" kill zone on an average caribou. If I say "No offhand shots past 100 yards, then I only need to practice off hand on a 3" target at 25 yards with a 22. Likewise, if I say "only prone after 200" then I probably just need to be shooting prone at a 4 MOA target of 1" diameter with a 22 at 25 yards. (Aiming black would be the same size as the 12" vitals at 300.)

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What twist is your .243?

I believe he said 223 in last post.

9x56MS said:

I believe he said 223 in last post.

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Maybe but he hunts caribou with a .243 85 gr tsx iirc....

@D.B. Cooper have you considered the 80 gr ttsx??

In my case (deer hunting in Fl) I am almost always seated, and usually with some type of support in a ladder stand or ground blind, shooting deer at 50 yards or less. About the only thing that matters is getting an unobstructed shot on a vital area. That's just the nature of the terrain and vegetation where I hunt, but I would welcome opportunities to take longer shots from different positions. I zero either from a bench or prone on bag and bipod.

D.B. Cooper said:

I've used it at the range, and I have some commercial loaded ammo with it (Banes TTSX, Federal with the TTSX bullet). The TSX has a very slightly higher BC. I think they're very similar projectiles. The 85 grn TSX is easier to find for reloading.

Come to think of it, the Barnes branded TTSX ammo was more accurate in my rifle than the Federal.

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The reason I ask.....I found the 80 gr in stock, if you could live with the difference of .194 instead of .206 on the b.c. you might be able to supplement your cache a bit.....https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....-tipped-tsx-triple-shock-x-boat-tail-50-count
Eta the extra lil bit of fps might just outrun the bc to 300 yds I haven't run those numbers to confirm yet though.

Soooooo @D.B. Cooper if you can load those 80s at 3380 you'll hit 300 yds at 2197 fps (5000 ft, 78 percent humidity, 59 degrees) 2200 is what I like outta my monos so I'm thinking you might be just dandy with these.....

Here's a new one on me!
My nephew helping his daughter tag her first music
They live on a ranch in Montana.
Look closely. My nephew is resting her rifle barrel between his toes. He said he learned this technique in the sandbox. and she got her buck!

Was it a musical buck?
Dang autocorrect! Nice little muley!
His position is not too dissimilar from the classic Creedmore position, just adapted to warfare in flat land.

A variance was popular back in the heyday of LR matches, it was called the "back position".

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/index.php/marksmanship/art-of-shooting/the-back-position

entropy said:

Was it a musical buck?
Dang autocorrect! Nice little muley!
His position is not too dissimilar from the classic Creedmore position, just adapted to warfare in flat land.

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Yes. Lol...new phone with tiny buttons and autospell....
Mulie....not music.
Thanks for having my back...again.