To tell you the truth(IMO) a good amount of hunters can't estimate can't accurate judge the range of a target. Many will say 300 when it was really 175 maybe 200. Not knocking anybody here, but once you get a rangefinder, you'll start to find out that distances aren't what you thought they are.

I have a target rifle sighted in at a ranged 500 yards. For people to use a normal rifle at those ranges would be stupid, unless you have the right equipment. Even at a deer with the right equipment would be stupid. It scares me too when I hear that many people shoot out in the 400 yard range after deer, but then again, take the guessing into consideration and you'll probably get something else. But that's just a part of hunting.