country1

For those who are just getting into hunting, do not feel you have to or should buy a 'long range' caliber for your first hunting rifle. If you happen to miss your target, that long range caliber bullet can have great implications. There is nothing wrong with choosing a good short to medium range brush gun such as a 30-30 as your first hunting rifle for deer. An accurate 30-30 with the proper bullet is capable to about 200 yards on deer. Hornady has stated their 30-30 LEVERevolution ammo is capable of taking deer at 300 yards. Statistics have shown that most deer are taken within 150 yards. Just something to consider.

halcon

Most of the deer I take are under a 100 yards ,but I have also taken some at 200 to 300 yards , For that reason I wouldn't think of hunting with a 30-30 when I can get a faster round in a savage for what it costs to buy a good 30-30 .

VAhuntr

I agree with you. IMO proper firearms handling and safety precautions should be used whether the new hunter is using an air rifle or a centerfire rifle.

OldBuckstalker1187

I have to agree 100%. the longest shot I have ever made at a deer is 147 yards and that was with a shotgun. I have made a 119 yard shot with a rifle, but almost ALL my shots at deer have been under 100 yards. My closest shot was 13 yards. You dont need to make 300 yard shots in the hardwoods. Seldom is there ever an opprotunity for a shot longer than 100 yards "in the woods"anyways. If I had my 30-06 at the edge of a beenfeild and seen a nice buck at 900 yards (IF I COULD SEE IT), Im gonna let him walk....and you can bet I won't be stomping my feet home and complaining how I was undergunned. I never understood someone who says that they are undergunned unless it is for dangerous game. I consider it more of a challenge to scout an area out (and get closer to my game) than to snipe a buck at 1000 yards. This is a topic of taboo and probally will never end. Because there will always be that guy that wants to shoot farther...no matter what gun he had in his hand. I am satisfied with ethical shots that dont take 3 seconds to hit their target. Alot can happen in 3 seconds....like another hunter walking out into the line of fire. But thats just me, I might not be the oldest hunter here on the boards, but I remember when I took my hunter safety course and "safety" was still the key. I was also fortunate enough to be taught how to hunt by an "old time" hunter. He taught me when ethics mattered and chauvanism did not. And that a guy who could draw back his 85 pound bow didn't mean squat at deer camp because he was too busy waxing his string while 4 other guys went out with their old 45-50 pound bows and got the job done.....But call me old fashioned

GTOHunter

Well said Country1....and if someone considers any Magnum or WSM Rifles you had better price the shells because they aren't cheap and may not be in-stock at most Hardware or Shooting Stores?

I have had more Deer in at 50-75 yards than out past 100 yards and to be honest with everyone here I don't think I would try shooting a Deer from 200 yards out and further?After Bow Hunting for several years its more of a challenge for me to see just how close I can let a Deer get to me before I shoot it.

VAhuntr

I enjoy the up close and personal aspect of bowhunting too but are you saying that shooting deer long range is not safe or challenging?

jeepkid

Well what do you consider a "long range caliber"?

salukipv1

I would bet that probably 99%+ of deer are shot at less than 300yds.

300/400yds is a long ways out, but most stand cartridges can certainly take a deer down at 400yds or more. so ya no need for a .300RUM to shoot a deer at 300yds.

I kinda laugh at the "flat shooting cartridge" saying, all bullets drop! some are flatter than others, but it's really not that much more usually, ie dead on at 200yds, at 500yds, whether its a .270wsm, or a .30-06, both are droping lots of inches! it's not like 6" vs. 50"

so ya I think a good ole .270win can drop a deer at 500yds,

skb2706

For those just getting into hunting, they have no business attempting long range shots (whatever the hxll that is). Learning to hunt and learning to make reasonable shots based on their skills level is what they should be doing. As far as the rest of us, since no definition of "long range" means the same thing to me as it does to someone who hunts in another part of the country 'who's to say'. I happen to really like guns that can reach way the hxll out there. I hunt the open prairies for my deer and getting close means something entirely different to me. Around here a prairie deer can see for several miles in any one direction.

As far as the price of ammo goes, I've handloaded my own for decades the difference between loading for a magnum round and a standard round is pennies.

I don't hunt statistics I hunt big game.................

VAhuntr

For the sake of the argument here: Lets assume the new hunter is a very accomplished marksman.....with the rifle he has chosen to hunt with. Should he not take a "long" shot simply because he does not have much experience as a hunter?