Shooting too far

[Speckmisser]

This topic is an extension of FeelinBirdy's Homework for Hog Hunting thread.

It came about following this from Bill W.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

That 30-06 with 165 grain bullets is 400 yard medicine or better on a pig if you practice and can accurately estimate yardage.[/b]

I'm not looking to start anything here, but I guess it's time for my perennial rant about shooting too far at game.

I have never heard a convincing argument to support the need to shoot 400+ yards at any wild game, but especially not at something as resilient as a wild hog. A good shot with a good round will certainly kill the animal... often cleanly. But what do you do when you don't kill cleanly? Take another look at this snip from hoghunter714's post I'm Back...

Take special note of the last line in parentheses.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Just as the hogs are to the top of the hill I can see them now. Jeff reloads his Ruger #1 and "KA BOOM" he hits a big sow on the rear left leg breaking her leg. Now she toped the hill and is out of site. Kek lets one of his dogs go cause she is wounded now. Daylight is almost gone and we have to move fast. We start hiking and the dog is LONG GONE. We stop and we hear barking off to the distance and know the dog has the pig at bay. After another 600 yard hike we finally reach the pig and dog (This pig traveled 600 yards with a broken rear leg...Amazing).[/b]

If it weren't for the dogs, they would never have recovered that sow. And remember that dogs aren't allowed at Tejon.

Now I'll be the first to admit that a situation like that can happen at 10 feet with the same consequences, but the odds of it happening at 400 yards are multiplied by a huge factor. Add in the fact that, in the case quoted above he shot at running pigs, and your likelihood of a clean hit and kill is practically nil.

But you take the shot anyway, and you hear the smack of bullet hitting pig. He squeals like hell and takes off over the ridgetop. Now what?

How far can you hike in a straight line in pig country? 400 yards is 120 feet short of a quarter of a mile. In a quarter of a mile of pig country, that usually entails up and down canyons and through the chapparal. At the end of that quarter mile hike, you have to locate the spot where the pig was standing when you shot in order to start trailing. Can you do that?

Now here's where it gets really interesting. Pigs don't generally leave a very good blood trail. If they're bleeding hard enough to leave a trail, they didn't go far... so there's a positive note. But due to the heavy layer of fat most of them carry, a normal bullet wound will barely leak externally. Also, consider that you may or may not get a through and through shot. This means there won't be an exit wound, which is usually the best source of tracking blood since it's usually much larger than the entry.

Anecdotal experience... I shot my Tejon hog last year at less than 25 yards with a 30-06, shooting a 168gr ballistic tip. The bullet shattered the onside shoulder, literally liquified the heart and one lung and lodged on the offside under the skin. There were a couple of drops of blood where I hit the hog, and a few drops where he fell, about 40 yards downhill. There was NO BLOOD over that 40 yard trail. And by the way, even with that damage he was still trying to get up when I got to him and put a .44 mag into his brain.

But let's just say that, by some miracle (or by having another hunter spot for you), you found where the animal was standing, and you actually find some blood. Now for complication #3.

Anybody want to describe typical pig country? While the pigs may come out to some fairly open areas to feed or water, you can bet there's a patch of the thickest, nastiest stuff known to man nearby for a quick escape. If a wounded pig hits that stuff, your odds of recovery are slimming to none real fast. The stuff is impossible to walk through upright, and even if you do bulldoze through, you won't be able to see the ground while you're doing it. You will have to crawl, at best, just to try to follow the blood spoor.

Add to this the fact that you're going in after a wounded pig. A small boar or sow isn't necessarily a big deal, but if you happened to take that shot at a big pig, you're going into enemy territory with a hostile and well-armed opponent. Ask any houndsman what happens to the dogs if they get too close to a bayed boar. The advantage you had at a distance with that high-powered rifle is all gone now. This is where a backup handgun may come in handy, although if you should get charged in that thick stuff, your best bet is to beat a retreat to where YOU have the advantage again.

But getting charged is the least of my concerns, and should only be a back-of-the-mind thing for you too. Sure it happens, and it can get ugly... but it doesn't happen as much as some folks would have you think.

What's more important is that now you have a wounded animal lost in the chapparal. Odds of recovery are decreasing by the moment, especially if it's dark or getting that way. You can beat the bushes, go get some help, and maybe you'll find the pig. Or not. Even the most dedicated and ethical hunter sometimes has to throw in the towel and admit that they crippled and lost an animal.

But that's not what you're out there for, is it?

So all this is to say, in spite of your rifle's capabilities, avoid those super-long shots. If it's over 200 yards, you should be able to get closer. If you can't, then the animal wins. That's part of the sport. Find another animal and start over. It'll only improve your skills as a big game hunter to learn to do those "impossible" stalks. Remember, people bowhunt these animals too, so you can be sure that it's possible to get close with a little skill (and sometimes a little luck).

Pigs are especially easy to stalk, as long as you can play the wind and move relatively quietly. If they're not alert, they make lots of noise themselves, and they can't see worth a hoot. With the wind in your face, you should have no problem finding a way to within 100 yards for a comfortable, easy shot (usually a lot closer, if you want). Part of being ethical means doing everything possible to ensure a good shot, clean kill, and recovery.

Think about this, too... if the terrain is so bad that you can't close to a reasonable range for the shot, what is it going to mean for your recovery effort, especially if the pig runs off?

As I mentioned before, there's a lot more to being a successful hunter than just picking a good gun and being a good shot. Hunting is NOT target shooting. You have to think about what happens before AND after the shot. You have to plan for worst-case scenarios, and be prepared to follow through on that plan. If you're not thus prepared, then you shouldn't be there. Period.

 

[fairchase]

Speck,
Thanks for reminding us to do the right thing.
It all comes down to respecting the life of the game being taken.

 

[1SoCalHunter]

I would never even attempt a shot at anything beyond 200 yards with a 30-06.

 

[MrMullen]

Completely agree. It's not about shooting the Hog, but shooting and recovering the Hog.

I have also heard that cleaning a Hog with a gut shot is about the worse thing you can do.
The words "...and I thought these things smelled bad on the outside." comes to mind.

 

[m57jager]

I hear what you say. I'm an archer as well as a rifleman, so I understand. I also think it depends on the capabilities of the gun and the hunter. With my 300WM, I can shatter clay pigeons all day long at 300 yds. So, being extremely confident and knowing my boundaries, I shoot at a game animal 300 yards away without a second thought.

 

[bighorn67]

I am confident with my 30-06 up to 250 yards. I know that it will shoot about 1 inch low with 2700fps muzzle velocity.

Our quarry deserves that we do everything we can to provide an instant death.

I also know that after a long hike in and anticipating cleaning the beast, I don't want to precede that with a long tracking job. Picking the right shot makes our job much easier.

If I have the chance to creep in and make the shot shorter I won't hesitate.

Dave

 

[Whoadog]

I will say I am new to pig hunting but I recently shot my first pig at 200 yards in the head and I see no reason to not shoot for the head on them as their heads are huge. I usually shoot my deer behind the front shoulder as there head and neck is so small, however I have shot a few in the neck. I know how my gun shoots and you would be amazed how many people don't . I have a good friend that is a full time guide and when he guides deer hunters in NV, where you can have some long shots, the first thing he asks his clients when they arrive is how far they can shoot. He get's some long range answers and puts a 9" paper plate out at 200 yards, he says most guys miss it and he keeps moving it in until they can hit it cosistently. He then knows how close he has to get his clients for a clean kill.

Brian

 

[Boar Tracks CA]

I also agree that you do not need to,or have to take a long shot on a hog. I've hunted hogs from NC to the philipines,and even though I have been to sniper school as a Marine,and taught to make long range one shot kills, I find the hunt more enjoyable to see how close I can get to my prey to make a clean fast kill.I know alot of you feal that you guns have no problem taking game out to 300 and even 400 yards, But hunting on the central coast I have yet taken a shot at a hog over 250 yards, because thats about as far as you can see, with fog,trees, and bushes.
I just had to put my two cents in.

 

[DILPRXO]

I'd like to chime in here and strongly concur here with Speck....I personally believe that 400yard shots should be refrained from under most circumstances the only situation I can really think of for their application is if the hunter knows the hog is already wounded and the opprotunity presents itself.As I said in the Feelinbirdy post I believe strongly that being fluent with your weapon of choice is mandatory, do you have to be a "super sniper" ...no.. but should you be able to operate almost reflexively and the way to become fluent with it is to shoot it! But one of the key things here is that part of becoming fluent with the gun IS KNOWING YOUR LIMITATIONS with it.Its fun to practice 400 yard shots at the range and a great confidence builder...but again know your limits..your on a flat well lit/sunny area, your calm,your shooting at a fixed target of known size and distance and more than likely using a rest...contrast this with...You've been up since 4:00am, your tired, your heart's beating from busting brush for the last 2 hours, its dusk and the light's fading fast and the canyon wall opposite of you just exploded with hogs..they're running and manuevering just like you would be if somebody was shooting at you..your footing is off because of canyon your in..brush is getting in your way.... still feel comfy with those odds?
I'm not trying to offend anyone or start something with this post..just trying to illustrate a point.But nothing irks me more than sombody that wants to hunt but isn't dedicated enough to become fluent with their gun..and even though I'm the biggest gear head on the block..equipment can't replace skill...How many members here have seen this scenario...You go to the range and the two guys next to ya are shooting a $2500.00 rifle set up..they can't hit the backstop let alone the target..nice rifle you comment...thanks the one guy says..just picked her up yesterday...gonna do some hog hunting..Cool you reply what load ya using..ohhh hell I don't know had Junior pick up 2 boxes at Big 5 for me last night..his buddy interupts.."hey Bob where the hell is the safety on this S.O.B again..you start to back away..when you going hog hunting you ask..going up north next week!

I'm embellishing here but I think you see my point..Its not the wand..its the magician that makes it good.The game we hunt deserves our respect and dedication...again I hope I don't offend anyone with my post..for its not my intention..Thanks for letting me rant..this topic kinda hit home with me.

 

[Speckmisser]

Well, since I've started now...

For those who don't quite get it...

I have very little doubt that I can make a good hit on a hog-sized target out to 500 yards with my 30-06. That's not the point. Anyone who practices a bit with a good weapon should be able to do the same under the right conditions.

The question isn't can you.. the question is, should you? And my answer is, NO. Unequivocably.

Here's a thought question.

How many of you who advocate shooting past 250 yards know how much your hunting bullet drops at 250 yards? 300 yards? 400? Don't give me the numbers from the back of the ammo box or the reloading manual... give me real-time data.

Maybe an even better (and more telling) question is, how far from the point of aim is your actual point of impact at that distance?

I'll jump the gun and say that most of you couldn't give me an honest answer, because you've never shot that distance at a range. Those few of you who have should have a pretty good idea at how much variation a bullet is going to have and all the things that affect it. And that variation in point of impact is only one of the factors you have to overcome in taking big game at longer ranges.

For every hundred yards the factors working against a clean kill and recovery mount drastically. At no point, as an ethical hunter, should the desire to shoot an animal outweigh the obligation to do all you can to reduce those negative factors as much as possible.

Being an expert marksman is only part of the equation. In my opinion, a good hunter can, and will, close the range... or he will pass on the shot. You're not going to starve if you don't kill a pig.

Where you draw the line, I guess, is still a personal decision. If you don't see any problem with taking long shots, then my opinion probably isn't going to change your mind. But, hopefully, it'll generate some thoughts about the rationale behind my opinion and you will give it some consideration the next time you're in the field.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

I think that you have to know your limitations before you pull the trigger. Practice, Practice, Practice, you owe it to the animal to make it a "Clean Kill". Personally, I'm not one who likes to shoot an animal at a far distance. I enjoy doing it up close and to see how close I can stalk it. If a situation only allows me to take a animal at 250 yards I will take the shot, because I have practiced with my weapon and I know my shooting abilities. Just my 2 cents.

Bryan

 

[SDHNTR]

It all depends on how much you practice, how confident you are and at the end of the day, how consistently accurate you are. I shoot a fair amount (a few hundred rounds a year of large centerfire rifle) and practice at longer ranges. For me too far has always been anything over 300 yards. I did take an elk at 328 yards. Heres my disclaimer, I had 15 minutes to set up and calm my breathing. It was cross canyon and there was no way to get closer (I know, thats not a good excuse). I knew exactly what my trajectory was. There was no wind at all. I had a solid rest over my backpack and my sweater folded under the buttstock. I felt like I was shooting off the bench. I felt 100% confident and I took the shot. Dead elk and the bullet went exactly where I intended it to. Fortunately most game is killed far under that range. I have only killed one other animal over 250 yards and only one more over 200. Most have been 75-150 yards. It really all depends on the skill of the individual up to about 300-350 yards max. And you better be very well practiced to shoot at the longer end of that range. Past that range I don't think game should be shot at. Period. Bullet drop is exponential and trajectory is very hard to estimate at that distance. You can barely see the vital area on your target. It is not a 100% kill shot. You are leaving too much to chance. There are a multitude of things that can go wrong and wild animals are worth too much as a resource to risk wounding. Sure there might be the guys shooting sniper type rifles with ballistic ranging scopes that can consistently make these shots but that is not HUNTING. Each person must answer this question for themselves. The only way to find out is to get out and practice. Hunting has no place for egotistical machismo. People that brag of 400yd + shots should be reprimanded. One of the best hunters I know shoots a 30-06 and will not shoot past 200 yards, EVER. But bet your butt he can part the wings on a fly's back. I watched him hit a penny off a stump at 160 yards. I'm sure he could hit the vitals of any deer at 300 yards, probably further, but he is not as sure. So he limits himself. This is admirable and what every hunter must do. Find your limit and excercise self-restraint.

 

[Hawghunter]

Great topic. I must be crazy but here goes...
So, how far is too far? Sounds like we need an example, a bad guy, maybe I’m it? You tell me. Here is my story:
We are hunting a ranch, myself and two friends. One has taken a hog, the other has decided not to take one. I’m still deciding, if I see the right hog, I’ll take it. We get my friends hog back up to the skinning station and my other friend yells, “Mark, there is your hog!”
We look back down the road we just came up and there is a huge hog, over 300#, standing in the road. (Dirt road and on gated private property.) I ask the guide if I can shoot it. He says, “It’s a long way, can you hit it?” I tell him, “Yes.” He ask me how far I think it is. I reply, “Between 400 and 500 yards.” He thinks it’s closer to 500. He decides to let me shoot. I tell everyone to cover their ears and shoot.
The 140 grain nosler partition hit the hog low in the front shoulder, broadside, destroying the leg and taking out his heart and one lung, while sending multiple bone splinters into the pigs other lung and liver.
We walked back to him and I finished him off with my 44mag. He didn’t make it 10 feet from where I first hit him.
Was I wrong to take this shot? Am I a piss poor example of a hunter? Here is the rest of the story:
‘The skinning station is on top of a huge hill, or small mountain. My shot measured 462 yards with a laser rangefinder. The hog was in the bottom of a canyon. If you know about gravity and bullet drop then you know gravity has the most effect when the bullet is fired horizontal with the earths plane. Extreme uphill or downhill and the bullet does not drop as much. Also, from this hilltop I was shooting from a bench and table. I put my daypack on the tabletop and sat on the bench, making a rock solid rest. Just like the range. As for practice at that distance my friend and I regularly shoot squirrels out of his fields from another hilltop, on his property just across the fwy. Same terrain and same distance, only smaller targets. As far as my rifle: My particular 7mm rem mag shoots Federal premium ammo w/ 140 grain Nosler Partitions very accurately. My gun shoots 3” high at 100 yards. Almost 4” high at 200 yards. Is dead on at 300 yards. Is just over 9” low at 400 yards. And is down 2’ even at 500yards. This is shooting horizontal and at about 2500’ above sea level. When I took this shot I was very confident. I had taken way to many squirrels at this same distance and with the same circumstances. (less the bench) Also, in this instance there was no way to sneak any closer, and no wind whatsoever.
Was I wrong to take this shot? I have passed on numerous shots since then, many because of the distance. However, given the set of circumstances that surrounded that particular shot I took it, and might again, everything else being equal.
Anyway, just the other side of the coin…..
Mark

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

462 yards...Ok, stop blowing smoke

...LOL Just kidding Mark....I was one of the 2 friends that was there on the hill with him. I dont think you were out of line for taking that shot. You felt comfortable with your weapon and you took the shot, Period! I might add, when I saw the round hit the hog at that distance, my jaw dropped. Anyway you slice it, I think you did the right thing cause only "You" know how you shoot your weapon and if you are able to make a shot like that. I personally wouldnt take a shot at that distance for one reason and one reason only. I havent practiced taking shots at that distance, so I would pass. That is just me and I know how far I am able to shoot my game.

Bryan

 

[Bill W]

The "400 yard medicine" remark was mine so I suppose I should comment. I actually hesitated a bit when I posted that because I recognize that an ethical four hundred yard shot is a rarity.

However, the thread was a question about ballistics rather than what is a normal pig shot. Specifically, the question was about the relative merits of a 45-70 vs. a 30-06. With that in mind, I answered the question from the standpoint of ballistics. And from that standpoint, there is absolutely no doubt that a 30-06 is ballistic capable of cleanly and ethically killing a pig at that range. In fact, a 165 gr boattail sent out of a 30-06 has as almost as much energy at 400 yards as a 30-30 AT THE MUZZLE. And it has substantially more than a 30-30 does at 100 yards. Similarly, that same 30-06 round at 400 yards has just about the same energy as a 100 grain .243 pill does at 100 yards.

So from the standpoint of simple energy, there is no question that the 30-06 will easily do the job on a 400 yard pig. If it won't then no one has any business shooting pigs at close range with .243's or 30-30's.

Obviously, there is more to the tale than energy. The real deciding factor is terrain and the circumstances surrounding the shot. If a pig is in an unrecoverable location, then you shouldn't be shooting at it regardless of how close you happen to be. I will certainly agree that, under certain circumstances, a pig four hundred yards out will be much harder to track than one that is at a hundred. But not always. It depends on the set up.

As for real world stuff, a buddy of mine has about six hundred acres of barley near paso robles. We were waiting on some pigs to move into the barley and we were set up over a field where we expected them. He had a 30-06 that he regularly shoots with. It has a Harris Bi-pod and he was leaning with his back against an oak. A pig walked out and quietly began feeding in the middle of the field at about 400 yards out. We watched it for three or four minutes waiting for it to turn broadside before he fired. It was his ranch and he knew how far it was. He could not have been any more stable. He calmly took the shot and the pig skidded around in a circle for about ten yards and then lay still. That was a long shot, but it was a hell of a lot easier than some 75 yard shots I've seen taken.

Would I have taken the shot? Probably not. I would have stalked it to 250 yards as that could have been easily done. But this guy has killed a whole bunch of pigs on his ranch, knows his rifle, and didn't even hesitate.

Is four hundred yards too far? Maybe yes, maybe no. But the same can be said for a one hundred yard shot. But either way, a 30-06 will most certainly do the job at either distance

JMO

Bill

 

[RIFLEMAN]

Speckmisser beat me to the punch on this one. I was planning on starting up a thread about this very subject.

I must say that after reading all of these posts, I now know why I keep pulling bullets out of the hog hides when skinning. Hogs can take some lead even under the best of circumstances at the closest of ranges so taking far off shots is a risky proposition at best.

I would guess that more shot hogs are needlessly crippled and lost than any other mammal. I would bet a lot of hogs are actually hit, but because of their tenacity and physiology, they give neither the behavioral inclination or blood sign to merit a recovery attempt by the shooter. It is assumed that the shot missed. However, while some survive and carry the bullets, many others die slowly, painfully and certainly needlessly. As Speck said, their physiology makes them ill-suited for recovery. Their thick hide, cartilaginous shield and layer of fat clamp off most blood.

I agree 100% with Speck. It is not a matter of can or could but rather a matter of should.

In my mind, being a great hunter is knowing when to pass up a shot you could have made. You know you are a good shot or a successful hunter without having to try to prove it to yourself and those around you.

Lofting 400 yard shots is great fun for ground squirrels, but it has no place while hunting hogs. I think they deserve more respect than that.

Great posts, Speck.

 

[MNHNTR]

I feel that a part of hunting is the excitement and satisfaction of spotting game, making a plan, stalking within a reasonable distance ~~> my opinion ( I try to get within 200 yds or less) and making a nice clean kill. We owe it to the animal we are hunting to make sure that they do not suffer if they are not immediately killed.

 

[JungleBoy]

I am also in agreement with most here. I sight in my rifles about 2.5 inches or so high at 100 yards, which gives me a 200 yard 'zero'. Be it a 308 or 300 Weatherby, once the projectile starts accelerating down (gravity), things go south quick. Also, even a little cross wind in long ranges has very pronounced effects, and it is not always predictable. It may be calm where you shoot from, but there could be a cross wind accross the canyon.

At the bench, on most days, I can put 3 shots into a 0.7 inch (or better) group. That is at 100 yards, and FROM TEH BENCH! Things are a LOT different in the field. I, personally, practice 'busting' clay pigeons out to 200 yards from a field position, which gives me the confidence to shoot at a big game animal vitals out to 200 yards.

As you know, there are no yardage markers out in the field, so you have to estimate.... The 200 yard zero will allow me to hold dead on, out to 200 yards (actuall, a smidgen more...). This way, I can 'estimate' my range, and have some margin of error. If I think it's over 250 yards, I won't shoot. Preferably, I like to be within 150 yards or closer. This will allow a much larger margin of error.

Just my opinion, and my way of doing things, which is basically saying that this is what I am comfortable with.

 

[Speckmisser]

Bill, you posted:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

However, the thread was a question about ballistics rather than what is a normal pig shot.[/b]

Now, I'm not picking on you or trying to make this personal or anything, but the thread was a question from someone who has never hunted hogs before, asking for some advice, specific to hunting Tejon Ranch. Ballistics were only a small part of the question, asking about a decent bullet weight and style for hogs and which rifle would be most appropriate, the 45-70 or the 30-06 (either would be perfect).

To me, even suggesting to a novice big game hunter that simply shooting a 168gr bullet in their 30-06 makes them capable of 400 yard shots is a wrong course of action. Even though YOU know what you meant (hence the hesitation you mention), that wasn't communicated to the person asking the question. All that was communicated was the idea that a 400 yard shot is OK if you use the 30-06 and the 168gr bullet.

That's what started me off in the first place. That's not the right lesson to be teaching. And that's what we're doing every time we give advice on this (or any) forum ... we're teaching. This is an opportunity to pass on knowledge about sound, ethical, and legal hunting techniques.

But now I'm gonna preach for a paragraph or two... again...

One last time... It's NOT what the gun/bullet/marksman can do, it's what the HUNTER can do. Can you recover a wounded pig hit at a quarter mile? Can you hike 500 yards through chemise and sage to the exact spot the animal was standing, pick up four drops of blood, then follow those drops another hundred yards? If you aren't as confident in that as you are in your ability to make the shot, then you should NOT take the shot.

That's a tough proposition even with a 100 yard shot, but at least from 100 yards you can often hear which direction the animal is running or even see it. And at 100 yards, it's a whole lot easier to mark the hit and the exact spot the animal was standing. Heck, at 400 yards, it's entirely possible to hit a hog without being able to tell you touched him at all. Write it off as a miss and go find another one.

And that's a real hot issue with me, because I see it every year on deer. Yahoos shooting 300-500+ yards (no, everyone who shoots 300-500 yards is not a Yahoo). If the deer doesn't fall, they assume they missed. They don't even try to mark a trail. If the deer falls and runs off, most of them can't even find the trail, much less the animal. I find carcasses every season in the thickets and chapparal where these guys cripple deer and then can't find them because they're too far away... or don't even bother to look for them because they think they've missed.

I don't see it as much with hogs, because I hunt primarily public land, but I know the same thing is happening. In fact, I imagine it happens with elk, bears, and any other big game. People outshoot their capability to recover the animal.

We have a responsibility to the future of our sport to help people who don't know any better do the right things, even as we examine and re-examine our own behaviors. There's an awful lot of hunting experience on this board, and many of us have learned our lessons through errors and dumb luck. We owe it to new hunters to help them avoid those same mistakes, ensuring the positive evolution of our hunting traditions.

Not only does teaching the right lessons help the newcomers, it helps us all. Our sport is under the magnifying glass of public opinion, and we simply can't get away with some of the stupid things we used to do. Things like ground-identification on waterfowl, hail-Mary shots at big game, or shooting non-game (such as tweety birds) for fun and practice are simply not tolerated today.

It's all tied together, whether it's posts on a web-forum, cleaning up trailheads, or community outreach... everything we do as hunters is either helping to preserve our sport or undermine its future.

 

[One Track]

This 300+ yards stuff regarding pig hunting is for the birds. I think it's fun to sneak up on wild hogs to within at least 100 yards.

Now, if I had a big 'ole buck in my scope at 300 yards, I would certainly put him down, if closing the gap was impossible.