Is it ethical to shoot a deer past 250 yards?

[KMB33]

Is it ethical to shoot a deer past 250 yards?

[Beekeeper]

I certainly is provided you are prepared to do such by regularly practicing your distance shooting and you are proficient at judging yardage (or have a rangefinder). Most game animals are taken at 200 or less though.

[s-kfry]

Sure, if you can effectively shoot that far. If you are just going to end up blowing a leg off or something because you don't know the ballistics of your rifle or can't aim well out that far hold your shot and work in closer.

[Del in KS]

If you have a gun for the job and the skill to make the shot of course it is. My longest shot on a buck was a 1 shot bang flop on a 7 pt with a 270 win at 355 measured yds. The most difficult was a big 8 pt buck walking on a hardwood covered ridge at 242 yd. Just had time for 1 shot with 6mmX284 win wildcat. But then I've done so much shooting I can't hear too well anymore. Probably should not have taken that last shot but had to think fast as he was getting away.

[KMB33]

I think you should just know your gun and your capabilities.

[Del in KS]

A few years ago while deer hunting in KS I heard a guy(we both had permission to hunt the same farm) shoot 5 times just before dark. Later found him and his pard trying to follow a blood trail. He said his 2d shot at 100 yd dropped the buck so he ran toward him only to see the deer jump up and bobble away while he missed 3 times. Next morning we found the buck. When he jumped the guy start shooting his 30-06 again. I killed the buck with my muzzleloader after this guy fired a total of 9 shots. He broke a front leg and shot off a rear hoof. It had 14 points I will post a pic of that deer check him out in a few.

[KMB33]

I think muzleloaders are better becase you have to make the first shot count.

[steve182]

It depends what you are shooting and if you are proficient. I shot a buck at about 275 yds with a dead on hold, but i knew my rifle and the range. It might not be ethical to shoot 300 yds with a 30-30 if you've never practiced or even looked at a ballistic chart. But shots at that range are ethical and can put meat in the freezer and bones on the wall

[Del in KS]

OK that pic I mentioned is up you can click my name and see it. My point is that idiot had no business shooting at any range.

[bonnier-admin_2]

If you can hit "MOP" at that range, I say go for it!

[Sportsman Matt]

Depends on what is the effective kill range of the rifle / cartridge you are using. I wouldn't use my 30-30 past 250 yards, but I could use my 30-06 out to 500 yards, and the 45-70 out to 850 yards. But do I really want to have to walk 850 yards to track a blood trail? Probably not, so I limit my shots to 200 yards or less (my personal closest shot was on a deer at 15 feet on the ground from the end of the muzzle, and my longest shot at a deer with the 30-06 was 493 yards from a tree stand)

[bonnier-admin_2]

Your really asking, is politically correct to shoot past 250 yards?

[huskerguy]

If you know you can shoot that far and be accruate I'd say it's ok. Just as long as you know how good you shoot and how good your gun is.

[kjflorian]

Yes. It comes down to the comfort level of the hunter.

[MLH]

Del - You have a Hatfield? You're my hero!

Ethical past 250? I am not going to judge someone with confidence - funny things can happen at any range. Carelessness is something else, though.