# Whats the closest you've ever shot a big game animal?



## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Ok...so we always hear about the 150 yard bow shots,250 yard muzzleloader shots and the 1 mile rifle shots....from all the expert shooters.

What is the closest range you've taken a big game animal (any weapon)? Let's hear some stories on how close it all went down and how stealthy you were hunting.....


----------



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

With a bow, I shot over an elk standing 3ft from my ground blind (on steep slope, this one was below me) to hit my target elk at 35 yards... all the while a calf was leaning over the back of my blind sniffing my neck and hat. It was crazy.

-DallanC


----------



## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

This isn't me but once my brother was rabbit hunting back in Louisiana and the dogs jumped a bunch of deer bedded down. My brother had a 16 gauge loaded with rabbit shot. When the deer fell, his head landed on my brothers foot. The range was probably 10 feet and the deer was running towards him. This past year he saw some deer swimming across the lake. Ran the few feet into his camp and got his rifle and figured out where they were going to come up out at. Went and hid there and shot one at less than 10 feet with his 7x57 Mauser. In case you weren't aware the limit on deer for rifle in LA is 6 deer with one buck and one doe per day limit. The rifle season varies all over the state so you could conceivably hunt with a rifle for about 3 months. Several years ago they had a period of a few years with no limit.


----------



## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I shot one at point blank (-15 yds.). That's pretty point blank for a bolt action rifle.

I had already wounded him (back and a little high), tracked him into the thick scrub oak for a while and found him laying there just looking at me...had to finish the job.

Did that same thing one other time, again to finish off a small 2 point a friend had wounded.


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I shot a buck deer one time with my muzzle loader where I could of reached out and touched him with the barrel. I was sitting on a log when 3 does and a small 3 pt buck came into a clearing that I was resting my body in. They fed towards me and the buck came right up to me when I pulled the trigger at less than 1 foot. 

I have also shot other animals (deer, and javelina) with a pistol closer than 3' without them being wounded before hand. All kinds of stories there.


----------



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

A spike elk at 4 yards on the ground. A spike elk at 8 yards from a treestand. A whitetail at 8 yards from a treestand. A bear at 8 yards on the ground. A miniature 6x7 elk at 5 yards from a treestand. A 5x5 elk at 10 yards on the ground. A Corsican ram from 10 feet bedded under a cliff I was standing on. 

I completely missed a 5x5 elk at >10 yards on the ground. I think I pooed my camo on that one. Buck fever?........Ya think!?

All but the ram with my trusty longbow!:grin:


----------



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

elk from 5 yards with a bow. I was just sitting in the right place at the right time minding my own business. No sneakiness required on my part.

Not big game but I once shot a pheasant that flushed right at my feet when I was much younger. Scared the crap out of me and I shot it when it reached shoulder height about a 3 feet from my barrel. It was an ugly sight.

Shot a buck in the early eighties from about 10 yards with a 300 savage. I knew it was coming my way but had no idea that it would come into the open that close. It pretty much did a flip and was bled out before it hit the ground.

Shot a black bear with a 7mm from about 20 yards. I had the wind in my favor and my son and I put the sneaks on him. It was in pretty heavy cover and would not have allowed a longer shot if I had the choice. My son had a 44 mag drawn and was pretty much riding me like a back pack. I had to stop a couple times to keep myself from laughing out loud at my son. His breathing and the look on his face was something I will never forget. It was the best hunt I have ever had..............and probably ever will have.


----------



## horn hunter (Oct 30, 2013)

KineKilla said:


> Did that same thing one other time, again to finish off a small 2 point a friend had wounded.


So you just openly admit to party hunting? That's not very smart... Especially on an Internet forum that's crawling with fish cops and ethics police.


----------



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

party hunting is two people hunting for one tag. Shooting a wounded animal is perfectly legal if you have a tag of your own. Ethically.............I would have done the same thing.


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

3-4 yards on a 28" buck

90% of my shots have been 23 yards or closer and most have died in sight.


----------



## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

About 20 feet with a muzzy.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

This thread made me think of this episode of Meat Eater:


----------



## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Deer at 10 yrds with a rifle. It was standing facing straight at me so I put the crosshairs square in the white patch on his neck. Only a handful of neck meat lost. :grin:

.


----------



## horn hunter (Oct 30, 2013)

Mr Muleskinner said:


> party hunting is two people hunting for one tag. Shooting a wounded animal is perfectly legal if you have a tag of your own. Ethically.............I would have done the same thing.


Actually you are wrong. I watched a family member, who also had a deer tag, finish a deer for my brother who wounded a deer, get a citation for doing exactly that. Party hunting is "killing" an animal with the intent for someone else to tag it or have in possession. Doesn't matter who shot it first. And that's quoting a Utah fish cop.

But I'll go with your definition. Gives me a lot more opportunities to shoot bullets


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Yep, that law is if you kill it you tag it.


----------



## 300 Wby (Aug 14, 2008)

Bull elk at 25-30 yards


----------



## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

I killed a bunch of deer at 30 yards and in with both primitive and modern weapons. Closest was probably a 8 point during my senior year of HS, he had his nose to my scent drag that was draped over the rungs of my ladder stand, I shot him right in the top of the skull, I punched the arrow thru plum up to the feathers. He didn't kick a lick; just dropped dead.


----------



## riverpack (Jun 7, 2013)

39 ft, 6 point bull elk, muzzleloader right through the brisket! Dropped him dead in his tracks.


----------



## fishreaper (Jan 2, 2014)

killed a squirrel with a knife from a few feet away. stuck him to the tree. as far as big game goes, probably no more than about 25 yards with a bow. I go out of my way to put some distance if I can.


----------



## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

ZERO yards. 

380 auto pressed agaist a lions skull with a dog in its mouth ....


----------



## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Thanks to Option 2, I had a friend shoot this buck at 40 yards, one shot with his 270 on the 9th day of the rifle hunt two years ago. 
Pretty amazing he didn't get buck fever on this beast.


----------



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

goofy elk said:


> ZERO yards.
> 
> 380 auto pressed agaist a lions skull with a dog in its mouth ....


Yikes! Hound hunters sure love their dogs!


----------



## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I was bow hunting the last day of the hunt years ago and was leaning against a quakie log fence watching a spike and 6 does. I heard a snort right behind me and turned around and looked an okay 2 point right in the eye that was standing on the other side of the fence. I knocked up an arrow, drew back and he just stood there.........
I heard the crunch of the rib bones as the arrow went thru. It was maybe 3 feet.
He hunched up for a minute and then walked up the fence maybe 50 yards and fell over dead right next to my truck. Just had to drop the tailgate to load him.


----------



## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

goofy elk said:


> ZERO yards.
> 
> 380 auto pressed agaist a lions skull with a dog in its mouth ....


I didn't picture you as a 380 auto type of guy Goofy. I figured you to be more of the 38 spl type.----SS


----------



## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Springville Shooter said:


> I didn't picture you as a 380 auto type of guy Goofy. I figured you to be more of the 38 spl type.----SS


I pack a little 380 sig. I'm glad to know if a lion attacks, I can put a bullet to the temple.


----------



## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

I've got several other pistels ...

The 380 is just light and simple to pack., Plenty of puch for a cat ...

.22s were legal to take lions with in Utah for many years...


----------



## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

I have 1 archery deer kill at 8 feet, and 1 archery elk kill at 11 yards.

This past season, my son killed his first deer with a bow at 11 yards too.


----------



## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

12 feet deer archery, tree stand. 
4 yards deer rifle.
18 yards elk archery.

Oh not big game but Mt. lion 20 feet .357 mag pistol, and **** 5 feet .22 rifle.


----------



## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

For what it's worth, I killed my cow elk this year at 21 yards with my .300 win mag. She was sneaking up on me this time :grin:!


----------



## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

fishreaper said:


> as far as big game goes, probably no more than about 25 yards with a bow. I go out of my way to put some distance if I can.


I don't get what you mean. You back up in order to take longer shots?


----------



## Sawbillslayer (Oct 24, 2013)

I shot a a two point buck at 18 yards with my 7mm Rem Mag.


----------



## Oblivion5888 (Sep 12, 2011)

I don't shoot at anything less than about 1760 yards.


----------



## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

goofy elk said:


> I've got several other pistels ...
> 
> The 380 is just light and simple to pack., Plenty of puch for a cat ...
> 
> .22s were legal to take lions with in Utah for many years...


.22's are still legal to take lions with in Utah, the only restriction on firearms is that they cannot be fully automatic. :sad:

One of the quirks of Utah law is that cougars are classified as small game animals in the state. So technically, your lion/.380 shot shouldn't qualify. Nonetheless, anybody admitting to packing a ladies gun on a lion hunt deserves a special exemption......:mrgreen:


----------



## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

We used to use 22 mag with a hollow point for big kitty cats. Small entry hole and no exit hole. Worked very well.


----------



## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Deer at 15 yards and cow elk at 18 yards with a bow.

I missed a whitetail years ago that was 8 steps from the base of the tree I was in. Forgot to account for the steep angle and shot right over the dang thing!


----------



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

A couple years ago I shot a beautiful heavy-horned 4 point at spitting distance on the muzzy hunt. My brother and SIL were walking in a place where he bedded down and I was in a place my brother knew he ran off to if he was flushed from his bed. Anyway, they boo him up, and he runs out into a clearing off to my right swings back to the tree line and makes a bee line right for me. He had no idea I was there and runs straight in my direction until I put the red dot on his brisket and touch off a .54 caliber 425 grain, great plains conical. Dropped him like a hammer!


----------



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I guess I'm just a pansy or something when it comes to short range shooting. I've finished off a few wounded animals at point blank range. But never shot one initially at close. The closest I have had was archery hunting as a kid. We put the sneak on some mule deer does feeding in the alfalfa. I got to about 3 yards and had my old recurve bow at full draw and once I could hear the deer breathing, I couldn't shoot and put my bow down. I don't know my deal. I have shot many animals at distance with the rifle with no problem. But close enough to hear them breathing and seeing eyelashes and I couldn't do it. 

The only duck I've ever killed was a mallard drake that flew crossing left to right, about 3 feet from the barrel of my 20 gauge. The dang thing exploded, and I found the wad inside the duck. That was the end of my duck hunting career.


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

In the last 25 years the longest shot I've made was an antelope buck bedded at 30 yards. Every other critter I've killed I shot at under 20. All with a stick bow and most with a wood arrow. The closest, a mule deer doe at five feet. A close second, a 188 inch buck at about 14 feet. The buck was from a tree, the doe was on the ground spot and stalk.


----------



## Dahlmer (Sep 12, 2007)

Several years ago I found myself in a life and death match with a young and upcoming buck near Richfield. He had knocked my rifle out of my hand with his antlers and I was left to defend myself with only my pocketknife.

He would feint and charge and I was nearly beat due to exhaustion. After what seemed like an eternity, I began recognized a pattern in his attacks and determined I would make my last stand on his next charge. I knew if I did not kill him on this final effort I would be unable to recover and he would gore me with his magnificent rack. He looked at me through his dark evil eyes and I could see he was ready to finish me off. 

Suddenly, he charged and I knew that it was do or die. I saw him coming and recognized that my opportunity was quickly at hand. I feinted right and ducked left thrusting my trusty blade towards his heart. I could feel the triumph as he recognized moments too late that I had bested him. 

But, without warning or pretense he shifted his antlers and I was certain I was doomed. Left to my reflexes I shifted just enough to avoid being impaled and flailed my knife at his face burying my blade deep into his eye socket. 

I came back to awareness some time later feeling fortunate to be alive. I checked my surroundings I found my bloodied knife which held the bucks eyeball impaled on the blade. I located my rifle and looked for signs of the injured deer. There was only a short, erratic blood trail the I could follow only for a few yards. 

I wondered what happened this buck, but was never able to lay eyes on him again. I was certain I would recognize him as he only had one eye.


----------



## Kevinitis (Jul 18, 2013)

Mature bull, Fish Lake, Early rifle, 15 yards, 270 WSM


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

My first bull was from about 25 yards walking towards us, a yearling 1x2 with a 7mag. At the age of 17 I was wise enough to know to shoot for the left side of his chest as he was looking straight at us. He went straight down and managed to go about 20' is all.


----------



## bds (Sep 20, 2007)

Deer: about 5 yds. 30-06. He was blurry in the scope, an old weaver K4
Elk: about 6 yds. with a longbow
I've missed them that close too...


----------



## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

For me it was 12 yards on a 3X4 Mule Deer, and the first deer I had ever killed with a bow. I was in a tree stand that overlooked a small holding pond. The pond was level of course, but the hillside was on a pretty good angle. I was on the lower side of the pond, so my treestand was literally at the same altitude as the side lower side of the pond. While reading a book, I heard a crunch, looked down and all I could see was antlers. I got super excited. He, on the other hand was very cautious and patient. He approached the low side of the pond, peeked his head up over and stood there for what seemed like forever. All I had was a spine shot. Finally, he committed and approached the water. I drew my bow as slowly and quietly as possible, anchored, set my pin behind the shoulder and released by Gold Tip arrow and watched the quick flash of the Luminok as it impacted the deer. Here is where it got interesting! The deer jumped straight in the air and his legs were already running. He landed right in the middle of the pond and went under water. All I could see was the glowing Luminok, until he exploded out of the water on the other side of the small pond. (Maybe 25 yards wide.) I watched him run up the other side of the mountain, and then turn and come back at me at warp speed. He ran right back under my treestand and returned in the same direction from which he came. My friends would not believe the story until the arrived to help me retrieve him and saw the water, and blood on the other side of the pond. We found the deer dead, about 50 yards below my treestand. 

I was forever hooked on bowhunting after that.


----------



## fishreaper (Jan 2, 2014)

outdoorser said:


> I don't get what you mean. You back up in order to take longer shots?


Normally I'm put in positions where I'm watching over a crossroads of trails in the woods or over a pond. twenty-twenty five yards away is a good distance with a bow where I know I won't miss, but far enough away that I don't have to worry if an animal decides to deviate a few too many yards on either side of the path. A fast moving .243 cup and core seem to do their best slower than 2800 fps, up close i've noticed poorer penetration at least on wild boar. (the medium for most "testing" I've done. 7-8 wild boar with a rifle in three days all right behind the shoulder. a hand full more taken by companions in similar scenarios. Least to say it was fun.) That is right at about 80-100 yards from the starting speed of 2960. However, I'm on the verge of moving over to 80 grain Hornady GMX's to nullify(?wording?) this problem entirely. 
However with that in mind, if I can ever get past all of these college deposites and down payments, I'm going to find myself a 45-70 and never worry again.

correction, "Shouldn't" miss.


----------



## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Shot a velvet buck at 3 yards with my bow. Fell dead a couple seconds later.


----------



## 12many (Apr 14, 2008)

I didn't shoot this elk since I had filled my tag earlier in the year but still kind of cool, this was the biggest elk that I have ever had so close only 4' from my feet.
shot a 3x4 buck 10' from my arrow
bobcat 16'


----------



## meltedsnowman (Jun 1, 2012)

My LE bull was shot @ 11 ft. with a smokepole.


----------

