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Shoot em in the ear -what range?
#6987572
12/08/17 12:49 AM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,701
603Country
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,701 |
Many times i’ve seen comments on shooting hogs in the ear or shooting deer in the head. Nobody ever said what their max range was on these shots. Yes, i’ve done that also, but only at short range. So, i’m interested in finding out at what range you ‘ear shooters’ feel comfortable with the shot. What say you?
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987580
12/08/17 12:55 AM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 411
esnow74
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 411 |
I prefer to shoot hogs just behind the ear towards the bottom part. I've done this out to about 250 yds and would go further if I had the chance and stable rest. I'm not a head shooter on deer so don't have an answer for that.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987605
12/08/17 01:12 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,106
Espy
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,106 |
Today I earholed 2 hogs in the trap at a whopping 2-3 yds with my 22 mag. I have shot many hogs in the head with my night vision from 133 yds. Thats the distance from stand to feeder.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987620
12/08/17 01:22 AM
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 485
TxBuck
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 485 |
it depends on what range you can shoot them at and feel confident in your shot.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987630
12/08/17 01:31 AM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,170
Jimbo
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,170 |
Feeling comfortable with the shot is really up to the individual, and them knowing what their capabilities are. The only shots I normally take on a deer is a behind the shoulder lung shot, or a high shoulder shot if I want to anchor the deer on the spot. As for hogs, it's always slightly behind, and below the ear at whatever range I decide to shoot. The heart and lungs are well forward on a hog so if I miss low, I will usually still catch the lungs or heart. Most of the time they are drt.
Thursday at 12:45 PM #33 Once i learned that i didn't "NEED" to kill something, and that if i did kill something all the fun stopped and work began, i was a much better hunter.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987637
12/08/17 01:39 AM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 395
Growley
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 395 |
My furthest head shot so far was on a pig a couple of weeks ago. 130yds with my 6.8 using 95gr TTSX.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987642
12/08/17 01:42 AM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,251
jhenderson
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,251 |
that just depends on your comfort level. if I know I can hit it and be comfortable taking the shot, range has no distance. for someone that shoots long range maybe thats 1k yards. for me I feel under 250 im very comfortable with. now for something thats not a hog or coyote that may change but for those Ill take more risk.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987664
12/08/17 01:55 AM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,047
mikei
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,047 |
What everyone else has said: it's the range at which you are comfortable. As an old guy with vision issues, I do ear shots and head shots at about 100 yards, and then go for Center of Mass out beyond my comfort level of 100 yards.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: TxBuck]
#6987671
12/08/17 02:00 AM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 65,526
SnakeWrangler
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
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Posts: 65,526 |
it depends on what range you can shoot them at and feel confident in your shot. Based on the firearm and your skill with it.....
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored] Actually, BBC is pretty damn good "You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987673
12/08/17 02:01 AM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,234
gusick
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,234 |
I haven't done it but I would think that nearly any head hit would drop them. Missing and hitting them in the butt or shoulder I suppose is the worry?
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: gusick]
#6987716
12/08/17 02:26 AM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,694
krmitchell
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,694 |
I haven't done it but I would think that nearly any head hit would drop them. Missing and hitting them in the butt or shoulder I suppose is the worry? Headshot low or front on a deer won't kill them. Just blow half their face/jaw off.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987743
12/08/17 02:42 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,173
J.G.
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,173 |
Hog, doesn't really matter. I hit one last week in the shoulder at 648, and the next day one walking, in the shoulder at 750. Depends on the light, the wind, and my position as to where I am aiming on the body.
Deer, depends on the light, the wind, and my position as to where I'm aiming, or if I will make a shot at all.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: SnakeWrangler]
#6987745
12/08/17 02:45 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,468
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,468 |
it depends on what range you can shoot them at and feel confident in your shot. Based on the firearm and your skill with it..... And conditions and animal context.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987758
12/08/17 02:57 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 19,246
TEXASLEFTY
THF Whiskey Sommelier
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THF Whiskey Sommelier
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 19,246 |
109 yards 197 yards Whatever shot presents itself, when I see a hog or varmint I'm not deer hunting anymore.
Never been to a camping world. I prefer Dick's to be honest.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6987975
12/08/17 11:38 AM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,652
Pitchfork Predator
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,652 |
About 300-350 for hog head shots. That's with the 6.8 and Thermal XQ50.
I don't shoot deer in the head.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6988156
12/08/17 02:13 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,544
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,544 |
My longest kill shot was 225 yard head shot at night no light with a borrowed 222 and a zeiss 3x9
Buddy shot a nice 8 pt last weekend 175 yards in the neck out of a normal deer blind, no bipod sand bags or special rest, just a 2x4 window sill.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6988193
12/08/17 02:30 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,225
Rustler
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,225 |
Deer head shot about 125 yards or less, never take a shot on deer unless I'm confident in it.
Head or around the ear shot on pig, if I can even see it without using binoculars or scope I'll give it a try. Never measured the distance of the longest successful pig kill, just a guess, in excess of 300 maybe more.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6988357
12/08/17 04:07 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,642
QuitShootinYoungBucks
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,642 |
I shot a spike in the head two weeks ago at 45 yards. I had watched him for about 30 minutes. That's only the second deer headshot I've taken in 35+ years. The other was closer than that. While watching him and deciding whether or not to shoot him, it was interesting to see just how much and how often he moved/twitched, etc. Anyone advocating long-range headshots on deer as a standard method is seriously asking for trouble or has no respect for the animal.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6988487
12/08/17 05:34 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605 |
Have a buddy with a custom, tricked out 300 win mag. He regularly shoot hogs in or below the ear at 600-700 yards. I've shot a couple hogs at 400-450 yards with my 7mm-08. Longest shot ever with the 7mm-08 was a neck shot on a doe at 487 yards, according to my Leica rangefinder.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6990460
12/10/17 01:06 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,954
huntwest
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,954 |
I shot does in the ear for years until I pulled a shot once and blew a jaw completely off one and she ran off. That deer died a terrible long starvation. I decided never again to make that shot. The neck is a higher percentage shot that doesn’t destroy any meat.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6994306
12/13/17 05:30 AM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,062
Toxarch
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,062 |
I neck shoot deer. They move their heads too often. I used to head shoot them out to 125 yards but I had a near miss once when was facing me and luckily caught the jugular. That's when I stopped. Pigs I head shoot to 300. I don't hunt many places more open than 300. Hit them just below the ear and they'll be DRT.
It is far more important to be able to hit the target than it is to haggle over who makes a weapon or who pulls a trigger.
� Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6994424
12/13/17 01:00 PM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 759
Aggieman775
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 759 |
Honestly we can’t really shoot far where I am at so my furthest ear shot is only 125 yards, but I did it using a .22 wmr
Last edited by Aggieman775; 12/13/17 01:01 PM.
TSmith
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6994850
12/13/17 06:25 PM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,198
Smokey Bear
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,198 |
That is how I most often harvest does. I don't think there is a pat answer. It depends on several factors: the capabilities of the shooter and his weapon. Then the conditions the shot would need to be made in. The state of alertness of the deer as well as the actual position It is in. Sometimes it's a go and sometimes it's a no go. To even discuss this on an open forum I feel like I need to include a disclaimer. On the topic of shooting live animals-"What is ethical for one individual may or may not be ethical for another".
Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
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Re: Shoot em in the ear -what range?
[Re: 603Country]
#6994873
12/13/17 06:49 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
Minor in training
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Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
I've shot 6 animals in the head. At 3, 35ish, 50ish, 60ish, 70ish, and 108yd. Head shots are cool, but impractical in that--as others have already said--they move their heads around a lot. As someone else said, I like neck shots. My longest neck shot was 192yd at an aoudad ewe. My shortest was around 30yd.
Personally, I would be comfortable out to about 100yd. As others have said, this is my personal comfort level with my current rifle. If I practiced more and had a different rifle, it might be more; it varies from person to person.
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