Closest rifle shot on game?

[Guy Miner]

Out of curiosity... What's the closest rifle shot you've made on game?

Trying to remember, but I believe my two closest have been:

20 - 25 yards, 4x4 mule deer buck, .25-06

10 - 15 feet, wounded black bear, .375

There were probably some equally close shots with the .22 on small game over the years, but those two come to mind.

The 20 yard mule deer was a buck that actually wandered up behind me, while I was glassing a buck about a quarter mile away. The landowner and I were tucked away in a hay-bale blind, unseen by the deer. I was really hurting that year, recovering from surgery, and couldn't manage a backcountry hunt, so I was grateful to get the chance at an easy hunt. I sure didn't expect the shot to be that easy!

The bear had been wounded, and I followed it into the brush with the Number One. It was a weird feeling, since I could hear the bear breathing, and see the brush move when he moved, but I couldn't see him until the last moment... Pretty intense. I used the 1.5-5x scope, but might have been even better off simply removing the scope, which is quick and easy enough with the Ruger rings.

Guy

 

[DrMike]

I've shot a couple of black bears wounded by other hunters at less than twenty feet with a 356 Winchester. One of those bears lacked only two inches making seven feet; I had six rounds and I hit him with six rounds, refusing to quit shooting until I was out of ammunition. I shot a large mule deer at about twenty yards with my 7mm WSM; he collapsed at the shot as the bullet (160 grain AB) went stem to stern. The big buck was walking toward me while I was concealed at the head of a game trail leading to a watering hole.

 

[SJB358]

I think my closest shot might have been a bull elk, around 50 yards or so. I know all I could see was his head and neck looking at him through the timber. My partner cow called, he bugled and I fell to pieces watching him bugle, up close through the scope!

 

[FOTIS]

less than 10 yards.

 

[SJB358]

Wow, cool picture Fotis! Elk on snow... Very cool.

Which rifle was that?

 

[truck driver]

Does this include ground hogs at point blank end of the muzzle range? LOL
And a White Tail 4 point at about 15yds, had to shoot with both eyes open and the scope set on 1.5 to see the whole deer.

 

[FOTIS]

Was my howa 7mm rem mag 150 PT at 3150 fps. I sot her from the hip! as she ran right next to me!

 

[truck driver]

Was my howa 7mm rem mag 150 PT at 3150 fps. I sot her from the hip! as she ran right next to me!

Bet that was a hand full when it went bang.
Hip shot a ground hog with a 30-06 once and don't care to do it again, I was just out of Basic training on leave.

 

[SJB358]

Was my howa 7mm rem mag 150 PT at 3150 fps. I sot her from the hip! as she ran right next to me!

Man, now that's the way to hunt elk, Close Quarter's style! :lol:

Very cool. That's a load I wanna give a try someday.

 

[Thebear_78]

I've shot several whitetails from 5-25 yards while still hunting in standing corn. My dad has a marlin 1894 in 357 magnum that was perfect for that style of hunting. Also shot a couple with 870 and brenneke slugs and one with 10mm pistol.

On wet windy days still hunting thru the corn rows was extremely effective. The cosset I stot from three corn rows away about 5-6 yards. That 357 with 158 JSP @ 1850fps was deadly at close range. Light, short and handy.

 

[C.Smith]

My closest was approximately 30-40 yards with my 7mmRM and 160 AB. Sorry this was a spike elk

Corey

 

[Grundy53]

I've shot a bull elk under 10 yards and a couple blacktails under ten yards. I love hunting the brush :-D

sent from my typewriter

 

[Guest]

Closest shot for me with a rifle was a follow-up shot on a white-tail buck. First shot did not fully do the job, but the 20-25yd second shot ended things immediately. That 130gr E-Tip out of my 270Wby rode down the entire length of the spine, smashing bone but leaving the backstraps whole and unmolested, from the base of the neck all the way to the exit right above and to the side of the base of his tail. I really love those E-Tips from magnum rifles. Second closest shot was my first deer, a small north Florida buck shot with my Win94 30-30WCF, from a treestand, at a distance of 30 paces. Dropped him in his tracks with a shot through the tendon at the rear of his onside shoulder, and both lungs. For a first deer, it was an easy tracking job! He was good eating, too.

 

[russ808]

5 feet. Night pig hunt. Walked past the truck, and had to wait till it cleared the side. Don't walt to shoot the truck. Owner get upset. LOL
Russ

 

[GeorgeS]

Well, with a handgun (T/C Contender w/SSK .309JDJ barrel, 165gr. BT) 4yds. was my closest shot.

With a rifle, it was about 15yds. on the buff in my signature.

GEorge

 

[Guy Miner]

You got your money's worth on that buffalo hunt George!

 

[GeorgeS]

Yes, along with amoebic dysentery, and hundreds of tsetse fly bites! :shock:

It was 75 miles south of the Equator, with 100% humidity and 95-100 degree temperatures everyday.

That (fourth) safari cured my desire to hunt Africa ever again. :mrgreen:

George

 

[HTDUCK]

Spike elk, 10 yards with a 30-06.
He was walking along a trail coming through a little bowl and I didn't see him until he was about 15 yards.

 

[gerry]

I have shot a couple of blacktails at around 20 feet, one of them just kept walking towards me as I watched through the scope when it stopped I broke it's neck. I was pretty surprised to see how close it was when I put the gun down. The hunting memory I'm most proud of was a moose I shot at 25 yards, I was able to sneak through the brush and shoot him without him knowing I was there.

 

[cloverleaf]

Pronghorn at 40 yards. Squirrel about 4 ft from the muzzle. CL