Tips on gauging / judging hunting distances?

**Ds J** · 18-01-2018, 14:16

I shot a kudu cow last week on invitation. It took two shots to put her down although the first shot would have killed her very soon.

These two shots were the second farthest kill shots of my life at +-300m.

We only saw that we had misjudged the distance by 50m after we got to the kudu and saw that both bullets had hit her just above the brisket - one broke the far foreleg and the other was 15cm rearwards. The intended point of impact was just behind the elbow. The bullets had fallen slightly more than anticipated due to my misjudging the distance.

I am very glad for having succeeded on those shots - it surely boosts the shooting confidence!

BUT: is there any easy way to gauge distance more accurately, except for experience? I would not have had the time to range it first.

**shooty** · 18-01-2018, 14:20

Problem with us city folk is. When we get to farms. We cant judge distance at all.
I use to when I would go sit at a spot. Pace out distance before hand and put a rock or something to mark it for me from my spot.
But this does not help at all if you walk and stalk. Which you probably did for the Kudu.
In my case I opted for a Range finder about 2 years back.
I just bought a 900m Hawke model.

**Messor** · 18-01-2018, 14:59

You cannot judge distance without experience or not using equipment.

So to answer your question, if you know you'll be shooting distance, and you know you cannot judge distance, do three things:
1: Try and extend your MPBR combination, make sure you zero and practice like that.
2: Shoot in the middle of the chest, no funny heart shots or stuff.
3: Humans tend to know when things are wrong, but they take chances, meaning if you feel the shot is too far, don't shoot.

**pre 64** · 18-01-2018, 15:47

A good rule of thumb.If the animal looks close,aim low on the shoulder.If the animal looks far,aim high on the shoulder.If you feel you must aim over the animals back,do not shoot,it is too far.

Seriously Ds J...there are just too many variables involved in making an accurate range estimation.

For 'old school' normal hunting out to say 200 or even 250m you should not have a problem.Other than that a range finder is indispensible.

**Ds J** · 18-01-2018, 15:56

Originally Posted by Messor

You cannot judge distance without experience or not using equipment.

Thanks - I was hoping that someone had found or invented an unusual method.

My estimates are usually close enough but sometimes simply not, like this time.

It might have had to do with the surroundings as well - we were in wooded areas for the most time and then got the kudu in a long, open clearing next to a river bed.

So to answer your question, if you know you'll be shooting distance, and you know you cannot judge distance, do three things:
1: Try and extend your MPBR combination, make sure you zero and practice like that.
2: Shoot in the middle of the chest, no funny heart shots or stuff.
3: Humans tend to know when things are wrong, but they take chances, meaning if you feel the shot is too far, don't shoot.

My rifle shoots 1" high at 100m, which means it zeroes at 50m and 150m, and shoots 10cm below point of aim at 200m. I would not have taken the shot if I had known that it was 300m. Hence my asking.

On the other hand, I now know that I can take kill shots to the chest at that distances under hunting circumstances. Something to practice.

**.264** · 18-01-2018, 16:01

As a matter of interest what caliber and bullet combination did you use?

**Messor** · 18-01-2018, 16:51

Another matter of interest.

You said you only realized you misjudged the distance when arriving at the animal.
How did you calculate the real distance to the animal now?

**Ds J** · 18-01-2018, 16:52

Pre, that is how I was taught as well and I aimed high, slightly below the back line to compensate for bullet drop. I really intended for the bullet to reach the vitals at the elbow. The fact that two bullets impacted on the same height means that my points of aim must have been very close, which was also what I intended.

The outcome of the shots was better than I expected at that distance. Again, if I had known the real distance I would not have taken the shot - hence this thread to help me minimise mistakes.

264, it was a BRNO ZKK601 in 308 Win with 180gr Nosler Partitions at an estimated 2400fps.

Messor, both bullet holes were on the same height, 10cm lower than they should have been. That corresponds to 50m further according to the table I have for bullet drop on my load.

**Messor** · 18-01-2018, 16:59

So where on the animal did you aim?

**Ds J** · 18-01-2018, 17:24

Somewhere on the grey?

She was standing broadside on, facing towards my right and looking at me. She might have been very slightly canted away but little enough to ignore. I want the bullet to impact just above the elbow to miss the heavy shoulder bone but still hit the biggest part of the lungs. If the aim ia not true it still leaves enough target area for a killing shot.Therefore I aimed straight above the front leg, over the spine, 2-3cm beneath the back line.