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Target shooting near hunting grounds

3,013 Views | 30 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by A.G.S.
IBombedTheMoon
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AG
I'll start off by saying that, yes, I realize that this is probably not a good idea, but I was genuinely curious what the OB thought of this scenario...

I bought a Savage 110 chambered in 300wm not too long ago and I just put a Vortex Diamondback 6-24x50 on it. I run it with a suppressor so noise is reduced by 25-30 decibels, but that doesn't exactly make it "quiet". So long story short, I want to stretch its legs and start load development for long distances. The only place I can shoot longer than 300 yards is at the lease, but I'd have to set up about 1000 yards from my blind.

The question is, do you think that shooting this gun during the day would disrupt deer movement in my hunting area, if so, for how long? My thought is to wait till after the Sunday morning hunt to shoot, but I'm concerned that it would drive deer out of the area for an extended period of time.



Trigger06
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I've seen mule deer within 300 yards of the firing line at a shooting range out here in AZ. They didn't care at all. Not saying your shooting there won't affect things, but I'd guess it will be OK.
powerbelly
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I wouldn't worry about it.
AgEng06
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I agree... I don't think it's a big deal and wouldn't worry about it.
Lance in Round Mountain
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I wouldn't worry about it. I've harvested a deer, sat a few minutes in the same location and had deer come by. I've shot a deer or hog and seen other deer lift their head up, look around and go back to grazing. Deer get used to things pretty easily.
schmellba99
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Wouldn't worry about it
Trinity Ag
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S
I've heard a lot of relatively close gunfire this season while observing deer near my stand -- and I can't recall any even reacting to the sound, unless it was directly targeting them.

If it was 500+ yards away, they didn't even turn their heads towards it.

I think you are probably fine.
IBombedTheMoon
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Thanks for the input
BenderRodriguez
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The deer? You're probably good.

Cougars are a different story.

You should have seen the neighborhood Facebook posts from the soccer moms on opening day of dove season.
TxFig
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Many years ago (25?) I was at a shooting range here outside of Bryan/College Station. I was sighting in my 30-.06 in preparation to go antelope hunting in Wyoming, so I was on the 300 yard range.


We (everyone at the range) had to stop shooting because 4 deer decided to nonchalantly stroll across the field, crossing between the 100 and 200 yard targets.


Moral: gunfire doesn't really disturb deer. And when it does, it doesn't last very long.
--
Chris Barnes
Retired A&M IT geek - now beekeeper
http://www.cornerstonehoneybees.com/
AgsMnn
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Where are your neighbors stands and feeders on that map?
watty
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I just did that exact thing yesterday, closer than what you're talking about. Shot 8 or 10 times to dial in my .308 right before lunch. Didn't make a difference. Deer were running around everywhere that afternoon.
Caliber
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Opening Weekend, I was hunting a stand that backs up near our property line. The top of a small hill is right on the property line and our neighbor has a stand on the other side of the fence. No line of site between two, but only about 250yards apart.

He shot while I had 1 mature buck and 1 younger buck at the feeder. They just looked up for a moment before going back to eating. Didn't phase them at all outside the quick glance up.
RFD
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I have a slight draw that my 300yard range is set up on. Last year we were ringing steel there while there were 2 doe in the draw. We were shooting about 20 yards over their heads and they did not move.
TwoMarksHand
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AgsMnn said:

Where are your neighbors stands and feeders on that map?
OP's Neighbor's stands in blue.




aTm2004
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A.G.S.
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Shouldn't affect the deer at all.

One question though? Is that index line on the left just for measuring? Or is that your intended firing lane?

If so, I would advise against shooting parallel to the road, especially that close. It seems like there may be a good low area to shoot into ( between the 600 and 800 yd lines, assuming the lines are steps in the pasture), but no real backstop. It would suck to have a random ricochet veer into the rd or skip up and come down God knows where.
herbie
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a couple of times when i was shooting at Carter Country in Spring. The range officer had to give a frantic "cease Fire DO NOT shoot the deer" as they walked up on the berms and started eating something. My theory once they get acclimated to a sound they just go about their business
FSGuide
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Deer don't know what guns are. They grow up outside where thunder also lives. They are probably thankful for "thunder" that comes without rain.
cupofjoe04
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Just a thought-

while the shooting may or may not affect the deer- your presence/movement in the area likely will. Walking or driving targets around, setting up everything and taking it down- all of that has an impact.

Sure, we have all bumbled around out place and seen deer 1 hour later at some point in our lives. And a lot depends on what happens on this property the rest of the year- are the deer used to seeing a rancher drive and walk in those areas? Are they used to seeing it this time of year? Or are they used to dead quiet woods?

I guess I think of it like this: there is a reason we sneak around during deer season. You certainly could push deer out, and it will likely be that older wiser buck you have been dreaming of. I'm not a fan of disturbing where I hunt.
kenneu
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I have always done my target practice earlier in the day and by nightime they are always on the feeders and it never seemed to matter. Even the tannerite didn't scare them off. My feeder and target area where previously set up were right along the edge of my 200 yard target setup. They always came back that night (at least on camera).
IBombedTheMoon
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That's a dirt road with a good line of site, so it's a safe lane, granted we'd angle away a bit. I know where the other blinds are, totally out of the way.
jpistolero02
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We have a range on our lease next to our cabin. A few years ago the landowners grandson bought a new .338 Lapua and asked to come sight it in. This was about 3PM just as I was going to the blind which happens to be closest to our cabin. I thought for sure my hunting was going to be screwed because that sucker was so freaking loud. I had deer at the feeder as he was shooting and they didn't give two poops.
mwlkr
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A.G.S. said:

Shouldn't affect the deer at all.

One question though? Is that index line on the left just for measuring? Or is that your intended firing lane?

If so, I would advise against shooting parallel to the road, especially that close. It seems like there may be a good low area to shoot into ( between the 600 and 800 yd lines, assuming the lines are steps in the pasture), but no real backstop. It would suck to have a random ricochet veer into the rd or skip up and come down God knows where.
Listen to this voice of reason.
LEJ
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Doesn't matter, especially if they're behind a high fence.
A.G.S.
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Gotcha.

And maybe I'm just being overly cautious, but I've seen some ricochets do some crazy things (watch a video of a machine gun range with tracers for some examples).

And it seems like a lot of open country around, with potentially a lot of livestock. Based off the Google maps, Throckmorton Hwy is about 1.7 miles from your "zero" point. I honestly don't know that a 300 WM would travel that far after skipping off the ground (or even what kind of energy the round would still have), but it is something to consider.

I always feel better shooting into a wooded backstop if at all possible.

And I'm not trying to dog on ya. You know this land a lot better than I ever could from a simple Google map view (and based off the surrounding properties and terrain it looks like a helluva place to hunt!), but I just wanted to throw in my outsiders opinion.
Aggie1205
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FSGuide said:

Deer don't know what guns are.


Then how do the really big ones know exactly the moment that you arent ready to use one because you either dont have a gun, dont have ammo, or are taking a dump and have your rifle leaned up against a nearby tree. Those are their favorite times to show up.
Caliber
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You know the place better than any of us, but looking at google earth you seem to have some elevations issues...

Your 0 marker is sitting at ~1188'

your 1000 yd marker is at ~1219'

After that drop back to ~1210'.

The old terrace lines support that as well.

So shooting 1000yds has no backstop at all and you won't be able to see targets beyond.

Based purely on Google Earth, elevations suggest you might be better off shooting across the place. You can stretch out 1000+ that way as well, shooting from around your 500/600 yd marks over to that tank is 1000yds. You'd end up shooting downhill to create a backstop. It doesn't look like anything beyond for a ways and the land starts going up anyway.

Just something to look into when reaching out with higher power rounds. Use your judgement and look at the backstops you're shooting into. Don't worry about the deer, they likely won't care.
AgLaw94
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Nope. My buddy zeroed his unsuppressed 300wm at camp - which is about 1000 yards from my feeder - and I had deer and pigs there in the afternoon hunt.
IBombedTheMoon
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I genuinely appreciate your advice, and I agree with you are saying. If you were standing next to me evaluating the situation, I think you'd agree that our intended firing lanes meet all reasonable safety concerns.

Nothing wrong with playing devils advocate in these situations, this is where gun safety theory and practice actually meet.
IBombedTheMoon
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Brad06ag said:

You know the place better than any of us, but looking at google earth you seem to have some elevations issues...

Your 0 marker is sitting at ~1188'

your 1000 yd marker is at ~1219'

After that drop back to ~1210'.

The old terrace lines support that as well.

So shooting 1000yds has no backstop at all and you won't be able to see targets beyond.

Based purely on Google Earth, elevations suggest you might be better off shooting across the place. You can stretch out 1000+ that way as well, shooting from around your 500/600 yd marks over to that tank is 1000yds. You'd end up shooting downhill to create a backstop. It doesn't look like anything beyond for a ways and the land starts going up anyway.

Just something to look into when reaching out with higher power rounds. Use your judgement and look at the backstops you're shooting into. Don't worry about the deer, they likely won't care.



Spot on, after looking at it first hand, I will definitely move a little south, angle a little east, and have about 1200 yards of clear line of site shooting into a natural elevation with a wooded backstop. Damn near ideal for what I want and mitigates a lot of potential risks.
A.G.S.
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IBombedTheMoon said:

I genuinely appreciate your advice, and I agree with you are saying. If you were standing next to me evaluating the situation, I think you'd agree that our intended firing lanes meet all reasonable safety concerns.

Nothing wrong with playing devils advocate in these situations, this is where gun safety theory and practice actually meet.
Is this an invitation to come hunt?!?!?

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