BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

Mig-Hunter · Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 35

I too like Northern Mi Hunter am going on my first Lope hunt in Montana this october. I found all the ideas on the best weight for the .06 very interesting, i shoot one as well. I personally settled on a 165 grain core-loct, as they shoot very nice for me up to 350 yards. I have not shot beyond that yet as i hope i can stalk to within 100-300 yards. Am i being unrealistic here or should i place more emphasis on 400+ yard shots. By the way where in Northern Michigan do you live NorthernMi Hunter? Im from Cheboygan myself. :cool:

Hammer1 · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 1610

If you can make good shots at 350 yards then I would not say that a 400 yard shot is out of reason. Really you are the only one that knows your own limitation.
The boat tailed ballisic tip bullets would be my choice for those extended ranges.

Bullelk34 · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:05 am Post subject:

I wouldn't be too concerned about shooting at 400 yards for antelope. I would make sure your rifle is zeroed for 200 yards, you'll be fine. If this is your first goat hunt, remember that they're small! They always look like they're farther away than they really are, make sure your first shot is on hair. Good luck, i hope you get a big one!

Carl

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1344 Location: Colorado

Quote: They always look like they're farther away than they really are, make sure your first shot is on hair.

Bullelk34, You are a smart man. I wish I heard that 25 years ago.

Don Fischer · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 2147 Location: Antelope, Ore

One thing I have discovered is that it's easier to get within 300 or less yds of any animal than it is to learn to shoot well, in the field, at 400yds. Most guy's doing that stuff use a fairly heavy rifle with a big heavy scope and a bi-pod. Doesn't make much of a handling rifle and not much fun to carry. And, the big guns seldom out shoot by a significent margin, better balanced rifle's.

As for zero out here, I'd suggest you zero for the max point blank range of the cartridge you'll be using at no more than an 8" target. By doing so, you'll find that you'll probally be able to aim dead on out to 300yds, or fairly close, and the bullet will never go more then 4" above or below line of sight. That will keep you in the "kill zone" of any big game animal you hunt without elevating the sight's. I'm not sure where that would be for your cartridge but I'd guess a zero of +3" or a bit less @ 100yds. It will still be about 3" hight at 200 yds and somewhere around 275+ or- yds will fall to 4" low. Make's things a whole lot easier. Remember, no matter where you sight in your rifle, at some point your going to have to start raising the sight's to hit the target. Get all you can from the cartridge first.

You too have a good trip!

Mig-Hunter · Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 35

Thanks for the tips guys! I am zeroed at 200 and have shot lots of rounds up to 350. My Leupold scope has center dots below center of cross-hairs. The book that came with the scope said if i was zeroed for 200 with a 165 grain bullet out of my 30-06 then the first dot down would have me zeroed at 300. And lo and behold it is! Not to bad mouth any long range shooters out there (there is definatly an art to that) but i love to get as close as possible. I've hunted out in the same areas for mulies (twice) and actually stalked several times to within 100-150 yards of lope before so im confidant if i persevere i will succeecd. Im new to this site and it seems pretty cool! Im going on a combo mulie-antelope hunt on my own and i will post pic's (if successful) when i get back in late oct. I am hunting the Fort Peck area (south) for antelope and (north) for mulies. Have shot a fourxfour mulie each time so far on my own, so i've had some luck so far. But im looking for a nice lope this trip to mount life-size for my taxidermy shop showroom. Besides it will be great to get out of the shop after being cooped up all summer mounting everyone else's trophy's! Good luck everyone this fall! :thumbsup1:

TheGreatwhitehunter · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 219 Location: Colorado

Bring a range finder get a ateady rest and take good pics

Don Fischer · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 2147 Location: Antelope, Ore

If you've been up around Fort Peck already, no need to warn you of what the wind can do there. I was a a friend's in Havre years ago with about 4' of snow on the side of the road. Got up the next morning and a Chinook wind hit and the snow was just gone. So we went out looking for some jacks to shoot and couldn't do it with my 223. WOW can the wind blow ther. At the time I lived in Lakeside, Mont and we didn't often see wind like that!

Welcome to the site! Great bunch here and the site owners keep it respectable. My grandkids can come here!

alsatian · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 64

You should be able to keep your shots under 300 yards. Sure, some people take long shots at pronghorns; sometimes there may be no better shot available; but often you can stalk closer. I think the long shots may also be particularly associated with demanding trophy hunting, where only one animal -- the one with the biggest horns, the 99.9 th percentile head -- in the whole unit is acceptable. For someone like me who is NOT a trophy hunter, if you can't stalk closer you just choose a different pronghorn to stalk up on. Unless you are in an unusual unit, there are going to be other shooting opportunities for other animals. I wouldn't fret about it or over complicate it. Have your rifle zeroed in well with the preferred ammo; take care of the rifle on the trip; consider having a back-up rifle that is also ready for prime time in case you drop the first string rifle out of its case on the concrete outside the hotel. 90% of pronghorn hunters are successful. It isn't too tough, unless nothing but the 99.9% head will satisfy.

TheGreatwhitehunter · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 219 Location: Colorado

Be prepared for long shots but try to get within 200-250 yards it really depends on the terrain and how hard the animals have been hunted good luck

Mig-Hunter · Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 35

Thanks for the replies guys. Had some luck on my hunt, ended up shooting a decent buck at 300 yards. Used stoney-point shooting sticks and made a great one shot kill. Im going to try posting a pic again but i cant seem to get my pics through!

bzzboyz · Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Houston, Texas

In the last five years in New Mexico I've taken 3 goats and my son has taken one. When he took he he used the same gun as I used. All I've ever used there is my Remington 25-06, 115 gr., ballistic tip. The key is the ballistic tip. I swear by it for pronghorn hunts. It's a flat shooting bullet that I have no problem with it out to 400 yards. I know on my rifle it's dead on at 200, 1" low at 300. 3" low at 400 and 1" high at 100. I have never had to take a shot over 300. I took my second at 300, but my first was less than 75. The last was about 200. My sons was right at 150. I think you should be able to get within 300 or less on any goat. I've never had a problem and I'm a big guy so I not what you would call "stealthy". :lol: Try to stalk towards them with the sun at your back. Although they have unbelievable eye site, it's only eclipsed by their curiosity. If they are not sure what they are looking at they will sometimes stick around to find out what you are before taking off. Also get a large burlap cloth. We have gotten within 100-150 yards of goats with the sun at our back and walking behind a large burlap cloth. Like I said, sometimes their curiosity gets the best of them.

Give the ballistic tip a try at the range. I love it's accuracy and range and I think once you shoot it you will to.

Good luck. They are a fun hunt indeed. :thumbsup1:

bzzboyz · Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Houston, Texas

As a side not on the ballistic tip. If you do end up taking a close range shot, they tend to be through and though, so be ready to take another one real fast. When I shot my 2nd goat broadside at 75 yards the ballistic tip went clean through. I had to put another one in him at an angle and it did a lot more damage. At a distance you won't have any problem with the ballistic tip doing damage, but at close range it has so much velocity and speed it takes a lot to stop it from going straight through.

Finally, if you are in a place that you are seeing a lot of goats and you just can't decide to take it or not just remember one thing. It took me a couple of years to figure this out. If you see a goat and you think. 'that's a good one" then it's probably just OK. When you see a "BIG" one you'll know it. You'll say HOLY #$%& and It will make your heart stop and your jaw drop. Look for bases as wide or wider that the eye and forks above the ears. Start with that and work up from there and you should end up with a really nice goat.

bzzboyz · Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Houston, Texas

Just noticed you've already been. OH well. Congratulations on the buck. Maybe you can use the infromation on your next trip or somebody alse can.

By the way. Can't wait to see the pics?

Don Fischer · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 2147 Location: Antelope, Ore

bzzboyz,

I'm couroius about the trajectory of your load. You said 1" high @ 100, dead on @ 200, 1" low @ 300 and 3" low @ 400. Where do you get those figures?

According to the Nosler manual, their max velocity for the 115gr BT in a 25-06 is 3116fps. Figuring 3100 fps with Noslers book and a zero of 200yds I get 1.3" high @ 100 6.2" low @ 300 and 17.9" low @ 400yds?