Estimating Yardage OTF

[Long Cut]

Here’s a pixelated screen grab off the iPhone video I took this morning.
Red circle is the bird beginning to fan out and strut for me.
Blue line is a log I walked out after the fact, which happened to be right at 30 steps. I’m 6’ for reference. The bird was right at 35 steps in this picture.

Now my question is, how do y’all determine when to shoot?
20 gauge using TSS #9’s for reference.

No decoys or blinds, just striking up a bird, sitting down and waiting.

 

[sportsman94]

I have a hard time with this because they always seem farther than they are to me. I try to estimate trees, logs, etc, but I guess distances all year being a bow hunter as well. I shot a field bird that I just wasn’t sure about last year because there www nothing to go off. He was several yards within range though. If you want to get better put yourself in hunting scenarios and range everything. Then guess and check with a range finder. The other way I know is just how big the turkey looks. If he gets to a certain size then I know he’s well within range normally

 

[mallardsx2]

If you can’t see their eye, clearly, they are too far.

 

[six]

If he crosses my perceived imaginary 40 yard line he’s on borrowed time. I will let him continue to close the gap, I don’t care if he makes it to five yards. But once he gives any indication of a retreat I shoot.

 

[antharper]

If he crosses my perceived imaginary 40 yard line he’s on borrowed time. I will let him continue to close the gap, I don’t care if he makes it to five yards. But once he gives any indication of a retreat I shoot.

This is pretty much what I’ve always tried to do . And I’m kinda in the same situation as sportsman , I’ve let my share walk that I thought was to far and after stepping it off they wasn’t

 

[deast1988]

I see dudes, like Pinhoti use a range finder. But I see dudes preaching a .410 is good to 65yds. I see guys say they killed at 75yds on purpose.

It’s all in the eyes of the beholder, I can see a few yards past 40 sure. But 75yds, saying you misjudged a bit is comical just to my opinion

 

[Gut_Pile]

When I can see his eye ball clearly, he's in range

 

[Ugahunter2013]

I personally do not wait around . As soon as I have a clear shot and he is within range I shoot him. Most of the birds I shoot are normally 35-40 yards. Never shot one inside of 20 and have shot some at 50. Usually if you can hear him drumming he is close enough.

 

[goblr77]

I try to wait until he can peck the buttons on my shirt. I like them close. It makes it more interesting. I have an archery rangefinder in my vest in case one hangs up. I know what my gun patterns and exactly how far I can shoot him, just in case I have to.

 

[Permitchaser]

I’ve killed birds up to 50 yds. But that was a shoot or he get away shot. Everyone on here says those TSS loads can kill a bird at 80 so just shoot

 

[WOODIE13]

Usually range finder is your most accurate.

Also picking trees, logs etc. for your trigger point works.

I hate close birds, have missed a few inside 5 to 10 yards, I like them 20 to 40 myself.

Go out at walk a football field and count how many times your left foot hits the ground, that will be way more accurate than "steps".

If I recall correctly from my Army days, mine was 61 for 100 meters.

Vegetation and terrain will change it also.

A pace is generally measured by two steps - i.e., you count one pace every time your left foot hits the ground. A pace count is the number of paces per 100 meters. He uses only one pace count figure, the average number of paces you take at your normal pace through average vegetation in average terrain. If the vegetation is thick, or the hill is steep, then periodically he puts in a 3-step pace instead of a 2-step pace. If the running is fast, such as on a trail going downhill, he expects the end point to arrive before his pace count. If you don't know what your average pace is, then start out with 55 paces per 100 meters, and adjust from there.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

When running and gunning, as soon as I sit down somewhere I pick out objects at 3, 6, 9 o'clock to determine what I believe to be 40 yards. Most times I am close, other times I am not, my son busted one at 52 yards years back after I was off. I can confirm a 20 guage with 3 inch TSS #9 works nicely at 50+ yards. And I do not let a bird get closer if possible. I have missed 2 birds due to letting them getting within 15 steps, no more, no reason to be shooting a rifle load at them that close.

 

[Resica]

When hunting a field I walk off 30 and 45 yards and either put sticks in the ground or a decoy.

 

[bfriendly]

I finally made a simple harness for my range finder. I got the idea off a Micheal Waddell hack. I haven’t really given yardage too much thought other than inside of 40. I’m gonna start using the device a lot more. If I’m bow hunting in a saddle I will use it as soon as I get set up.

 

[kmckinnie]

Well at least y’all ain’t putting to much thought into this. 40 yards. 120 feet.
Can I shoot a squirrel that far and kill it. Yes. Turkey head is what I look at. Once it gets to where I see everything good on it. Well I can hit it solid.

 

[Dupree]

When I sit down, I determine what is killing range by picking out a few landmarks. I shoot him as soon as I get an open shot at him inside of that bubble.

 

[Resica]

In the woods it seems much easier to determine a shooting range than in the fields. In a field it's difficult for me to gauge range. When I walk off 45 yards in a field and come back and sit down, it looks like a 100 yards to me.

 

[WOODIE13]

In the woods it seems much easier to determine a shooting range than in the fields. In a field it's difficult for me to gauge range. When I walk off 45 yards in a field and come back and sit down, it looks like a 100 yards to me.

Very true

 

[Dupree]

When I sit down, I determine what is killing range by picking out a few landmarks. I shoot him as soon as I get an open shot at him inside of that bubble.

I had one this morning that was a few yards past where I said I wanted to kill him when I sat down. He saw something he didn’t like and slowly backed out and left his hen in my lap. He won today, even though I know my setup would have killed him where he was.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

I always just made a good guess at some landmarks. When my daughter started hunting with me 6 years ago I started carrying a rangefinder and rangeing some 40 yard landmarks when we first sit down. When the bird gets to those landmarks I tell her to shoot. I probably won’t go back to guessing.