Field Back Stops

[longcoldwinter]

I am curious how people go about selecting safe shooting backstops while hunting. I see alot of hunting blinds around in the middle of open fields. I assume people are counting on bullet drop over the mile or so of land between them and the next home on the other side of the county block.

 

[hogdogs]

I do not hope for bullet drop... I do hope that a very dense woods will work but prefer to have an earthen hill to stop the bullet. I live where wide open spaces are the exception so I have it easier to set up for the safe shot. I will walk on a shot if the deer or other critter stays where I do not have a decent backstop.
Brent

 

[shortwave]

Agree with Hogdogs, if you don`t have a backstop you simply don`t pull the trigger. NO EXCEPTIONS! You may be seeing turkey hunting blinds or blinds for another form of shotgun hunting using buckshot.

 

[wpcexpert]

Are you talking about ground blinds or elevated hunting stands?

Normally elevated hunting stands are more than 10 feet off the ground. That kind of downward angle and the dirt is pleanty of backstop for me.

Even in a ground blind, you are shooting from a level position The drop of most modern bullets will hit the dirt after 500 yards. Unless your target is out that far. But if I'm in a ground blind, my shots aren't past 100.

Now I don't knowlingly shoot in the close proximaty of a house/road/whatever. But I'm hunting a bean field from an elevated position, I don't really put much thought in it. The deer or dirt will stop the bullet before it can get out of control.

Second thought. The other day I passed on a doe at 120yds with a muzzle loader because I had her skylined. Now I'm atleast that cautious.

 

[Byron Quick]

From an elevated stand, the dirt will do. I have balance deficits now and don't really trust my balance fooling around with ladders and climbing stands.

I've started using ground blinds. Even though it is flat land around here, I can usually find a spot to place the blind so that missed shots impact the ground at an angle such that bounce is not a worry.

 

[Art Eatman]

I'll pass the shot if a buck or coyote is skylined.

All in all, though, it doesn't seem to have been a problem. I've seen few if any news articles about missed shots hitting somebody at long range.

I only recall one fatality, from the 1970s, near Austin, Texas. A .270 bullet hit a guy in the head; only a puncture and no expansion. Hilly, timbered rural area, but no neighbors had heard a shot. The guess was that the bullet came from a mile or more away.

 

[L_Killkenny]

I keep track of houses, other hunters, etc. while I'm in the woods and make sure I don't shoot in their direction. In general though, I see crtitter, I shoot at critter.

I use proper bullets that expand and blow up in my 22/250. FMJ's are out of the question and big no-no's. If you feel the need to use FMJ's you either need a bigger gun for better pentration using PROPER hunting bullets or a smaller gun with PROPER hunting bullets that do less damge to fur, meat, etc.

I use shot, buckshot and slugs in my shotguns. All have limited range.

Art is right, stray shots historically haven't been a problem in the US. People are FAR safer from my bullets than they are from other drivers. Doesn't stop people from driving does it?

LK