Lena wrote:dad always said never farther than you can hit an oil can 5 of 6 shots,
Sage advice, your father was a wise man! (I bet patience and discipline paid off for him in the field)
Because we all tend to stretch that distance a little bit- I might take it one step further and say that if you don't hit it on the first 6 of 6 rounds, cold, each range visit, you should limit to closer. Here is why- range conditions and no pressure of the animal or 'buck fever' or performance anxiety, etc, usually equal much more precision than when you are in the field. Not to mention awkward positions, shooting from a tree, etc.will typically reduce your accuracy further.