Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Why Not Just Call In Arty - or an Air Strike...

I don't hunt to impress anyone.

And now, especially the OP.

Yup, I think we can file him under Forget……

When I shot my last moose in Maine, the bull was standing in the middle of a clearcut at about 150yds. My guide asked, "can you hit him from here with that levergun". I said, " probably, but I'd be a lot more comfortable if I could lean against that tiny birch tree", which wasn't too far away. When I'm afield, I'll use whatever is available to promote good shot placement.

At 79 years old next month,the only off hand shooting at a deer or elk would be if they are less than 15 yards. In my early years while shooting in competition I felt confident of shooting at a running deer and doing so successfully. Now I always carry a bipod and use it, and don't even shoot at an animal if they are moving.

This is the internet, so anyone can say anything, and prove nothing.

Had the pleasure of hunting with Craig last Dec. in Kansas, also saw some of the vast array of thophies he`d taken. Impressive.

Didn`t know where the OP got that info, or if the accuracy suggestions come at 1, 2, or 300 yrds, but holding 4 MOA at 100, that`s 4 inches, in any condition is excellent. I can say that with a bit of confidence after shooting many, many rounds of off hand at 200 yrds to obtain my High Master classification in NRA H.P. That ofcourse would also include rapid sitting, and prone. Shooting at game, I will always pick supported over un-supported.

Therefore I would tell the OP to go pee up a rope.

But not bringing it with you... and having to rely on it all the time.

... like a crutch.





Necessary Accommodations not withstanding.





GR

Excellent post!

I'll take every legal aid I can get to insure a clean kill. Powder burns on the hide are good, and I'll use a rest or braced position then too if I can get it.


I am likely not a good shot, but I try to be a careful one.

Showing off when killing just because you can is foolish and childish. So is un-necessarily pushing your equipment and skills to the limit. I'm all grown up now..... Well, sometimes.

A good stalk or game plan is far more satisfying to me than a whiz-bang shot.

That said, I've killed just one of my 20 something moose off a rest. And he was running at about 150 yards. The rest were all off-hand, within 100 yards or so, some running. Several were with sling-wraps. Caribou? I can think of only 3 of over 75 killed - pushing 100 I think. I kinda lost count lately. Those 3 were running at about 80 yards. Took all 5 rounds in the gun tho.... .

Posted elsewhere recently, I used this fanny pack on rock on rock last fall with success.



My wife took her caribou using the box on the back of an ATV at 200, at this "blind".

My son took his from a running herd at about the same range at a momentarily stopped animal on the ridge above my kill, several days later , using the frame of his ATV for a rest. No time to range. Perhaps to the OP, these too were somehow shameful.

I've used rocks, trees, walking sticks, snow machine handle bars, seats, and windscreens, and ATV seat or framework for rest. Once, from an uncomfortable prone position, I stacked 3 small flat rocks up to make it more comfortable, put my cap on top for padding , and killed a nice bull caribou at nearly 400 paced (pre-rangefinder days) yards with a 17 inch barreled 30-06.

Hell, once I even used a 3-legged Bog-pod at exactly 200 ranged yards with a rifle that puts 3 into an inch at 300 yards.

Killing is serious work.

Sue me...

I think you covered things pretty well. Great pics. What a wonderful place to be!

The first deer I ever shot was an offhand goat rodeo... never again. I got it, but it was really, really ugly. I've learned my limitations, and aside from off a bench where I have all the time in the world, would consider myself a fairly poor shot overall. There's a lot of years I don't tag a deer because I'd rather pass on a shot than take a bad one, and there isn't an overabundance of deer where I hunt.

Like you, I have rails all around to shoot off of from my stands, and I try to keep my shots inside 100 yards or so. Maybe 150 if it's dead calm and the quarry is just standing like a statue to where I have a lot of time to shoot.

About the only offhand shooting I do is at rabbits at very short range since they're about as tough as pudding and basically any hit anchors them, or birds with a shotgun. I still carry shooting sticks or a monopod for rabbit hunting, and use them if I have time.

"Why not just...." hunt how, when, and where you want to and I'll do the same.

I'd vote YES on that!

Nitpicking how others do it is silly.

And when it's done with condescension, obnoxious.

Hunting/Shooting without Marksmanship Skills - Pride.



8>)




GR

Quite the photo album you've got there.

It doesn't appear to see anything wrong with it...

Do you?




GR

Yes. So did FINA. Old news.

G seems to know a lot about unfounded pride. Into the "do not respond" Troll Pool he goes. Bye.

Dramatic.

Marksmanship's a skill.

If you can't shoot?

Stay off the podium.







GR

Uh oh, quoting Jeff Cooper.....it's getting deep now....







Can I take a wild guess here......boomer?

I'm a Boomer. I have marksmanship skills.

But I'll not fail to take advantage of a rest if possible.

It's kinda like I can navigate using map and compass....but I'd rather use a GPS.