Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What Does It Take - to Hunt Medium/Large Game at 600 Yards?

Like any sport that is done correctly, to get good at it requires practice. This is the internet. Our equipment has the potential to do the job, but i question how many shooters have practiced enough at 600 yards to consistently take animals in an ethical way. Based on what I see at rifle ranges etc I'd say if one percent of us did it that would be a lot.
I'm just getting into long range shooting, and I have top of the line equipment, but it would take a lot of practice to hit animal sized targets at 600 yards consistently. Especially when one considers shooting position, weather, wind, elevation and whether or not you have just run up a hill and are winded.
I just saw a long range hunting show on one of the outdoor channels and the guy hit his shots (6-800 Yards), but it took a committee. He had a guy with a range finder, another with the Kestrel thingy and a phone app to tell the shooter how to aim the shot. The shooting conditions were very good, no excessive wind, no snow or rain, and the shooter was able to get prone for a shot with no elevation. And the guy had obviously practiced a lot.
So yeah, less than 1% of you regularly shoot ethically at 600+ yards.

Jordan;
Top of the morning my friend, I hope that you and your fine family are as well as can be over on your side of the big hills.

Thanks for the thoughtful response Jordan, there's a lot of meat in there and yes I do use that euphemism intentionally.

If I can expand on a couple of thoughts you put forth, regarding bringing home meat, there's a commonly put forth argument that none of us "need" to hunt anymore as there's lots of food available from agricultural sources.

Since I'm me Jordan, I've given that a whole bunch of thought and believe that for some of us, especially men who I've talked to about this but definitely not male exclusive, there is a state of inner peace/wellness which we mentally require that is sometimes in part fulfilled with a full freezer.

Speaking personally, when we had horses, until we had the hay barn full, enough firewood stacked to make the next winter and a couple of animals in the freezer I had difficulty being at peace with myself. I can't articulate it differently than that at present.

For me it was/is a real thing and when I questioned other people about it, some were exactly on track with my thoughts - spooky almost really Jordan. Some of course looked at me like I had 3 heads and no doubt it gave them even more evidence to my mental deficiency.

Before leaving this part then, I'd say that some "serious gardeners" of which I was not one back then, but appear to be becoming one, had similar feelings which are close to, if not are low level anxiety if they don't have a good crop and by extension lots of preserves.

All that to say, I do not know what a full freezer means to you or anyone else - not really and truly I don't. Not on a deep level anyways and yah, I believe some of this goes way deep into our genes.

On shooting animals further than closer, one of the things I've noticed is that usually it's easier to judge their body language and level of alarm from greater distances. While it's not an absolute statement, I do think that usually animals that are not aware of us or at least alarmed by us tend to die more quickly with the same shot placement.

To be clear, I personally don't make a practice of shooting unwounded big game much beyond 300yds, but that's not always been the case and might not be again in the future. As with most things in life, my thoughts and beliefs change as I age and have more experiences in the activity, both positive and negative. Oh, aging has absolutely played a part in that too Jordan!

Anyways, I am cognizant all that has nothing to do with the mechanics of long range shooting, but I'd argue that we won't go down the path of any activity without first having the inclination to do so. I've attempted to address the inclination part.

Sincere kudos again for your reply, it made me think and at my age that's always a good practice!

All the best to you and your family and good luck on your hunts this fall.

Dwayne

Here's a 500 yard target to give you an idea. Actually it is an F class 1,000 yard repair center, but has the same dimensions as the NRA 500 yard target. 10" 10 ring and 5" x ring:

At 500 yards, it's pretty easy to hit, even in the wind:



Even with an AR10:


Even in schidty conditions like this: Hit that ^^^^^^2" diameter steel plate at even 400 yards consistently and just about any shot becomes easy...

I could barely make out the target through the smoke.


That target is pretty fn big. The 600 yard target is even bigger.

That's good shooting from a bench.

If you need help, I can teach you sometime..

Here's a 500 yard target to give you an idea. Actually it is an F class 1,000 yard repair center, but has the same dimensions as the NRA 500 yard target. 10" 10 ring and 5" x ring:

Well, since no other wise guys have said this yet, I will.

That's great shooting but I find your choice of backstops to be highly unorthodox.

Practice helps 5 rnds at 1200 yrds Rio7

🤣
We were elk hunting in CO, standing on a ridge waiting while a couple of friends were driving up to us with a bull they loaded in the back of a toyoda. A ranch hand pulls up in a pickup, we gather around to see what he's been up to. I'm looking at the box of his truck, there's a line of bullet exit holes just below the top rail. I bust out laughing, every body else thinks I'm nuts (well... 😁). So the dude explains that he saw a coyote running, rests the handguard on his AR on the top rail of the box and rattles off a few rounds. The scope on his AR was mounted high on the rail. While the view in the scope was clear the muzzle was below the top rail on the opposite side. 🙄😁😅😅🤣🤣🤣

I never thought this thread would get so many responses. I maintain what I said earlier. Flunk Hunting 101 and you'll need to shoot 600 yards.

I've read through this thread and there is good information, and one fellow seems to be full of it - Mr. Kindergarten man.
I remember reading about Taylor's formula and I bought into it. I also remember when 1,000 ft-lb's was considered minimum energy for killing whitetail and 2,000 ft-lb's was considered minimum for elk. There were a lot of theories...
I followed Elmer's writing, and I believed it then and I still think he was right regarding what his options were. All those things are in the past, things changed. MD's experience (other writers too) and writing has had a big influence on what I've come to believe. Though I've hunted up to 6 whitetails per year and 4 pronghorns plus now and then an elk. I believe that a 30-06 with a good 180 grain cup and core would have worked with every game animal I've taken. It's what I've used the most on deer. But in the last 20 years or so I want to try something new every time I go out.
My main shooting at 500 meters (or yards in some cases) were with M1's, M14's and Springfield's all with aperture sights. But I've also shot at PD's at that range and further with big game rifles for practice. It proved to me that shooting at game animals at over 400 yards is not my cup of tea and I prefer 100 yards or so if possible.

Some of the issues with long range shooting is something I don't see discussed much. Those are:
Where did that animal go after it was shot?
Will I be able to find the game?
Will the bullet/load create enough of a blood trail at that distance?
Will I find the game animal during daylight?
Will the game animal run down a ravine, and will I have to carry the meat out?