Way too many animals are wounded in the process of so called "long range hunting", as I get older I take greater care to put the animal down as quickly and humanly as possible, don't care about "long range kill" bragging rights, that is for people with something to prove to themselves.
I feel strongly that more animals are wounded by hunters taking running shots at 40 to 50 yds, than are wounded by shooting at a standing target inside 500 yds.
I’ve seen rodeos on both sides of the isle, but as a general rule I think you’re correct… I won’t endorse some jackass aiming 10 feet high and hoping for the best but I think people taking jackass shots like that aren’t as common as some make them out to be. The bigger threat of wounding critters comes from people taking any shot they’re not comfortable with regardless of range: not just those taking “long” shots, whatever that is defined as.
There’s several people on this very thread bitching about long range hunters that I wouldn’t trust to make a 50 yard shot responsibly, based on some of the things they have posted in the past.
I know a couple of the Wyoming people quoted in the OP’s article and they’re not the kinds of people whom I’d take hunting advice from.
then perhaps we can have an "intelligent" discussion.
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
I killed a deer at a quarter-mile once, and have decided not to press my luck any further. I had been shooting all summer long at nearly that distance, though. Now, I limit myself to 300 yards. That's far enough. To be honest about it, mostly the deer I've shot have been under 200 yards. I'm happy with that, and have decided to keep it that way. I'm not so anxious just to kill stuff any longer. The closer, the better, as far as I'm concerned. It sure is fun to wallop prairie dogs at 300+ yards, but I won't do that with deer any more.
You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.
Where I hunt, 100 yards is a long range shot. Most of the shots are under 50 yards. That works for me. I am reluctant to bash folks that feel differently.
How many time is this discussion going to come up on this site? And is it going to get any more ridiculous in the 500th discussion as it was in the first?
I know lots of guys who have a tough time hitting a deer at 50 yards, much less 400, but I would never tell them they should get closer....
And when I'm lining up a shot- no matter if it is 125 yards or 600 yards, I don't really worry too much about what some yahoo on 24hourcampfire thinks I should be doing... but I do think about whether I can make the shot while I am setting up. Do I have a sufficient rest? Is there any obstacles in the way? What is the actual distance and what does my dope sheet say? Can I retrieve the animal from where it will drop? What will I cook for dinner?
A lot of you guys worry way too much about what others do and not enough about how you come off when spouting your "world according to me" opinions.... it's almost as if a lot of guys on this site forget that some of us hunt in different situations than you do and need different skill sets to accomplish our goal...
For big game, I limit myself to ~3/4 second flight time on the projectile IF I have what I feel is a really good read on the wind. I feel like that's about as long as I can expect a calm/unaware animal to stand still enough for a kill shot to remain a kill shot.
Coyotes, skunks, raccoons, badgers, etc., if I can see them, I'm shooting. I don't care if they're standing still, running, or how far they are.
Last edited by horse1; 09/19/22.
I can walk on water.......................but I do stagger a bit on alcohol.
I do know this: you will not see the video of the shooter hitting the animal in the guts, or ass, never to be found. Those don't get posted.
Actually, there was some retard posting a vid of some elk getting its ear blasted off at 950 yards on this site several years ago.
That might have been John Burns. I seem to recall his long range elk kill took more than one shot… I could be mistaken tho… but not about the retard part… But in all fairness, he did have kyles balls in his hand when he pulled the trigger
No, it wasn't John Burns. It was some yahoo that posted a vid of a supposedly 950 yard head shot on a cow elk.
I shoot gongs to 1000 yards, been to long range shooting schools twice and shoot weekly and sometimes daily since I've retired. I belong to 4 four shooting ranges including Mifflin County Sportsman's in PA where I shoot 1000 yard gongs. I have the equipment to shoot long distance. I shoot that far so I can handle shots at elk and mule deer up to 500 yards, I prefer them at 100-150 yards, it seems like I never get a shot that close. My closest elk kill was 176 yards and longest was 512 yards. I think shooting animals at long distance isn't for everyone, like someone said, if you can do it, it ain't bragging.
I believe bowhunters wound a lot more animals than long range hunters.
How many time is this discussion going to come up on this site? And is it going to get any more ridiculous in the 500th discussion as it was in the first?
I know lots of guys who have a tough time hitting a deer at 50 yards, much less 400, but I would never tell them they should get closer....
And when I'm lining up a shot- no matter if it is 125 yards or 600 yards, I don't really worry too much about what some yahoo on 24hourcampfire thinks I should be doing... but I do think about whether I can make the shot while I am setting up. Do I have a sufficient rest? Is there any obstacles in the way? What is the actual distance and what does my dope sheet say? Can I retrieve the animal from where it will drop? What will I cook for dinner?
A lot of you guys worry way too much about what others do and not enough about how you come off when spouting your "world according to me" opinions.... it's almost as if a lot of guys on this site forget that some of us hunt in different situations than you do and need different skill sets to accomplish our goal...
I'd let you in my camp Bob
How far do I have to practice shooting first?
Never underestimate your ability to overestimate your ability.
then perhaps we can have an "intelligent" discussion.
Or let fish and game decide who in violation of the above?
🙄🙄🙄🙄
When hunting is outlawed it will all be moot.
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
I shoot gongs to 1000 yards, been to long range shooting schools twice and shoot weekly and sometimes daily since I've retired. I belong to 4 four shooting ranges including Mifflin County Sportsman's in PA where I shoot 1000 yard gongs. I have the equipment to shoot long distance. I shoot that far so I can handle shots at elk and mule deer up to 500 yards, I prefer them at 100-150 yards, it seems like I never get a shot that close. My closest elk kill was 176 yards and longest was 512 yards. I think shooting animals at long distance isn't for everyone, like someone said, if you can do it, it ain't bragging.
I believe bowhunters wound a lot more animals than long range hunters.
If you read the Traditional Bowhunter's Handbook by TJ Conrads (No relation to Jim Conrads) it's considered a classic on the subject.
And the accuracy standard is 8 out of 10 arrows in the kill zone. That's 80% and we're talking 20-25 yards and in.