Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting What distance is "long range"?

If I went that route it would be a good excuse to get an AR... : )

dieing quivers

To address the OP : What I know of Long Range hunting [ as opposed to LR shooting ] I've learned from reading posts on this forum . My take on the definition is this :

Long Range hunting occurs when distance - rather than the quality of the animal - defines the hunt .

There is nothing "wrong" with it . It takes the focus off the quality of the game taken and puts it on the ability of the shooter .

A hunter who prides himself on only shooting bucks in their bed is doing the same thing .

I personally have killed enough ordinary deer in my life to pass them up . That doesn't make me an " elitest " and doesn't keep me from admiring a dink shot at long range or in his bed .

I killed my first deer 55 years ago with a 22 lr and if I didn't keep changing my hunting philosophy , I would have gotten bored to the point of giving it up long ago .

My philosophy for the past few years is simple : I hunt until it is time to shoot , then I shoot ! Some hunts I don't shoot at all . Other times I may pass on better animals than I wind up taking . I never shoot just to fill a tag .

If I shoot a pretty ordinary buck at 400 yards primarily because he is 400 yards [ and I've done that ] I'm engaging in Long Range hunting .

If I shoot a buck at 400 + yards because he is a really good one [ and I havn't done THAT !] I'm just hunting for the best buck in the pasture which is what I usually do .

Just my two cents worth on the subject , and - as I said - I derived it from reading what you guys post .

What distance is "long range"?

I believe there are at least two distinct determinants for what constitutes long range, the personal comfort zone and the accepted group norm (the second changes quickly as the "group" is an ever changing entity).

Personal:

If I have some doubts about my ability to easily hit a target, whatever it may be, I am shooting at a distance I consider long range. The distance changes from day to day (environmental conditions), by firearm and the target (characteristics).

Group:

If I'm plinking with a group of shooters at distances within the comfort zone of the individual group members it doesn't seem to matter the distance, it is not long range. If one of the group happens to call for a "spot for me" and whacks a rock or steel at well beyond the groups comfort zone, that is long range. It's a relative system.

The group acceptable situation is nice so long as there aren't any outside members allowed. Invite (or suffer) a 100 yard shooter in a 600 yard group and you'll either need to limit the shots to 100 yards, teach the new fella to shoot or endure the "education".