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It is truly a judgment call based upon experience.
Two deer last week from sitting positions with distances under 400 yards. Same set-up with BOG-GEAR's HD-3 Tri-Pod and their PSR top (Center-grip XP-100). On the shot that was over 350 yards I was able to get bone support with my elbow and knee, while on the shorter shot 164 yards, I couldn't get bone support. I took me longer to get steady on the shorter shot, but I finally did. The longest shot deer ran 30 yards (quartering shot/1 shoulder double lung)before giving it up and the short range one (broadside/double shoulder) jumped straight up and then went straight down.
I was told by the hunt club to go for shoulder shots because of the heavy cover were around, to avoid bringing out the tracking dogs.
Had I not been able to get a solid rest with the longer one, I would have had to pass. Prone they would have been both gimmee's. Neither deer were alerted to my presence.

Yep, I have passed on 600 yard shot because wind and conditions were not right, and the next day under good conditions I made a shot on a different bull at 1031 yards. Result 1 elk dead within 30 seconds of pulling the trigger and zero wounded elk.

EGO no. Your high horse has your head in the clouds. All the LR guys I shoot with could not be more humble.

Stop showing them where all the powder has been going.

I wouldn't take that shot! I am posing a question not an opinion. Yesterday I shot 60 rounds at a 4'x4' piece of cardboard w/ a 1" grid drawn on it. When I started wind was full value at 10 mph or less and I kept everything w/in 6" at 420 lasered yards. The 1st 60 rounds I felt like the international sniper. The wind started gusting hard and I had to put on a jacket due to the wind chill. My vertical didn't change much but I couldn't guess the wind w/in 12" even w/ tall grass showing the difference. Questions 1] shoot at shorter distances or lighter winds. 2] How the hell do you guess the wind? I am shooting a 308 w/ 168 gr SMK.

mike r

We live in tree country and the tops of the little furs tell you how hard . Also twenty five years of looking at them helps after some time you can just tell. If they are bent to much don't shoot and so on. Heavy might be able to give more insight but this is my take.

There are lots of little signs that show you what the wind is doing- the grass, the leaves, the mirage, the cloud movement overhead, even the lay of the land will tell an experienced guy what kind of wind to expect. Morning and evening have different wind currents in high country. Of course, a good wind meter will tell you what the wind at the shooter's location is doing, and it is a good way for a guy that's new to wind reading to learn what a 5 mph wind feels and looks like, versus a 15 mph wind, etc. Also remember that wind in the open air moves a bit quicker than wind moving along the ground, so even if your wind meter shows 10 mph on the edge of a canyon, it's likely going a bit quicker in the middle of the canyon between the two sides, which your bullet has to pass through.

The best way to learn how to read the wind, is to get a few tips and pointers, and then shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.

When you shoot a .308 with that bullet, that's what you get! A .308 Win is a MAJOR handicap at long range in any type of wind

All competitions have a ".308" class so they don't have to shoot against ballistically superior calibers

Not arguing, just discussing...........

Ever wonder why the LR competition dudes use wind flags...at the bench, the target, and in between? Often times the wind at the target and bench are different. Big problem.

I certainly didn't realize a .308 was such a LR handicap.

It's a BIG TIME handicap.

If you think wind flags are a part of REAL long range competition, it really tells me quite a bit.

Wind flags are used in GAY long range competitions like F-Class and Benchrest. In any Practical Rifle Match or Precision Match there are no wind flags. It's real shooting that is as close to hunting as there is. The competitor uses his experience to call wind. One shot per target only. No sighters.

RC, what caliber and cartridge do you prefer for these longrange jaunts?

Wow. You really need to get over that inferiority complex.

I fear long range is often a choice, not a necessity, and there's the rub. A typical situation is:

Hunt is situated with the objective of a long range shot.

Pass up a critter at short range because it's anticlimactic.

Miss (hopefully clean) a shot or two at a long range.

Connect at long range then boast of the shot.

Is this a fear or known fact for you?
It certainly is possible though.
I have taken big game out past 1K with a XP-100, yet my last two animals were at 164 and 363 respectively. I take animals at short, medium, and long ranges.

The situation is a fact, the fear is "often", though I am careful not to condemn it. Its my "rub", others proceed as they feel right. The tables could be turned on archery. A rifle would make for a more efficient kill.

+1

I take the best possible shot I'm presented with, but I like to have as many tools in my tool box as possible- with the option to take short, medium, or long-range shots.

Repertoire

Exactly. The Long Rangeophobs are quite a few tools short of a tool box




Long range is about BC. Pick a caliber with high BC bullet availability and the cartrige capable of sending it as fast as possible.

There are many good choices.

I shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor and a .300 Winchester Magnum in competition. I also have rifles chambered for the same to hunt with.

While speaking of that, there's a lot to be said for having hunting rifles and competiton rifles in the same cartridge. Same goes with setting them up with the same scope or at least the same reticle. I shoot a heck of a lot more with competiton guns than my hunting guns. You become very "in tune" with drop and drift. Makes transitioning to your hunting rifle seem like you haven't changed much and, I believe, will lead to better shooting at long range in the field.

Very much like taking your well-fitted sporting clays gun on a dove hunt.

Carnage!

Don't they actually use feather boas for the "wind flag"?

LOL

Exactly.