Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Long range shooting skills vs traditional hunting skills

The challenges of filming hunting shows has contributed to both tree-stand archery and long range sniping be shown most often. The sort of quick shots that arise while sneaking through thick cover can rarely be caught on film. Moreover, the additional noise that a camera crew generates makes the odds of shooting an animal even lower than they are.

But when shooting an animal at 600+ yards that is unaware of anyone's presence, it doesn't matter if there is a shooter, a spotter, a camera man, a candlestick maker, and so forth.

Success is best when you're shooting what you're comfortable with. Some guys can shoot howitzers, some can't. Some like lever guns, some don't.

I don't shoot bolt actions well for jump shooting, but they're great for a bench or rest. For jump shooting I prefer a Savage 99, and do much better with them. Stick with what you know best when the chips are down. I find most bolt guns very unwieldy for field conditions and slow to cycle for quick shooting. YMMV.

I can miss all day long with a bolt gun, but got these two running with a lever gun.

damn you're a young buck.

God post Mike. I also grew up in Nevada and have shot running jacks by the truck loads. I'm thinking the OP is not happy with the posts from some of us that can shoot from near and far on game of all sizes. Kinda reminds me of the guys that promote little cartridges because they can't handle a magnum. To each their own as they say. For the OP: Shooting game is not a "one size fits all" proposition, some of us hone our skills regardless of the range

So you like to shoot at running targets?

Not hardly.

Often that's the trade off for getting too close.

OK. How about this...I like to get as close as I can...and then get closer...without spooking em' and causing em' to run off...if I can.

There 'are' other skills involved in hunting than just the shooting part...at least there are for me.

There are shooters and there are hunters! Seldom do the twain mix!

I guess I should have made myself more clear when I said long range and put a number on it and stated that it applied to only my own comfort ability . For me 300-400 isn't what I would consider long range. 600, 800+ is where I would not feel comfortable when shooting at live game. Wind is the tricky factor here and most people would probably have to admit that at those ranges, and dealing with cross winds, you can't predict as well where a bullet will land than as you could at 3-4 hundred yards. Missing a steel plate is of no consequence unless you're in a competition shoot. Wounding an animal, for me, is an altogether different matter. Again, this is just my own opinion.

Op
Lots of little kids don't have a strong desire to hunt and couldn't sneak up on a dead deer but thanks to dear old dad have managed to pop some pretty big cornfed deer.

Gives dad bragging rights about what a great hunter their four year old is.

You missed a perfect opportunity to post the cow elk pic for the 182'nd time.

Surely you have pics with you and some of the game shot from near and far?

Is 48 young? I don't feel young!

There are a few guys here on this site that are both.
(I am not even remotely close to being one though)

And I would not want them sneakin' up close with a bow or shooting my ass at 1000 yards. Unless it was really windy and I was running.
Then I'd take the 1000 yard chance....grin

I wouldn't fell safe at any distance with your neighbor hunting me.

You can stop right there......range is a constant....a gusting wind is a variable....

No kidding.....grin

LRF's are constant, shooters dealing with wind (at those distances aren't) which was the point. Of course you like to hear yourself talk so carry on.