My point exactly, Make sure you tell us of your trophy. The score of his horns matters more than the method taken.
And let me get this straight. The sport/challenge of long range shoot/hunting is you might miss? So your trophy may get away or get wounded? Dont we owe it to the game we hunt as ethical hunters to strive to make shots we are sure will cleanly kill? But wait, that would take the challenge/sport out of the long range "hunt".
Only if it was free-ranging inside a high fence.
First of all the shot was 277 not 500. Secondly, I really don't believe that (other than a water hole) your average shot on any sheep species is going to be on the shorter distances. I think I would call 12,000 acres of cattle fence free range <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
So that hunt is a good example of knowing my gun, its ballistics and certainly my limitations with that particular gun. From the time we first saw the sheep to the time I pulled the trigger was almost 3 1/2hrs. The first 1 1/2hrs was making the 3 mile walk around the aoudad to work the wind and come in from above. The next two hours was a cat and mouse game of getting within range to make the shot. Hell I didn't even run down to the animal after the single shot because I wanted to have a total experience. I stood their against the yucka plant, close my eyes, felt the rain/wind on my face and smelled the desert air.
That was a "hunt" my friend and not a shooting contest. Yes the challenge was real.
In regards to wounding an animal, I know people who have no business shooting 130 yds (clearly not "long" range). Do I agree that we owe it to the animal for clean kill, DARN RIGHT. I believe you have categorized long range shooters of just launching lead down range. For me it quite the opposite, I will pass it is not right. Matter of fact, on my mentioned hunt I did not shoot at 325 because of the wind/rain. This is the gun that is good out to 800yds.
