I guided sheep hunters for 5 years and still guide for goat. The vast majority of all the sheep I've guided for, or taken myself were killed at 200-yards or under. I've often wondered if the long range shooting trend thats so popular right now is just a marketing ploy to sell new rifles and all the gear that goes with it, or if those guys just never learned to hunt. I do know that in 30-plus years of guiding I've never had a hunter have to take those long shots, and I've seen very few that were capable of it anyway.
I've always found it interesting that so many of the long range rifles built today are marketed to the sheep hunting crowd, and the fact is that most guys are going to need a guide to hunt these species, and very few guides are going to let you shoot at extreme ranges anyway.
I also think that most of the long range shooting on TV is just a marketing ploy for the sponsors products. Almost every time I see one of those "across canyon" shots, I think to myself that I could easily sneak to half or less distance to the animal.
I am also proud that all 3 of my Montana Bighorn rams and my Montana goat were taken on DIY solo hunts.
