Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 900 yd head shot Video

As to this entire issue, I have a question and a few observations:

Did he break the law?

He appeared to shoot across the road.

If he did, that would likely merit a citation.

The rest? Here's my observations. Based upon the broadside position of cow lack of mirage in the video and no discernable wind, I think the guy missed two feet high and slightly left on a 900 yard shot to the vitals. Then when he saw the video, he saw an opportunity to claim a 900-yard headshot to either A. make money; B. Pump up his own ego and cred among long-range shooters on a clear miss. (I think both).

Did he waste the meat by not retrieving the game? Possibly but most states have a very low standard, merely stating that the hunter must make "reasonable effort" to retrieve. We don't know what effort the OP made to retrieve.

Most of us have lost game over the years. Just last year, my hunting partner show a cow with a 444 Marlin at 75 yards. We followed the blood trail for over 2 miles until we finally lost the blood trail. We spent 4 hours after we lost the blood trail making careful circles outside the last blood drop, looking for tracks, blood on a leaf, grass or rock and ultimately we found nothing. It happens. You do your best.

The ethics of a 900 yard headshot? Like I said - I don't think he tried a 900 yard head shot. I think he tried a 900 yard chest shot and accidentally shot off an ear. I've missed at 200 yards before. Which brings us to the question - should anyone attempt a 900 yard shot at the vitals? I wouldn't because I can't make that shot. I could make a 500 yard shot in perfect conditions with my 270wsm if I was shooting off a solid base and the animal was motionless. I tried a 700 yard shot when I was 19 and paid for it with a bloody half-moon on my forehead from getting up on the scope and a resolve to never be that stupid again. After that, 400 yards has been my maximum shot attempt. The shooter has to know his limits.

Personally, I think the OP could probably make a 900 yard shot more times than not in those conditions. The issue is, he went all douche'bag and tried to claim a mistake as prowess.