Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Long range "hunting". What say you?

Don't do running shots, don't do shots over about 200/250 yards.

I'm even a bit skeptical about "walking" shots! LOL!
I'm another one of those that have killed the majority (95%) of their deer within 75 yards.
Closest so far has been 7 steps. About 14 feet. My old crippled up butt, my "stride"(hobble?) is approximately 2 feet!
I'd even wager that well over 50% of my kills have been less than 50 yards.
I don't have an actual count, but I'm pretty sure I've taken more than 80 white tails.
I've probably taken more deer in Oklahoma the twenty years I've lived up here than I did in the 52 years I lived in Texas. In Oklahoma, I've taken as many as 6 deer legally each year. Most years only taking 3 or 4.
In Texas, I never took over 2 annually.

An elk wounded at 600 yds in sagebrush with 4 inches of snow on the ground will not get lost like a wounded whitetail shot at 50 yds in a thicket back East.

No, but he might be over two hills and a mile away by the time you get there.....

Some people more skilled at 1000 than most are at 100. Go to the local range this time of year and watch guys shoot 3 boxes of ammo and still not be on paper at 100.

I used to spend a whole Saturday before deer season at the range helping people sight in their rifles. It's the only time many of them shoot in a year and an argument could be made that many of them shouldn't hunt at any distance. But, if they enjoy themselves and like to get out and do things their way then good for them. I don't believe everyone has to do things the same way. I think the more people hunting the better for the future of the sport.

I can shoot 1000 at the range but haven't attempted it on big game because I've usually been able to get closer and field conditions are rarely as good as range conditions. Ive killed several big game animals out to near 600 but haven't been in a situation yet where I've had to shoot further.

I grew up bow hunting so I'll always get closer if I can. The long range guys that bug me a bit are the ones that will actually back up to make it a longer shot. One guy in Utah told me he had an elk at 970 so he back up 30 yards before shooting. That seems wring to me personally but everyone doesn't have to do things my way.

It's good to shoot enough to know your limits. I've passed on relatively close shots because I didn't have a great rest or I didn't feel confident in the shot at the moment.

Bb

Depends on the hunter/shooter and the conditions. My personal limits are short but I have no issue with someone else taking a shot I'm not capable of so long as they've practiced and have demonstrated to their own satisfaction that they can make the shot reliably. My concerns come in where people, generally not nearly as experiences or skilled as they assume they are, start taking "maybe I can" and "hope I can" shots on game. I see no way to regulate that.

I believe that by neglecting to include hunter in the quote along with eastern you have lost credibility with many (not me) here at the 'fire.

Sounds like the Muley Fanatic guy needs to eat a bag of dicks.

Anything over 400 yards isn't spirting?

GFY.

The range they killed the antelope is more than twice as far as I would ever consider shooting at an animal. But more power to them if they can do it.

Long range target shooting is fun. Long range hunting = someone that needs to work on their hunting skills.

The distance an animal is taken at ,is irrelevant

dave

If one wants to shoot long range for big game hunting. I highly encourage they participate In a 1k yard match if one is held in your area. We had one in June and several guys left very humbled. At one point the wind was down most were hitting the 10 ring on the f class LR target is 10 inches in diameter. Then a wind change come from the right caught most shooters by surprise several ended up with 8-9 o’clock on the 7 ring , the 7 ring is 44 inches in diameter. The only ones not caught were the seasoned f class shooters they are always watching the wind. Or find a range like bsa shoots at shoot steel. Have the same effects when it comes to wind.

Agreed, not to mention how would Fish & Games police it if it were legislated?

Define "long distance" vs. "normal" hunting distance?
Gonna check ammo for those evil long skinny boolits?
"Sorry son, your scope is just too powerful, not legal in this state".

..... what a shiet show that would lead to.

Hey, you trying to pick a fight or sumthin?

I kinda sorta agree with this. I admire anyone who has the skill, as well as the rifle, to consistently hit targets at long ranges. I can only shoot out to 500 yards here on my setup, and it's fun to shoot steel at that range. I have killed a couple of coyotes, and a couple of whitetails at over 400 yards, but I much prefer shorter range shots, believing they are not only more ethical, but a testimony to one's ability as a hunter.

I say get as close as you can, reasonably. If a thousand yards is the best you do...let her rip.

Not really. The reason a lot of guys say 300 yards is "sporting" but 600 yards is "not sporting" is that most guys can make a 300 yard shot (or at least think they can) but can't make a 600 yard shot.

"Ethical limits should be roughly 400 yards for rifles"

i mostly agree with the statement. However, that is my personal position, I don't think it has to be everyones.

The ability to followup and find the game in the territory you are hunting controls me more than any of my shooting limits.

I know a couple of long range shooters at our club that make hits at 1,000 yards pretty easily. i wouldn't be too upset if they started shooting at 600 yards in the right conditions.

In the areas I currently hunt big game I prefer a starting limit of 300 yards. It is hilly and brushy, windy too. Longer shots might be possible but recovery difficulty would increase.

If I were to hunt open prairie (and I might as one of my kids and his family are up there) I could see moving my max starting range to 400 yards on big game.

I do shoot at targets to 500 meters, sometimes further. I also take a few varmints at similar ranges. I guess I am not too worried about how a coyote dies or if I find him.

My experience in shooting at 500 yards and beyond convinces me that there are more variables than I want to contend with at that range, wind is the largest factor.

Was this 1965 Western Idaho by any chance?

Could have been my Dad. Every Saturday morn it was a race to the top of the mountain with his Pennsylvania machine gun (Rem 760 in 30-06) and 1 mag in the gun, four more mags in his pockets, and 1 to 2 more boxes of Win Silvertips in the saddle bags.

Dad liked to brag about his 1/2 to 3/4 mile kills with a semi buckhorn rear and gold bead front sight.

One day, I asked: :How can you aim at a deer 1000 yds away with a 3 moa bead on the front of your rifle. You can not even see the deer or elk behind the bead?"

His answer: You silly, silly boy. You don't aim at the deer. You aim at the rock 20 or 25 feet above the deer's back.

Year after year, decade after decade we revisited the same ridges and canyons. Dad would point to the spots he had shot from and show us where the game had been standing.

Later in life, as good LRFs became available, I was able to lazer a few of his kills. They fell short of his estimates a bit. But, still, some were pushing 700 and 800 yds. Pretty damned impressive for an old Gamemaster with open sights. Only caveat being, he used 12 to 16 rounds and dirt spashes to walk impact onto target.

When I started hunting, I knew there had to be a better way. I set about learning how to make one shot kills.

Dad finally came to believe I could actually shoot, the day he watched me kill five different grouse from the trail coming down the mountain. Each with a head/neck shot. Each paced off at 70 to 90 yds. Each with a 165 gr ballistic tip over 60 gr H4831, and a CCI 250 primer. All from an old Win 670 30-06 with a Weaver 2-7x32.

It’s not my job to tell people how to hunt or shoot. I do know that if you can consistently kill prairie dogs at long distance a deer looks pretty big with a much larger kill zone. Edk

If you've developed the real skills to be confident at "long range" -- and those who practice know where "long range" is -- then take the shot. But buying the gear or having it doesn't necessarily translate into DRT. Get the right tools for the job, learn to use the tools, and get the job done. If you fail, then shame, shame on you.

No deer, antelope or elk that I've shot ever heard the shot before the bullet hit him. Is that non-sporting? Dumbasses.