946 yard cow elk pics

[bucknutz]

not one shot hit within 2-3 feet where the crosshairs were pointing.i'm a 500yd shooter and never would have attempted that shot.maybe if i hit a rock somewhere away from them since they were lying down and had the time.
just let her fly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[walleyedavev]

I have sat at my computer and looked at all the postings that have been posted since Good Grouper put his story out there for us to enjoy. All I have learned is that people only know how to judge other people that they have never met and assume different scenerios about this hunt. Everyone can find good and bad in any situation. There for I am compelled to write the following. I know how this hunt played out and have hunted that very same spot. I have been hunting with Clint for about 4 years now, and friends with Good Grouper for about 7 years. Clint and Good Grouper are very skilled hunters and marksmen. They knew with Good Groupers guidence, and equipment Clint could make a shot like this, alot of us could with the proper instruction. I thought this was a LONG RANGE HUNTING FORUM not a " I'll decide what's right and what's wrong forum". Yet there are still want-to-be-know-it-all's, that pick everything apart, "such as, that shot should have never been taken or who shoots at a bedded animal", or make Clint out to be a first time hunter. Good Grouper and Clint were kind enough to share this story with everyone. Each person has there own views on hunting and how it should be done. The only people that know every aspect of what went on was Good Grouper and Clint. If people have an issue with how far it was maybe they should go to a Short Range Forum and express their views there. There will always be circumstances that even with the most technologically advanced gear we can not control the outcome, you have the decision to make the call when its presented to you. For the ones who said "that animal was just a target and suffered", what about bow hunters? Most animals run off bleeding and have to be tracked down, they don't die an instant death or how many animals are lost with 100 yard shots every year that go unfound or walk around wounded? To sit at home and bash on two people that you don't know anything about is wrong. I'm sure i'll get picked apart for bad spelling, grammer and anything else you can find, but like I suggested earlier you can find good and bad about everything that goes on in life, thats why we should take it for what it is. WALLEYEDAVE

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I say its a great hunting story and some fine shooting. But I have to agree with some others about shooting at an animal more than 500 yards then you have ever shot before. I started shooting 300, then 400, then 525, then 800. And you know what, it seems to get about 5x harder each 100 yards. I just think that if anyone plans on shooting game at 1000 yards, they need to be shooting the rifle and actually be shooting 1000 yards to become proficient with it. The elk however was taken and thats what counts. JMO.

 

[Ian M]

Disappointing that this kind of thread has to turn into a waste of a lot of time. Way too much jockying around and throwing gas in my opinion.

I believe that GG told it like it was, he was not trying to pound his chest or start a catfight. Many of the fellows, me included as a matter of fact, enjoyed the read. That is what it is, just a bunch of words on a computer screen. Intially I thought about the hits and the way the cow died, but know-what - I been there. Sometimes the **** bullets don't hit where you want them to. Sometimes the elk runs without any sign that two bullets blew through its body. If you don't enjoy the way this read then go to another post- nothing is proved by tearing it apart or disparaging another member of the forum.

I also believe that GG was not trying to get anyone's goat, nor trying to do a "mine is longer than yours" deal, he was SHARING a frigging hunt. Some guys enjoy some types of hunts more than others. Regardless of how his story reads, he shared an experience with us in good faith. What in hell is proved by dissecting and what-iffing and stating what someone should do or not do - he frigging done it, it is past history, it is only words on a screen. Some of the guys here gave the dreaded anti's more ammo than GG's buddie's shot placement did, in my opinion.

I don't come to this place to read garbage - unfortunately some guys here seem awful ready to dump garbage on others for their actions or implied thoughts, ethics, shot placement, caliber choice, bullet selection. To what end? There are a lot of guys who I respect and would really like to meet and do a hunt or shoot with. I hope to learn from others here, and do a lot. I also enjoy sharing my knowledge, experiences and equipment info because some fine guys gave me a lot of help as I improved my skills and toy collection.

My best shooting buddy is hardcore - he is so damned confident in his shooting and skills you have to shoot with him to believe what can be done with a good rifle way out there. I have other equally skilled and dedicated friends who have forgot more than I have ever learned - by far. When you have been instructed by and have shot with guys like Steve Suttles or RP, you have shot with guys who shoot at a level most shooters do not even know exists. I am fortunate to have had those opportunities and they made me a much better and more confident marksman. I am also fortunate to be able to shoot more incredible rifles and good ammo than most people could dream of in a year. Big deal...

Does that make me special or better than some newbie who just bought a new heavy barrel Savage a couple of days ago? Not a chance. I honestly try to treat everyone here with the civility that I expect from others, simple as that. I believe I can say the same for Dave and Len. They are good people and guys I would share my ammo with anyday.

I am not defending GG with the above - I would say it for anyone whether he has one post or a thousand. I worked on big game check stations for a lot of years and can tell you that many of the critters we examined had far more hits than that cow did. That is the real world as far as killing by many hunters today.

Sorry to offend but I get a kick out of anyone having a problem with shooting a bedded animal. Same goes for rear-enders. I have shot dozens of critters through the base of the tail. Every one ended up dead, simple as that. No regretting that I did not get a nice shooting opportunity so I did not shoot. The idea is to kill the critter, that means putting him on the ground, gaining control and dispatching him as quickly as possible if the initial shot is not fatal.

We are pushing our personal abilities and that of our gear when we "shoot long". I need all the help I can get to learn how to improve my skills and confidence - that is what I want when I come here. Not to read some of the stuff that unfortunately worked its way into this thread.

The moderators will try to run this place with decorum by the simple rules that Len set a long time ago. I truly enjoy posts from guys like Jerry Teo, Bounty, Fifty, Shawn, .25-06 Rem, Horn and a heck of a lot of shooters here. Thanks to all the guys who have the decency to stay on topic and to treat each other as gentlemen. You guys make this place what it is.

If you do not have anything positive or constructive to add to a post, then don't waste a lot of people's time and enjoyment of LR Hunting with garbage-talk, mind-games or insinuations. Be a shame if that kind of crap drove away good shooters who really wanted to learn and/or share info.

 

[Len Backus]

Thanks for your comments, Ian. I share your thoughts.

It has taken a lot of effort on my part to stay out of this one so far. I don't know GG, never talked to him, never met him, don't remember ever emailing him. But I've been thinking that much of the commenting over his hunt story in this thread has been like a bunch of fussy women talking to each other.

Very disappointing to me.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
For the ones who said "that animal was just a target and suffered", what about bow hunters? Most animals run off bleeding and have to be tracked down, they don't die an instant death

[/ QUOTE ]

WalleyeDave.......you have obviously NEVER actually seen a deer shot through both lungs with a good, sharp broadhead.......it is one of the quickest deaths you can imagine! I can assure you, a deer shot through both lungs with a sharp broadhead dies as fast or faster than one shot through both lungs with a bullet fired from a rifle! In case you haven't noticed, unless the central nervous system is disrupted, most animals shot with a rifle "run off bleeding and have to be tracked down, they don't die an instant death"!! In the future, when trying to make a point, I'd suggest that you stick with something you know a little about!!

 

[royinidaho]

Ian, Roger that!

 

[Len Backus]

Ok, we're done with this Topic.

EDITED at 11 am.

Part of my frustration with how this Topic went is that it strayed too far and too long into ethics. As you know, I feel there are many other forums where ethics can be discussed. Several years ago when I started this Forum I did it for reasons other than to have one more place (among dozens of existing ones) to discuss ethics.

But most of my frustration on this Topic has to do with just plain bad attitude on the part of several of the participants. Kind of a "gotcha" mentality. Kind of "I am a better debater/arguer than you are and my (inane or minute) point is more important than the joy of others in reading and sharing the original story itself". And so many of the facts mentioned by the "gotcha" guys were just plain wrong but I didn't want to make things worse by seeming to take sides.

I started this Forum mostly so I could write and read joyful stories of long range hunting. Most of this Topic was not fun reading for me, not very joyful. And on this Forum, like it or not, it is "ALL ABOUT ME".

Some time ago, members started referring to this Forum as being "Len's living room" and needing to live by "Len's rules". Well, as I think about how this Topic unfolded in my living room...I am not very satisfied with my choice of guests. There were 37 people involved in this Topic. If this had been taking place in my real living room I would have said to my wife "who invited some of those guys? Let's cut the party short today and not invite some of them back again. I don't enjoy listening to the bickering, chest thumping and contentious arguing!"

So I am expanding on my philosophy regarding "guests". I am not a very social animal but over the years my wife and I have given or attended some pretty neat parties that are of an annual, repeated nature. As an invited participant or as the "giver" there is always a fresh invitation list put together sometime the next year when the annual event is coming up. We hope that our host appreciated our good behavior and to we hope to be invited back to the good parties.

We also think twice about whom we want to invite back to our own parties. There is probably a little huddled discussion out there among guests when it is time for the next year's invitation list to go out. "Given how long you went on and on about our wonderful children…I wonder if we will ever be invited back!" Or "I wonder if Frank who got drunk and spilled his beer over Kathy Backus's blouse will be invited back!" Or the flip side…"Did you notice that Frank didn't get invited back and I don't know why not…he is such a nice guy and he was so funny at the last Backus party?"

Well, today I am real close to not inviting back a number of guests. Some of the participants in this Topic are just not fun people to have in one's living room. We have something like 5,600 members. However, I don't care if that number drops to 56 if some of them want to quit because of my " living room guest" philosophy! In fact, just before I started this Forum in 2001 (?) I thought the answer might be to have an email list of just a dozen or so like-minded nice guys to share long range hunting thoughts with. Well, I am very glad I went this way instead because I have met online many, many great people that have enriched my life.

But…I am going to be way more selective in reviewing my guest list from now on. If you aren't the kind of friendly, non-contentious person I would like to invite back to the once-a-year party given in my living room…expect to be de-invited. Don't expect any totally rational reason that you think you understand or that you think is fair. Instead suddenly your membership will mysteriously disappear.