Ever think about it a little????

[Varberger757]

After reading all the posts on this good threat, I'm both pleased and calmed down. At first, I thought that is just us Europeans hunting and shooting on distances between 100 – 250 m. Shooting longer than 300 m (on game) is the exception over here. I believe that no one would dare to tell officially that he/she was beyond. However, that's a typical European thing…

 

[Greyfox]

Greyfox, some good stuff in there. Seems like similar evaluation that Bernie Pellerite and others have done on the mental/personality side of archery. I like to shoot indoor targets so I have read a lot on this.

That article was in a Traditional Archery magazine. While I have always hunted with rifle,shotgun, and bow, I was a die hard longbow hunter, primarily still hunting whitetails. It was quite a challenging way to hunt, but when I tore an arm muscle I got lured into long range hunting during thr one yesr recovery and stayed with it ever since. I have no problem shooting a great animal at 50 yards though, and have certainly done it with my LR rigs.

 

[yobuck]

ive read all these post. its all about decisions. if you want to catch a tarpon
with a fly rod you committ to catching a tarpon with a fly rod. otherwise you will find yourself just fishing. same thing with shooting animals at long range.
its got to become that way or no way. otherwise it will continue to be the other way.

 

[mrb1982]

I have no problem shooting a great animal at 50 yards though, and have certainly done it with my LR rigs.

Pretty much sums it up. hahaha I guess it is probably kinda like preparing to run a mile. You don't practice at a mile, you practice more than a mile.

So in all of our case, you don't practice at 50yds, you practice at 1000 to make the 50yds easier. hahaha

 

[WildRose]

So here I am hunting muley's in Wyoming a week ago. I am walking a ridge with my long range rifle, working the shadows with the wind in my face. I come up on some deer, I sit down, range them, 75yds. This gets me thinking.

Think of the amount of time that we all put in on the off season shooting, practicing, loading, tinkering, all the money spent. And most of us probably shoot animals inside of 500yds where maybe we wouldn't even need it.

I goes to show how much enjoyment we all get out of long range, even though we may only have to use it a handful of times in our lifetime. I started laughing to myself. It is like a hunting insurance policy, you know, I can shoot a 1000yds "just in case" hahahaha

I really have no point, just one of those random thoughts on a great day of hunting with some time to just reflect on stuff.

It's safe to say, we're all crazy!!!!! hahahaha

I'd imagine we've all thought about this from time to time, I know I have.

When it comes to the skill and equipment needed for long range proficiency though it's much better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

The only thing worse than not being able to take that long shot with confidence putting that once in a lifetime trophy on the wall would be to see it wonder off to die slowly only to be lost because of a poorly placed shot.

Let's face it most people lack the discipline to simply pass on a shot that is beyond their practical range and that is how a great deal of game goes wasted every year. Those of us who practice at long range and put the money into the equipment that can handle it however tend to know and respect our limits. That comes from lots of practice and work.

 

[mrb1982]

Another fine example today. I go out today withball the gadgets required to make an efficient long range shot today, and end up killing my deer at 124 yards. hahahaha I guess since this is my last tag this year, I have a year to practice again.

 

[WildRose]

Thankfully I'm in a 4 Deer County... .

 

[Korhil78]

Thankfully I'm in a 4 Deer County... .

I used to live in a 5 deer county but now I live in a 1 mule deer State!

 

[WildRose]

I used to live in a 5 deer county but now I live in a 1 mule deer State!

Yes and one day soon I'll make a trip out that way for one of them. I have client over in Silver City that has a couple picked out for me.

 

[Korhil78]

Yes and one day soon I'll make a trip out that way for one of them. I have client over in Silver City that has a couple picked out for me.

Nice! My rifle mule deer hunt starts this coming weekend. Unit 26 which covers a lot of the bootheel of New Mexico. I am hoping to get a long poke on one but will probably end up with a 300 yard shot as that is always how it seems to go.

Silver City is a nice place but man, the hippies love that place!

 

[Nimrod]

Great thread! Like most of you guys I have thought the same things but because I'm new to the game I have had it go the other way too. My shooting has progressed to the point that I'm very confident out to 600 yards but beyond that lets just say I have a ways to go yet. The last 2 years I have had good opportunities at right around 800 yards on pronghorns, I was able to get good positions, solid ranges and I had the equipment to do it. I got all the data and came up with firing solutions both times, I just could not pull the trigger, I'm not ready for that shot yet. Last year I ended up with a smaller buck, this year = tag soup. I'm going to take a year off from the pronghorns and spend the money I would normally spend on the trip to try and increase my skill level. It didn't bother me to walk away from those shots at all, it strengthened my resolve to be able to make that shot with confidence.

Bob

 

[jkupper]

This is a good thread!

I live out west, and I have the opportunity to make some long shots every year. I have killed several deer at or just over 400 yards. Having said that, 400 yards was the limit of my equipment until this year.

In the past I have watched deer early in the morning, or right at dusk, too far for a shot. I would wait for them to bed down and then try to get closer. I have had good success with this, but I have had deer "ghost" out on me too, never to be seen again.

I wanted to have the opportunity to be able to connect with these long shots, and that is the reason that I have gotten into this game. We will see what comes of it later this year when rifle season opens in Nebraska.

I got into long range muzzle loader hunting first, being as I started hunting big game with a muzzle loader. I have killed deer at 300 yards or more with the smoke pole, but more often than not my shots are 100 yards or less. I imagine this will probably be the case with the LR rifle too. It is nice to be ready though!

 

[BrentM]

So here I am hunting muley's in Wyoming a week ago. I am walking a ridge with my long range rifle, working the shadows with the wind in my face. I come up on some deer, I sit down, range them, 75yds. This gets me thinking.

Think of the amount of time that we all put in on the off season shooting, practicing, loading, tinkering, all the money spent. And most of us probably shoot animals inside of 500yds where maybe we wouldn't even need it.

I goes to show how much enjoyment we all get out of long range, even though we may only have to use it a handful of times in our lifetime. I started laughing to myself. It is like a hunting insurance policy, you know, I can shoot a 1000yds "just in case" hahahaha

I really have no point, just one of those random thoughts on a great day of hunting with some time to just reflect on stuff.

It's safe to say, we're all crazy!!!!! hahahaha

I bow hunt almost exclusively. However, wolf hunting with a bow has proven to be much difficult than I expected. 4x I could have killed a wolf with a bow. 1x I had a rifle and shot it. 1x my buddy walked up behind me while I was full draw and settling in on my 30 yard pin and spooked the wolf. What a dumb@. 1x time was coming back to camp while guiding and had a one walk up 10 ft. 1x while bow hunting deer I had a wolf sneak in behind me, 20 ft. Since then, I shot 1 at 300 and all others have been well outside that range, typically the next finger over. That usually means 500-800 yards out. I want to be a better hunter but right now I need to be a better shot. LOL

 

[Scot E]

Worked this summer to get my son's carry rifle and him able to shoot out to 650 yards. Ended up killing his bull at just over 100 yards! No bipod, no dialing, no chart, no form reminders from dad. Just bang, flop, done.

Still my favorite hunt ever! Just goes to show, for me anyway, that the fun is in the experience, the scenery, the friendships, and just being in God's creation!

Scot E.