Does anyone hunt deer under 600 yards anymore?

Kelly Timoffee said:
So what we have determined is it's okay to be a bad shot at under 100 yards but it's bad to be a good shot past 300ish? :confused:
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Correct.

It's weird how people find it sporting if I sit still and wait for an animal to walk by so close that I can poke it with my gun barrel, but practising long range shots so I am more than capable to take a long distance shot on an animal and harvest it humanely that I should be frowned upon.
 
I'd venture a guess, that a lot more animals are wounded and maimed at 150 yards and under than 500 yards and over.
 
tokguy said:
One might say that Sheep hunters have to take longer shots because their mobility is impaired by the terrain...handicapped so to speak.
Your location says Southern Alberta...are you handicapped by something that stops you from getting closer? Pride perhaps...or Sloth?
If you have a blue placard hanging from your mirror, I totally apologize...that is no joking matter.
Food for thought. In my world these are likely reasons why you feel the need to poke from afar...I am wrong on a semi regular basis though, LOL. Perhaps there was some 'fear' of the bear that made you shoot him at 530 yds...me, I'm scared of Bears. I really am a Southern AB boy, been all over Canada working Iron (BC to PEI)...but always lived in the South. No desire to shoot Bears here...live and let live.
The African Big Game guys are usually divorced from these lil spats. Do you suppose the ABG fellows practice their 500+ yd shots for that once in a lifetime hunt? I don't think so, but again..I'm a good old southern AB boy, I wouldn't know.
But I do consider ABG hunters to be Apex hunters ( guys with pokey sticks are a whole nother species). Why don't they just switch over to big fast movers and shot from the safety of the vehicle vicinity? Pride of another sort I suppose...in their courage and ability?
But again, I only know but one of these ABG hunters. I'll have to ask him next time I run across Shane.
Good luck all.
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If you actually read what I wrote you would know that there was a reason (terrain) I couldn't get closer to that 530 yd bear. And it was a 5 km pack down the mountain and across the Old Man River so not exactly in the "vicinity of my vehicle." That same trip I got to within 170 yds of some sheep but they weren't legal. I shot a grizzly from less than 100 yards in BC. You can continue your elitist attitude and I will continue hunting and killing animals with a goal of a clean kill every time. For example, I passed up a 400 yard shot on a deer because it was too windy. But I shot another one on another day at 450 yds on a still morning. Buck dropped on the spot and his doe ran around a bit and stopped. Shot the doe, too, about 5 seconds after the buck went down (no, not a semi-auto but it doesn't even matter). I've got plenty of meat in thr freezer and no regrets about supposedly unsportsmanlike tactics. A good day to you, sir :).
 
There are those that think one way and those think another and never the Twain shall meet .
Just because a person prefers to kill as close as possible does not mean they are not able to kill at a distance cleanly .
Just because a person tends to kill at long distance does not mean that they are not a good enough hunter to stalk closer.
Wake up people and quit arguing with each other and putting each other down we are all supposed to be on the same side
Cat
 
iron cat said:
There are those that think one way and those think another and never the Twain shall meet .
Just because a person prefers to kill as close as possible does not mean they are not able to kill at a distance cleanly .
Just because a person tends to kill at long distance does not mean that they are not a good enough hunter to stalk closer.
Wake up people and quit arguing with each other and putting each other down we are all supposed to be on the same side
Cat
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You nailed it! :)
 
I see it as a fair chase prinicple. At long range, the animal has bery little chance/opportunity - a fair chance - to react to your presence. So, to give more of a fair chnace or chase to the animal, the hunter should attempt close the distance to test his/her skill at a stalk such the animal won't detect the hunter. Environment can alter this as in sheep country, sheep can pick you off at longer ranges as also on the prairies. But if a hunter can close the distance using terrain, it must be done. It gives fair chase but also improves the odds of a quick clean shot. if you'rena bad shot at 100, practice and shoot a realistic ranges. If you're a sheep hunter, practice at least out to 500 yds.
 
I'm a pretty good long range shooter and practice quite a bit. Nonetheless, if my only opportunity for a shot at big game is at much over 300 yd., I'll pass. I most definitely will not hunt with the preferred intent of trying a shot at extended range. It took a lot of years but I finally came to the realization that my life will continue even if I don't fill a tag. I've passed up shots on elk, sheep, and goats and don't regret any of them.
To others, making a long shot is a bragging point and, for them, that's OK. I will say, they are wasting their time bragging to me though.
 
I like to practice at long range but on only one occasion have I shot at game past 300 yards and that was a moose at 325ish yards and it was standing broadside. All of the game I have taken have been less than 200 yards and most of them have been a 100 yards or less. This is after 30 years of hunting.
 
In hunting as in just about any sport, the industry likes to sell equipment as a substitute for a lack of talent, training or technique. A lot of people are buying in and purchase magnum calibers, tactical scopes and premium ammunition as a substitute for hunting and shooting skills. The fact that a number of TV shows feature that kind of hunting (e.g. Best of the West) seems to be a major factor as well. It is a sad state of affairs, especially when it results in wounded animals who will die a slow painful death.
 
So the idea is to improve your odds of going undetected , correct?

So , if you can only get so close to said animal before going detected in order to harvest this critter you must get better at something.

If this particular quarry are exceptionally cagey you must do something to improve your odds , well, we can't get closer so what do we do?

We extend our ability to make that shot with improving our skills and equipment for marksmanship.Does the military want you to get closer or do they want to extend their effective range? It's about going undetected, best way to go undetected, increase your distance , it's pretty simple,sometimes you have to do this.

It is however almost 100% unique to each situation.

I'm not going to sit here and say I've done this or that and at "x" distance as you are criticized for every time you harvest an animal on CGN , but what I will say is that YOU don't know what I am competent at.

And as one last comment, I've seen more missed shots at what are considered "ethical hunting ranges" than folks who have take game at normally "unethical distances" , yes this is a percentages game but it is also a competence/confidence game.

A fellow I frequently shoot with has said that since we have put more time in at practice with different technique that he has greatly improved confidence and ability which did translate into taking game at distances further than the distance in the past.When you can see a situation and say I can do this because I have practiced this , well, the rest just falls into place.
 
pacobillie said:
In hunting as in just about any sport, the industry likes to sell equipment as a substitute for a lack of talent, training or technique. A lot of people are buying in and purchase magnum calibers, tactical scopes and premium ammunition as a substitute for hunting and shooting skills. The fact that a number of TV shows feature that kind of hunting (e.g. Best of the West) seems to be a major factor as well. It is a sad state of affairs, especially when it results in wounded animals who will die a slow painful death.
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So what happens when grandpa who can't see takes a standing 50 yard shot on a deer and gut shoots it because his eyes are poor and reflexes slow? Too much TV?
 
pacobillie said:
in hunting as in just about any sport, the industry likes to sell equipment as a substitute for a lack of talent, training or technique. A lot of people are buying in and purchase magnum calibers, tactical scopes and premium ammunition as a substitute for hunting and shooting skills. The fact that a number of tv shows feature that kind of hunting (e.g. Best of the west) seems to be a major factor as well. It is a sad state of affairs, especially when it results in wounded animals who will die a slow painful death.
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^^^^x2^^^
 
If it’s something I want to kill, I’ll always look to close the gap. Long range spotting, closer range killing. It’s a recipe that’s worked for me.
 
pacobillie said:
In hunting as in just about any sport, the industry likes to sell equipment as a substitute for a lack of talent, training or technique. A lot of people are buying in and purchase magnum calibers, tactical scopes and premium ammunition as a substitute for hunting and shooting skills. The fact that a number of TV shows feature that kind of hunting (e.g. Best of the West) seems to be a major factor as well. It is a sad state of affairs, especially when it results in wounded animals who will die a slow painful death.
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The other side of the coin is Joe blow that spends one day a year sighting in his rifle, puts a couple shots into a group you could walk through and calls it good. I’d rather see people spend time with their gear shooting more and getting comfortable at longer ranges, rather than some dude crossing his fingers and letting one fly. I hunt with two friends, one spends time at the range a lot more than the other and is a target shooter before he’s a hunter. I can tell you which one hits the mark every year, both put meat in the freezer but one shows way more skill in hitting his point of aim.
 
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