Does anyone hunt deer under 600 yards anymore?

Well...I got some distance in today as well. Lotsa walking...got my lil Massey buried to it's belly in the creek mud...had to walk back and get a come-along and stakes. Nope...even more stuck.
Time for the Power Wagon to earn it's keep...muddy tractor at -7° C...sh*t.
Hunting...things happen, LOL.
Sleep good tonite for sure. If I get a bullet recovery I'll post it.
 
Slimbo said:
Cool video. Wonder how many gut shots and blown off legs are on the editing room floor.
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I gotta say it...I'm sorry but I have to. The video is mislabeled...It should be long range ' Shooting' video...'cause that ain't hunting LOL. At a certain unknown range ( even B & C pussied out...they won't dare put a number down...pussies), it's just impressive shooting. At some point you are now far enough that stealth, wind direction, noise and all the other things that make hunting a challenge...no longer come into play.
"It's a good thing that I can shoot as good as I do, because my woodland skills just don't cut it. That way I can harvest them from distances where they cannot detect me"
The only thing missing is an ashtray and cupholder beside them, that way they can enjoy a cig and a coffee whilst shooting...cause it ain't hunting.
 
tokguy said:
I gotta say it...I'm sorry but I have to. The video is mislabeled...It should be long range ' Shooting' video...'cause that ain't hunting LOL. At a certain unknown range ( even B & C pussied out...they won't dare put a number down...pussies), it's just impressive shooting. At some point you are now far enough that stealth, wind direction, noise and all the other things that make hunting a challenge...no longer come into play.
"It's a good thing that I can shoot as good as I do, because my woodland skills just don't cut it. That way I can harvest them from distances where they cannot detect me"
The only thing missing is an ashtray and cupholder beside them, that way they can enjoy a cig and a coffee whilst shooting...cause it ain't hunting.
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Some would say that sitting in a tree stand isn't hunting either.
 
So I guess it’s time for the forum rules to state what distance is actual hunting so that members can say other members aren’t hunters and appropriate infractions can be issued.

I bet the CGN holy rollers would like that , of course infractions as well for matte scopes , synthetic stocks , baiting , rangefinders, and anything other than cup and core bullets in a .303.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
So I guess it’s time for the forum rules to state what distance is actual hunting so that members can say other members aren’t hunters and appropriate infractions can be issued.

I bet the CGN holy rollers would like that , of course infractions as well for matte scopes , synthetic stocks , baiting , rangefinders, and anything other than cup and core bullets in a .303.
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Nope, we all have our own set of rules that make up our world. Some folks don't mind 600 yard shots; I myself enjoy the stalk, the one 'clean, earned' home run is worth being struck out 6 - 8 times. Today I lucked out, it was really cool. Usually the deer win..as it should be, they have more at stake. The odds should be in their favor IMO.
It's more than a good shot to me, it's the whole experience.
But honestly; my line of disapproval is just shy of 401 paces, it has to be somewhere. That seems fair; I won't shoot that far usually, but a 350-400 yard shot won't get you the side-eye from me when you speak of it in my presence.
So do what you have to do, just don't expect all to laud your prowess on distance shots.
Ever notice, nobody commends a good stalk...but they don't flame you either. Not many appreciate the difficulty of getting up close and personal...but no-one gets triggered either. And it is at least as tough as long shots...don't kid yourself.
But if you pontificate about 500+ yd shots, many don't approve...hmmm. Seeing a trend.
I'm gonna give the Sheep hunters some wiggle room though. That is a whole different game, which I have never played.
But deer hunting...come-on... take off the 'Shooting slippers' and put on your boots man.
Stay safe
 
tokguy said:
Nope, we all have our own set of rules that make up our world. Some folks don't mind 600 yard shots; I myself enjoy the stalk, the one 'clean, earned' home run is worth being struck out 6 - 8 times. Today I lucked out, it was really cool. Usually the deer win..as it should be, they have more at stake. The odds should be in their favor IMO.
It's more than a good shot to me, it's the whole experience.
But honestly; my line of disapproval is just shy of 401 paces, it has to be somewhere. That seems fair; I won't shoot that far usually, but a 350-400 yard shot won't get you the side-eye from me when you speak of it in my presence.
So do what you have to do, just don't expect all to laud your prowess on distance shots.
Ever notice, nobody commends a good stalk...but they don't flame you either. Not many appreciate the difficulty of getting up close and personal...but no-one gets triggered either. And it is at least as tough as long shots...don't kid yourself.
But if you pontificate about 500+ yd shots, many don't approve...hmmm. Seeing a trend.
I'm gonna give the Sheep hunters some wiggle room though. That is a whole different game, which I have never played.
But deer hunting...come-on... take off the 'Shooting slippers' and put on your boots man.
Stay safe
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To me, it is all the rules and morals within that one has to answer to if you foul up.

I've chased down more game from missed regular hunting distance shots than ones taken at longer ranges, yes obviously more are taken at closer ranges 150ish and less so this is a percentage factor.Hurried, running, excited , incompetence , whatever the ailment may be shots can be missed close up as well as further out.Fact of the matter is, misses can happen at any distance and Murphy can rear his ugly head under any circumstance.

Yes, you can alleviate certain factors and improve your percentages by taking lower risk shots but unfortunately a miss(wounded animal) can happen and a hunter must come to terms with this fact that it can happen and does.

At the end of the day you have to answer to yourself so you must be prepared inside yourself for the good as well as the bad.

I know there is hunters that can take 500 yard shots with confidence as well as some who couldn't hit an animal at 50. Factor in the guy that practices constantly compared to the guy that uses the bore sighter and off they go for the day.Now there is the guy that uses a slow moving BP rifle vs the guy that uses a whizz banger with a high BC bullet , time of flight for one at 150 may be the same as the other for 400 , so again, many different factors but essential the same potential for misses and , who practiced more again.

If you have practiced the shot and can confidently pull the trigger at whatever distance you are comfortable with and make the kill how can others judge and say you aren't a hunter? If you are pursuing game you are hunting , if you are shooting inanimate objects you are shooting.

NOW , there can be hunters that shouldn't have the label of hunter for their lack of regard for game and other hunters, I'll leave that term up to the imagination.
 
^^^ If it's ok for a sheep hunter in the mountains, it's ok for anyone. My furthest shot is a black bear at 530 yards. I practice out to a lot further so I'm ready for it. It was a bare ridge to a dry creek bottom in the mountains with thick, steep timber in between. No hope of finding it after bushwhacking for almost 1/2 hour with zero line of sight unless you kill it first :). I'm ok with anyone taking any shot that they are confident in achieving a first shot kill. If there's zero wind my max range on game is 600 yards. Any wind, especially gusty and changing directions rapidly, shrinks that down a lot. The guys on YouTube taking 1000+ yard shots and then correcting after a complete miss are doing it wrong, IMO. But if you consistently make first shot hits at a certain distance, I say go for it!

Btw, I've also shot bears at 5 to 25 yards in the timber. I take the opportunities as they present themselves. But I like to be prepared for the occasional reach out and touch them moments.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
Try that with a bull moose , you may wind up in an interesting confrontation! ;)
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What?

If you can stand up and wave your arms and he comes closer, that's a good thing, right? I spend lots of time trying to call them closer every season one of us has a tag. Why are you afraid of moose?
 
rifleman762 said:
^^^ If it's ok for a sheep hunter in the mountains, it's ok for anyone. My furthest shot is a black bear at 530 yards. I practice out to a lot further so I'm ready for it. It was a bare ridge to a dry creek bottom in the mountains with thick, steep timber in between. No hope of finding it after bushwhacking for almost 1/2 hour with zero line of sight unless you kill it first :). I'm ok with anyone taking any shot that they are confident in achieving a first shot kill. If there's zero wind my max range on game is 600 yards. Any wind, especially gusty and changing directions rapidly, shrinks that down a lot. The guys on YouTube taking 1000+ yard shots and then correcting after a complete miss are doing it wrong, IMO. But if you consistently make first shot hits at a certain distance, I say go for it!

Btw, I've also shot bears at 5 to 25 yards in the timber. I take the opportunities as they present themselves. But I like to be prepared for the occasional reach out and touch them moments.
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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.
 
As an ex- long range hunter ( more than a few kills past 900 yards) one thing many do not take into consideration is time of flight.
Same as long distance archery shots.
A bullet moving at 3,300FPS is still going to take a bit to get “ out there”
And all an animal has to do is take one step and it turns a kill shot into a miss or worse, a wounded gut shot critter that you may or may not recover !
Another is being able to reliably put the bullet where it is supposed to go , many cannot do it reliably !
I still shoot at long range , but I keep that shooting for my target rifles on paper and steel.
Cat
 
All the deer I've shot have been under 100 yards.

A 1-moa gun (most aren't) is going to shoot 6" groups at 600 yards. That's assuming the shooter is shooting from a sled, which they aren't. Probably closer to 10" off the shoulder.

Summary: A lot of people spew BS.
 
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