- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
Scared of long range shots... Am I hunting wrong lol :(
- Thread starter Megaclocker
- Start date
I have respect for anyone who can trust thier gear and ability to take a target at 1000+ yards..... wish i was one of those guys hehehe
For me , my desire to shoot "long range" is mainly for predator hunting and in my application , long range is confined to that 400 to 600 yard zone. My rifle launches it's preferred bullet at roughly 2940 feet per second and is extremely accurate for a hunting rifle. So doing the math , in perfect conditions, the bullet takes roughly .5 of a second to travel to a 500 yard target. That alone gives me some confidence that in the time it takes to squeeze off the shot to the time the animal is hit..... it can't move much in that .5 of a second. The longer the bullet is in flight allows more time for that animal to slightly alter it's target zone so hats off to those guys that can get it done on big game wayyy the fugg out there LOL
I had to pass on an opportunity up hunting elk one winter where the pine river dumps into the peace. The elk were ranged at 850 yards and we were above them to the side. My rifle and load are surely capable of making that shot and I new that..... but i just wasn't ready and had no way to measure wind so just watched the small herrd for hours wishing they would come my way LOL
For me , my desire to shoot "long range" is mainly for predator hunting and in my application , long range is confined to that 400 to 600 yard zone. My rifle launches it's preferred bullet at roughly 2940 feet per second and is extremely accurate for a hunting rifle. So doing the math , in perfect conditions, the bullet takes roughly .5 of a second to travel to a 500 yard target. That alone gives me some confidence that in the time it takes to squeeze off the shot to the time the animal is hit..... it can't move much in that .5 of a second. The longer the bullet is in flight allows more time for that animal to slightly alter it's target zone so hats off to those guys that can get it done on big game wayyy the fugg out there LOL
I had to pass on an opportunity up hunting elk one winter where the pine river dumps into the peace. The elk were ranged at 850 yards and we were above them to the side. My rifle and load are surely capable of making that shot and I new that..... but i just wasn't ready and had no way to measure wind so just watched the small herrd for hours wishing they would come my way LOL
I seem to have struck a nerve with my opinion... I have hunted both long(ish) range and short range stalking. It takes planning and prepping to set up a stand or a blind and to put up cameras and keep checking them for 6 weeks before a hunt. It doesn't take much skill to drive around with binoculars and get out of the truck because you spotted an animal a kilometer away that has no idea you're there until it falls over dead because you bought expensive toys.
I enjoy the 50 yard kill much more than a 400 yard shot. It's just more rewarding to me. Unfortunately, my 50 yard rifle of choice (45 long colt) was excluded by the hunting regs in my province this year, so this year's deer was taken with a .308 at 350 yards.
Everyone enjoys different ways and I'm not telling anyone what they can or can't do. I find short range more challenging and rewarding and that is the kind of hunting the OP seems to be having luck with and was feeling that the long range was intimidating. My point to the OP is to enjoy what he's already doing. But, CGN being CGN... I get told I'm nonesense and full of BS and whatever else. Flame away flaming flamers
I enjoy the 50 yard kill much more than a 400 yard shot. It's just more rewarding to me. Unfortunately, my 50 yard rifle of choice (45 long colt) was excluded by the hunting regs in my province this year, so this year's deer was taken with a .308 at 350 yards.
Everyone enjoys different ways and I'm not telling anyone what they can or can't do. I find short range more challenging and rewarding and that is the kind of hunting the OP seems to be having luck with and was feeling that the long range was intimidating. My point to the OP is to enjoy what he's already doing. But, CGN being CGN... I get told I'm nonesense and full of BS and whatever else. Flame away flaming flamers
- Location
- calgary alberta
There is a caveat to "glass being worth as much or more than the rifle". With typical mass produced rifles it is easy to spend more on the optic than what the rifle cost. This is not the case on custom precision hunting rifles. The most expensive glass I am aware of is made by Tangent Theta at around $6 grand, many of our custom hunting rifles eclipse that cost by several hundred dollars.
I get and agree with your thinking but scopes have come along way in the last few years giving consumers more options and at more affordable prices. Up until a couple of years back the Mk4 or NXS were pretty much thee option for most, but with what Vortex is now offering for 1/2 the price they offer a very viable alternative. The PST Gen 2 is an incredible value for 50% of what a NF scope costs and for most hunters and target shooters is more than up to delivering.
We hunters/shooters do tend to eat our own. Shame really. Hopefully we can get away from those types of behaviour, soon.
There are guys who simply can't imagine that there are people out there who shoot thousands of rounds annually and are capable of quickly hitting targets at extended ranges, even from awkward positions. I've watched and competed in enough PRS now to know what high level shooters are capable of, and it always make me smirk a little when guys who shoot a couple boxes of ammo a year, say what the 'ethical limits' are.
On the other hand, it's all good! Up close, far away, whatever... Know your limits and respect the animal enough to take it quickly and cleanly.
This year I have worked out to 1000 yds. plus on paper.
With lots of practice.. so getting better and I'm able to see how wind pushes the round...
Hunting at that distance Nope...
Dangerous game 100 yds. all others 200 yds
Past that isn't hunting
With lots of practice.. so getting better and I'm able to see how wind pushes the round...
Hunting at that distance Nope...
Dangerous game 100 yds. all others 200 yds
Past that isn't hunting
I've shot a few brownings and have never had one that produced unreasonable groups. Having said that I've shot Savages and Sako with good results too. My recommendation is finding an accurate load for your rifle. Your scope should be adequate for what you described in your post. Hand loads are most ideal but I can usually find a factory load that will do the job out to 300 - 400 yards. For the 30-06 I have found that 165 grains are often pretty good for most rifles with a standard twist. Federal Sierra Game Kings 165 yards are great to at least 250 yards and have shot well. Also, and Winchester Ballistic Silvertips 168 shoot well in my rifle. As does Hornady 180 SST. I have not often used Nosler Partitions - because they would likely be better with hand loads over factory stuff. I have found that in my 30-06 and 270 the Partitions from the factory loads are not as accurate as I would like them to be. Yet, in the 300 WSM they shoot acceptably well enough for 300 or more yards. If I felt like I was going to shoot longer distances I would favor the 180 grain as it has more "carry" at longer distances over the 165... And believe it or not, the factory 220 grainers have good carry but they drop quicker. And I found it worked for me one time on a Bull Moose at about 400 yards. I`ve shot enough where I can judge distance fairly well but I`ve only shot one moose at 600 yards and that was with a 300 WM. It takes practice and knowing the gun. But an accurate load is always a friendly load. Just shoot your rifle more often and try different brands and types of ammo more. If you want to take it a step further buy a manual get someone to show you how to do your first set of handloads.
- Location
- calgary alberta
The nerve you struck has been struck FAR too many times by guys who think as you seem to. No flaming was intended, simply trying to educate. You are not alone and my posts were not directly aimed at you, you simply provided the opening for furtherment of dialogue. Unfortunately many guys follow your thinking about LR hunting, it is an international thing. In South Africa years ago the PH I was with completely lost it on me when I dumped a 2800 lb Eland at 690 yards with my 338 LAI. 1 shot, bang flop, done. The situation was I was already set up on a lesser animal at much closer range when I noticed the big bull in the distance. Ranged him dialed up and let him have it. We performed a necropsy where it died and the PH was blown away that shot placement could be so precise at that range.
Many "hunters" figure hunting requires crawling up an animals rectum and killing it from inside to truly be called hunting. What might they think about the very early Canadians driving herds of buffalo off of a cliff?
Very seldom if ever is true and ethical LR hunting simply driving around and shooting an animal from distance as it actually takes more scouting to determine things like shooting over properties that one does not have permission to access, rivers can get in the way to make recovery far more difficult and so on.
Most of us spend many weeks scouting not only for animals but also for terrain that is conducive.
The group of us that I hunt with wear out a barrel or 2 each year practicing and a TON of time on the loading bench. Consistent hits on a 5" gong at 1000 yards is the goal but just like close range shooting things can and do happen.
A large number of LR hunters that I know get rather enraged by some of the TV shows that try to depict LR hunting for promotion of their business. Trust me the majority of us dedicated LR hunters are not at all like that.
The ugly fact is there are some guys who will spend the money on gear but then fail to learn to use it properly and then further fail when it comes to becoming proficient at shooting it, developing proper ammo for the job. Something that many guys fail to take into account is that bullets that work great at closer ranges can fail miserably at long range and bullets that work incredibly well at long range usually fail miserably at close range.
LR hunting really is NOT as simple as it might seem.
powdermaker
CGN Regular
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I took an aquaintence elk hunting this year. He was lucky and got drawn for bull elk in a zone near Saskatoon. He was super excited about the hunt and went to Cabela's and dropped $2000 on a new Remington 700, 26" heavy barrel 7mm rem mag with a high power variable scope. The rig with bipod must have weighed 14 pounds. He kept wanting to set up on a hilltop top with a wide view. We knew he wasn't as good shot as he imagined, so stayed near the bush and called in areas that were more closed in. He got his elk at 64 yards. We joked that he should have backed up about 400 before shooting, but the truth is, he would have missed or wounded it. Knowing your limitations is something a lot of hunters don't get.
- Location
- calgary alberta
Man isn't THAT the truth?
And Long Range Pursuit..Gunwerks U.S.
I've seen on the show 1 wound, 1 clean miss 1 fail to recover animal
And I haven't watched every episode
But I quess us Canadians are perfect at long range shooting at animals
No one ever talks about the wounding...
I've seen on the show 1 wound, 1 clean miss 1 fail to recover animal
And I haven't watched every episode
But I quess us Canadians are perfect at long range shooting at animals
No one ever talks about the wounding...
- Location
- calgary alberta
I have watched several episodes of the shows you mention and have seen quite a few fubars that they either claim was a clean kill or intended. I too wonder how much film hits the cutting room floor so to speak. Unfortunately many subscribe to this crap thinking if they buy the "package" and special magic ammo this somehow turns them into a world class shooter, when in fact all it really does is turn them into a world class menace.
Not for an instant would I think that some wounding does happen in Canada. To date I have not had this happen personally, but before my life is over it could. I do tend to walk away from any shot that is not as close to 100% possible as can be, BUT there is always a variable, just as there is in close range hunting.
There were and maybe still are some LR hunting shows shot in Canada, I was involved very briefly with 1 produced out of Edmonton. I found their desire to make a show sell outweighed their ethics of hunting. I watch very little of these shows anymore as I can only take in so much B.S., bad handling of firearms and mindless banter.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Are you hunting wrong? No, the exact opposite, you're hunting the exact way everyone should. If you're not sure you can kill the animal on the first shot, don't shoot, whether that's at 50,200,500 or 1000 yards.
Sometimes it's hard to get close to an animal, as you found out with the mule deer, but the times when you do will make the whole experience all the memorable and gratifying.
Cudos to you man! Too few hunters know and respect their limits in marksmanship. I'm much the same where I like to close the gap to a comfortable shooting distance. I do usually practice as much as I can at longer ranges just in case my last resort is a farther than normal poke, and it also makes those closer shots feel like child play.
I roll my eyes when the "good ol boys" start telling tales of filling the air with lead at a moose 300 to 400 yards out and peppering it or "skinning" it.
Get more trigger time for sure, and premium factory ammo or handloads.
I roll my eyes when the "good ol boys" start telling tales of filling the air with lead at a moose 300 to 400 yards out and peppering it or "skinning" it.
Get more trigger time for sure, and premium factory ammo or handloads.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Congratulations to the original poster for knowing his limits, and hunting accordingly. Animals are not "targets" we do have a responsibility to kill them quickly and humanely.
I target shoot a lot, hunt a lot, but generally won't take a shot at an unwounded big game animal at more than 300 yards or so. Not because of limitations of my ability or my gear, its mostly out of respect for the animals. Way too much can go wrong with a shot or with recovery of a hit animal as the range stretches out. "Making a shot" is much much more than putting a bullet in the intended place. It also means making a clean kill and finding the shot animal. Bullets have different penetration and expansion at short vs long range, wind can affect bullets, the animal can move during the time of flight of the bullet, cold temperatures can affect bullet speed and trajectory, etc. etc. And a poorly hit animal is much more likely to be brought to bag if another quick shot can be made when it is wounded and fleeing. How many of the long range crowd can hit a running wounded animal at over 300 yards? How many can even find where it was standing and track it if it disappears from sight after the shot? One reason so few really long shots are taken in most of Africa is that someone other than the shooter is watching, and if blood is drawn and the animal is not actually bagged, the hunter pays the trophy fee anyway. We enjoy much more freedom of choice in most of Canada, we have no such consequences, and as a result far too many Canadian hunters without the skills or patience choose to stretch the limits.
I think it is healthy to have a have a discussion about this, the old argument of "if its legal get off my back" is not helpful.
I target shoot a lot, hunt a lot, but generally won't take a shot at an unwounded big game animal at more than 300 yards or so. Not because of limitations of my ability or my gear, its mostly out of respect for the animals. Way too much can go wrong with a shot or with recovery of a hit animal as the range stretches out. "Making a shot" is much much more than putting a bullet in the intended place. It also means making a clean kill and finding the shot animal. Bullets have different penetration and expansion at short vs long range, wind can affect bullets, the animal can move during the time of flight of the bullet, cold temperatures can affect bullet speed and trajectory, etc. etc. And a poorly hit animal is much more likely to be brought to bag if another quick shot can be made when it is wounded and fleeing. How many of the long range crowd can hit a running wounded animal at over 300 yards? How many can even find where it was standing and track it if it disappears from sight after the shot? One reason so few really long shots are taken in most of Africa is that someone other than the shooter is watching, and if blood is drawn and the animal is not actually bagged, the hunter pays the trophy fee anyway. We enjoy much more freedom of choice in most of Canada, we have no such consequences, and as a result far too many Canadian hunters without the skills or patience choose to stretch the limits.
I think it is healthy to have a have a discussion about this, the old argument of "if its legal get off my back" is not helpful.
I agree with you mostly except for the bolded part.
I’ve taken quite a few animals with a bow, all spot and stalk as I find sitting in a blind to be boring.
As for the “expensive toys” part, well, haha. I had the same attitude towards long range hunting as you when I was younger and didn’t know any better. I recently bought some of those expensive toys and soon found out how much time, practice and skill go into making that long range kill. It ain’t easy, but when it all comes together it’s very rewarding.
This year I took my first long range shot at a big game animal, a mule deer doe. After many enjoyable hours spent at my reloading bench crafting the perfect ammunition, many many more hours shooting at long range with that ammo learning it’s trajectory and how it behaves in the wind, I finally had the skill and confidence to make the shot. I put that doe down at 690 yards and it was every bit as thrilling and challenging as any deer I’ve killed at 20 yards with a bow.
I do agree with all you guys. The guys and gals that think they can are nothing but a menace and tarnish all hunters and sportsmen ( oops persons as the drama teacher would say LOL)
Those shots start doing funny things past 400yds??
I've taken guys out shooting and they are amazed with their hunting rigs what the bullet does at 400..
They had no idea.. Even when they loose grouping they won't admit that their scope is pooched
Those shots start doing funny things past 400yds??
I've taken guys out shooting and they are amazed with their hunting rigs what the bullet does at 400..
They had no idea.. Even when they loose grouping they won't admit that their scope is pooched
I have a custom rifle that I haul up (40 lbs) into my heated elevated shooting shack but deer are scarce here this year where I hunt .
It is based on a Sako rifle with a heavy fluted barrel topped by a 6.5-20 x 40 Leupold scope shooting 6.5 x 55 reloads .
If something suitable walks out at 500 yds. and conditions are right...... lookout .
And yes I have a very good Nikon rangefinder .
It is based on a Sako rifle with a heavy fluted barrel topped by a 6.5-20 x 40 Leupold scope shooting 6.5 x 55 reloads .
If something suitable walks out at 500 yds. and conditions are right...... lookout .
And yes I have a very good Nikon rangefinder .
40 Pounds?
A 40 pound rifle...?
Please do post pictures and details. This we must see to believe....
A PGW Coyote weighs 13.5 pounds...can't wait to see pix of your 40 pounder...!
..and I have never seen or heard of a -- heated -- elevated -- shooting shack. Please treat us to pix...
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I can’t speak to his rifle but elevated and heated blinds are pretty common in Texas where the men are delicate.....
. I’m sure a few Canadian hunters have done something similar.
