Re: 1426 yard deer
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stenger</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i was going to stay out of this but i cant resist.
I have been long range hunting for approx. 15 years, long before it became popular. I can tell you that with the proper equipment,training, and self discipline someone can make long shots and be ethical. I personally have made shots on deer out to 1500 yards. When i make a shot at long ranges it comes with a lot of preparation and patients. I will not shoot in winds over 5mph and soemtimes will wait days until the perfect shot becomes available. So i do believe that long shots are ok but with the ever growing long range community, i believe that we should focus on training and education.
I can remember a time when the archery communtiy went through the same growing pains.
Through my many years of time in the woods my observations have led to one conclusion. During the general firearms season in my home state the amount of gut shot and wounded deer that i have seen is actually sicking! The reason for this is that most of the general hunting population goes to Walmart and buys a box of 30-06 bullets, sights in on a pizza box, and goes hunting (how ethicial is this?)The end result is a high number of gut shot and wounded deer. i have seen a lot of wounded deer in the woods and bad shots at the processors. The long range shooting community is a special breed of hunters that has special equipment and advanced training to perform when it counts. Although, are community is growing so we must strive to educate and make our shooters have self Discipline before attempting long range shots, because if we dont we will fall into the above mentioned group of hunters.
I have also hunted all over the country with archery equipment and with many differant outfitters. In every camp that i have been in over the years there is always someone that wounds an animal. I sometimes wonder how ethicial archery is, but the archers stick together and are making a fortune doing it!!
I shoot with a team of four other hunters and i can say that in the last three years we have not wounded a single animal at ranges over 1000 yards.
Lets stick together, continue training, and educating are new shooters so that we can have a bright future . </div></div>
Can I ask you this - Why? Whats the thrill of a 1500 yd deer shot? Secondly, is it more ethical than a 500 yd shot, which would probably save you 90% of the time and preparations, and also increase your probability to a high 99,xxx% to actually bag the game with a first shot?
I also think you're missing the point when you play the blame-game and use the argument "30 yard shitty hunters also maim animals". What makes you think .30-06 Walmart-Bob doesn't get inspired and try a 600 yd shot, from what he see's on youtube or here? Its a bit like saying "we in the drive without seatbelt-community are a special breed, and we are very responsible while we drive without seatbelt obviously."
I am a very experienced shooter, with good equipment and long range knowledge. I have high moral standards and ethics while hunting and I chose to not take shots on live game beyond a few hundred yards. Does that make me a better or a poor hunter, compared to you?
Truth is, main reason, apart from the chancy part, is that I cannot get what the kicks or indulgence are, that steel or paper cannot give me?
So back to my original question, why?