Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushleague
Yeah, there is this. I dont stand hunt much, but when I do I generally dont expect to connect on my first setup. The first setup is generally just to watch how things play out from a safe distance, and then figure out how to get closer the next day.
My favorite Jack O'Connor quote, made in his later years on the subject of long shots "Any animal not shot at today, can generally be hunted tomorrow." Words to hunt by IMO.
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Maybe in your spots, and certainly in jacks day. But there’s a whole pile of situations where you might get one opportunity in 2-3 weeks of hard hunting and that’s it for the year or multiple years. So if the rifle is the limiting factor, get a better one. No different than getting better boots if they hurt your feet after 3km and you need to walk 10. I went through the exact same thing as the OP, started with an old 308 and eventually couldn’t rely on it to keep up with my skills.
Now most of my deer and moose kills have been with a bow, inside 15 yards. I can and do get closer than most and perhaps closer than I should sometimes. That doesn’t mean I’m going to pass an elk at 400 with a rifle. Or any deer if the freezer is empty. Different hunts, different priorities, and different terrain can require different tools.