Is hunting success at long range a fluke?

[Pathfinder76]

I was out shooting this morning and decided to try an experiment before starting to shoot. I had steel targets at 480, 575, 690, and 900 yards. I started at the 480 yard target, designated one round to it and the others and with a spotter started shooting. With an 8.5lb rifle and 9x scope, I dialed from zero and hit the first target and proceeded to do the same with the other three. The idea being that if we were hunting, could I take an animal cleanly with one shot at varying distances. It is definitely doable. Would I recommend it? Probably not, but like anything else, practice helps.

[obsessed1]

I do something similar from ranges out to 1000 yds. Practically I'd limit myself to 800 yds prone 650 kneeling and 100 off hand. Standing supported I'm comfortable to about 300.

[tikka250]

It all comes down to knowing if you can hit that target everytime at whatever distance you consider "long" we have a 675 yd coyote target that I use as my cold bore shot whenever I'm out at the range and I can say that I do not always get my wind call right and have missed it.
I can count on one hand the people that I know that have the knowledge and skill to ALWAYS be able to make a 700+ yard shot on game.

[Deer Hunter]

For me, nothing beats a good stalk, a bit of a belly crawl and a sub 300 yard chip shot.
I wouldnt consider a 900 yard shot on an animal I truly wanted to kill.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

For me, nothing beats a good stalk, a bit of a belly crawl and a sub 300 yard chip shot.
I wouldnt consider a 900 yard shot on an animal I truly wanted to kill.

I prefer this more than anything. I wouldn’t advocate 900 yard shots at game either. But 500 is pretty doable under good conditions.

[trigger7mm]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

For me, nothing beats a good stalk, a bit of a belly crawl and a sub 300 yard chip shot.
I wouldnt consider a 900 yard shot on an animal I truly wanted to kill.

Bingo! I feel the same way.

[OldRussian]

Depends on the shooter. With the right gear and practice it's far from a fluke. Spending big bucks on a rig doesn't make you Jon Pynch, the practice does.

I don't get why people **** all over long range hunting. It all boils down to the shooter and their ability. Plenty of stuff gets wounded with rifles and bows at ranges that people deem "ethical".

[Smoky buck]

If a guy puts in the practice it’s no fluke. Not for me though but If you put in the practice giver

[catnthehat]

Being able to hit a target at longer distances with a first round kill shot is not the issue - one cannot bank on an animal not moving during the longer timd of flight , that is the issue .
I am quite capable of making kill shots at long range and have made some very long first round kills on deer in the past.
Hiwever I have not attempted it in years after an almost disastrous shot on a deer that was quite a bit shorter distance than some of my kills .
The shot was perfect ,slightly over 700 yards using a high B.C. Bullet coming out of the muzzle over 3,000 FPS , in An area I
shoot at regularly
The deer took ONE step forward in that time and turned a kill shot into a gut shot .Luckily I was able to follow the shot up before the deer crested the slope and was gong forever .
I have said this before and it bears repeating .
Ethics and expertise aside , the individual is responsible for their shot after the trigger breaks It is theirs to own and to live with and decide if it is worth it, nobody else's .

What anybody else does is up to them
Cat

[Dubious]

For the average hunter longer range shots are difficult but do happen successfully. For others that practice 500m+ shots can be pretty easy depends completely on the shooter and how familiar they are with there equipment. If you know your equipment read the wind you should be able to make a longer shot fairly easily but if the shooter is just an average guy shoots 5 shots a year out of his stock savage access package it’s going to be tuff.

[CranePete]

It is my opinion that taking a shot at a game animal at anything over 500 yards isn’t hunting, it’s sniping. I’d question whether a 900 yard shot even qualifies as fair chase. As Cat points out, one step turns a kill shot into something else. If you practice at very long range and are confident every time you pull the trigger that your shot is true, then I take my hat off to you. Again, this is only my opinion.
Cheers

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Being able to hit a target at longer distances with a first round kill shot is not the issue - one cannot bank on an animal not moving during the longer timd of flight , that is the issue .
I am quite capable of making kill shots at long range and have made some very long first round kills on deer in the past.
Hiwever I have not attempted it in years after an almost disastrous shot on a deer that was quite a bit shorter distance than some of my kills .
The shot was perfect ,slightly over 700 yards using a high B.C. Bullet coming out of the muzzle over 3,000 FPS , in An area I
shoot at regularly
The deer took ONE step forward in that time and turned a kill shot into a gut shot .Luckily I was able to follow the shot up before the deer crested the slope and was gong forever .
I have said this before and it bears repeating .
Ethics and expertise aside , the individual is responsible for their shot after the trigger breaks It is theirs to own and to live with and decide if it is worth it, nobody else's .

What anybody else does is up to them
Cat

Totally agree. And I’m always making the same argument for longer range
Bow Hunting. All it takes is one step. A deer can move what...about 18”
In a step? That goes from a nice shot to an “I’m so stupid” shot.

[Dubious]

It’s funny with these post long range shooters usually take a beating for ethics/fair chase reasons. It is any worse then driving up an down the trunk road leaning over the hood of a truck and wounding deer In a slash or on the side of the road because thats really common. Theres fair chase and ethics issues for a lot of hunting styles and people out there.

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Being able to hit a target at longer distances with a first round kill shot is not the issue - one cannot bank on an animal not moving during the longer timd of flight , that is the issue .
I am quite capable of making kill shots at long range and have made some very long first round kills on deer in the past.
Hiwever I have not attempted it in years after an almost disastrous shot on a deer that was quite a bit shorter distance than some of my kills .
The shot was perfect ,slightly over 700 yards using a high B.C. Bullet coming out of the muzzle over 3,000 FPS , in An area I
shoot at regularly
The deer took ONE step forward in that time and turned a kill shot into a gut shot .Luckily I was able to follow the shot up before the deer crested the slope and was gong forever .
I have said this before and it bears repeating .
Ethics and expertise aside , the individual is responsible for their shot after the trigger breaks It is theirs to own and to live with and decide if it is worth it, nobody else's .

What anybody else does is up to them
Cat

2x
Timing is every think . Hoping he does not move in 1/3 of a second and wind does not blow harder and you have a good rest .

[Pathfinder76]

Lots of guys shoot better and more than me. But it is a hoot. Shoot with me and you will see me smile. And I’m never jealous of someone’s success at the range. It’s always fun.

I am not advocating long range hunting. My three hunting rifles all wear fixed power Leupolds. Two fixed 6’s and one old M8 4X. But, I do advocate someone’s ability to make that decision on their own. There are very capable shots out there.

[W921]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Being able to hit a target at longer distances with a first round kill shot is not the issue - one cannot bank on an animal not moving during the longer timd of flight , that is the issue .
I am quite capable of making kill shots at long range and have made some very long first round kills on deer in the past.
Hiwever I have not attempted it in years after an almost disastrous shot on a deer that was quite a bit shorter distance than some of my kills .
The shot was perfect ,slightly over 700 yards using a high B.C. Bullet coming out of the muzzle over 3,000 FPS , in An area I
shoot at regularly
The deer took ONE step forward in that time and turned a kill shot into a gut shot .Luckily I was able to follow the shot up before the deer crested the slope and was gong forever .
I have said this before and it bears repeating .
Ethics and expertise aside , the individual is responsible for their shot after the trigger breaks It is theirs to own and to live with and decide if it is worth it, nobody else's .

What anybody else does is up to them
Cat

I can't word it anymore diplomatic than cat did so x2

[rem338win]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Just try to make a one shot clean kill... this isn’t really my idea of hunting personally, this was shooting... 1258 yards, taking “sighters” while the moose is feeding.

“Send it...” really annoys me.

https://youtu.be/nfFZ1m_5hro

LC

The adult in this scenario is a ***** for teaching theae kids thats hunting.

Sighters, his stupid coin phrase, the truck door slam....

Its a bs scenario for sure.

[Sledhead71]

Just my opinion, but hunting and long range shooting are really two different sports.