950 yard bull

[Short Track]

My buddy was hunting solo, wanted a hand. figured I needed the exercise, why not. We glassed for hours, and just by chance saw antlers at about 1000 yards. Time was short. Maybe had an hour of day light. Maybe 1.5 hours left. Rather than make the trek to get into range, which was not possible in the short amount of time. We go back to the truck. He takes out a tripod vise. Probably the sturdiest tripod vice setup I have ever seen. Match grade rifle, weighed about 10lbs +. Heavy range barrel. It was a custom build upper & lower AR type setup. Rifle is literally locked into the tripod. Certainly not a hunting rifle by any means.

Very heavy scope. Out comes the ballistic range finder for the downhill shot. Out comes the app. 4DOF. He dials in the
MOA. 1 shot from the 6.5PRC, and the bull goes right down. Bang flop. I couldn't believe it.

Now I'm thinking to myself, is this hunting? is this a science project with calculators, and apps?
But dead is dead, and perfectly legit. Who am I to say....... But his freezer sure is full, and mine too

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

IMO.....Not Hunting!

 

[mike.adams.467]

Not my thing.

 

[eddielasvegas]

You know, my first thought was not hunting.

But then, I thought do we still ride horses to get from point A to point B? Or grow/raise/hunt our own food? The list goes on and on.

Not my thing, but to each his own as long as it was legal.


Eddie

 

[GunsAreFun]

I mean, it’s not like you can just buy all that equipment and walk out there and make that shot. I’m sure the friend spend quite a bit of time testing, dialing, possibly reloading, and research to understand ballistics and how to use all those toys.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Is it more hunting to use a lightweight rifle, get to 300y, put a bad shot on an animal, and know it probably died a couple miles away unrecovered?
Thats a very impressive shot. I could not make that shot.

 

[amassi]

Bunch of dudes who shoot whitetails over corn about to blow this up.
Moose* hunter shoots Moose = hunting

Edited: Moose

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[Kyguy]

Bunch of dudes who shoot whitetails over corn about to blow this up.
Elk hunter shoots elk = hunting


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Since this is the moose forum, pretty sure it was a moose bull. Not an elk.

 

[dtrkyman]

Not my thing, but a hell of a shot and lot's of tech!

Full freezer is a full freezer!

 

[LCguy]

Not really my thing, but not really my business either. Getting within 100 yards is the fun part for me, which is why I hunt with a Muzzleloader. For some guys, long range shooting is the fun part, which is why they hunt with $5k rifles with $5k scopes.

 

[Short Track]

I'm still thinking about this. Many times, I have hired a guide, who knew the area well, knew the animal, did pre-scouting. They glassed the animal. and I shot said animal. Then the guide cuts the animal up, and drags it out on his back, or heavy equipment. That's done every day of hunting season. No one blinks an eye at that.

So as long as it's legit and lawful. I'm ok with it.

 

[OXN939]

I'm still thinking about this. Many times, I have hired a guide, who knew the area well, knew the animal, did pre-scouting. They glassed the animal. and I shot said animal. Then the guide cuts the animal up, and drags it out on his back, or heavy equipment. That's done every day of hunting season. No one blinks an eye at that.

So as long as it's legit and lawful. I'm ok with it.

Very valid argument, and glad you guys got it done. Here's my thing though.

The above scenario is a sample size of 1, and for every one that goes exactly that way from 950 out, there are several times as many wounded animals. I invite anyone who has not spent time shooting that far to look up how much wind is needed to miss by a foot at 950. The thing about technology is that it's seductive- the marketing campaigns from a lot of these companies would have you think you just range your animal, dial your scope, and BANG- dead. Most of the time, that does not work at that distance without time spent validating dope and a good amount of practice.

Again, very glad you guys were successful. I just know there are thousands of guys right now getting ready to hit the woods who saw the commercials or their favorite influencer's 800 yard hero shot, and will have no hesitation to send one at an animal three times as far as they've ever practiced.

 

[mthayr]

I say, good for him. If his wobble zone, with that setup, is the size of an elk's vitals, and he's spent the time, effort, and discipline to be accurate at that range, he deserves that animal. Could I make the same shot..? No, definitely not, and I wouldn't try - but I also don't have the opportunity to practice at those ranges.

Know your own abilities and stay within them, if you do that, you're an ethical hunter in my book.

 

[Gstew1930]

I have multiple mixed thoughts here. For 1 I havent seen a 6.5 PRC in an AR. Im sure they exist. Two, If you have time to go back to your truck to get a tripod & another rifle you had time to get closer. Three, very few people should be taking 1k yard shots. Four, tip your cap. Thats a hell of a shot

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Sure, call it whatever you want.

I saw a TV show where guys were planting corn, cutting trails and making ponds in a large piece of property, then setting up these big stands where they would sit and drink beers and coffee and talk until a deer walked out. They would then slide open a window and take a nice rested shot at a deer that’s followed a trail of corn to a water hole……that’s not hunting.

 

[BLJ]

Is this the tripod vise he used?
If it is, did he put the chain around the hand guard?

 

[Scottf270]

Pics of moose or it didn't happen........

 

[waspocrew]

I don’t have a problem with it. I can respect people that put in the time and effort to know their equipment well enough to execute that shot.

 

[Balderdash]

When things moved from open sighted levers to bolts with scopes, I'm sure a lot of folks had a lot to say about the longer effective ranges that were possible. Just how it is with progress.

About the only thing I'd point out is that as killing ranges extend, tag availability is going to suffer. Likewise with trophy quality.