Another Long Range TV Show Misses Coues Deer By 3 Feet!!!

[hibernation]

The argument (I agree to an extent, but it is exaggerated) is that at long range the animal is calm and you have time to build a perfect position and analyze the situation. At close range, the animal is easier to spook, likely knows you are there, etc causing you to have a less than ideal shooting scenario.

This is exactly why I'm trying to extend my range. I've had a bunch of encounters where terrain really dictates what shots you get. I passed on a 400 yard shot last season where I had a good view, a good shooting position, good broadside angle, but my consistency at that distance isn't where I want it yet. I stalked closer but with the lay of the land, you couldn't really see it again until almost right on top of it. I did end up getting it but it was a fast shot through a narrow window.

People suck at shooting in general.

Yep. I thought more shooting would make me better, turns out it just gives me data on exactly how much I suck.

 

[ddowning]

This is exactly why I'm trying to extend my range. I've had a bunch of encounters where terrain really dictates what shots you get. I passed on a 400 yard shot last season where I had a good view, a good shooting position, good broadside angle, but my consistency at that distance isn't where I want it yet. I stalked closer but with the lay of the land, you couldn't really see it again until almost right on top of it. I did end up getting it but it was a fast shot through a narrow window.

Yep. I thought more shooting would make me better, turns out it just gives me data on exactly how much I suck.

There are other ways to get better, but my experience lead me to match shooting. PRS style shooting will get you part way there with a ton of reps. NRL hunter will vet out the rest in hunting scenarios. A 223 trainer, a 22LR trainer, and a pallet of ammo will help. You can't practice a little bit once a week and get there. It takes crazy round counts to make it automatic. The other thing that match shooting does is take you to many different locations to shoot on someone else's (match director's) terms. You don't get to learn the local range and feel like a bad ass. You have to actually learn how to read terrain and wind in a new location and make shots.

If you don’t have a pretty robust match shooting community, I would take a class to start. If you do, I would probably still take a class, but you could learn just by watching and asking questions at matches over a season or two.

Just to prepare you for the commitment, I was pretty decent (could top 15 a national level 2 day PRS or better in NRL Hunter, but not good enough to win) when I was dryfiring 5-7 days/week, shooting a brick of rimfire and about 300 rounds of centerfire per week minimum. In most situations, I was confident to 800 yards and in a lot of conditions further. In all but a hurricane I was pretty certain to 600. That was two years ago. My life was consumed by shooting and a lot of other areas suffered.

Now I shoot about 2000 rounds or less of rimfire and under 1000 rounds of centerfire per year. If I shoot the occasional match, I finish closer to mid pack than the top unless I am having a good day. Then, still not as good as a bad day in previous years. The range I am absolutely confident at is now about 400 with 600 being in good conditions. Under very few to zero conditions would I feel comfortable at 800.

There are a lot of people that lob lead, but don't truly have the ability to make the shots at the ranges they are shooting. There are some guys with a ton of natural ability that can do it with less practice than me. Also, once you get to a certain level, it seems like you can get back there, or close, in a condensed time-frame with a lot of shooting volume. The guys at the top of the long range competitive circle and the guys that take long range hunting very seriously shoot as a lifestyle. It requires a massive time and financial commitment for the average person. The idea of going to the local range and shooting 100 rounds/month to reach 1000 yard hunting competency is not realistic.

 

[hibernation]

There are other ways to get better, but my experience lead me to match shooting. PRS style shooting will get you part way there with a ton of reps. NRL hunter will vet out the rest in hunting scenarios. A 223 trainer, a 22LR trainer, and a pallet of ammo will help. You can't practice a little bit once a week and get there. It takes crazy round counts to make it automatic. The other thing that match shooting does is take you to many different locations to shoot on someone else's (match director's) terms. You don't get to learn the local range and feel like a bad ass. You have to actually learn how to read terrain and wind in a new location and make shots.

If you don’t have a pretty robust match shooting community, I would take a class to start. If you do, I would probably still take a class, but you could learn just by watching and asking questions at matches over a season or two.

Just to prepare you for the commitment, I was pretty decent (could top 15 a national level 2 day PRS or better in NRL Hunter, but not good enough to win) when I was dryfiring 5-7 days/week, shooting a brick of rimfire and about 300 rounds of centerfire per week minimum. In most situations, I was confident to 800 yards and in a lot of conditions further. In all but a hurricane I was pretty certain to 600. That was two years ago. My life was consumed by shooting and a lot of other areas suffered.

Now I shoot about 2000 rounds or less of rimfire and under 1000 rounds of centerfire per year. If I shoot the occasional match, I finish closer to mid pack than the top unless I am having a good day. Then, still not as good as a bad day in previous years. The range I am absolutely confident at is now about 400 with 600 being in good conditions. Under very few to zero conditions would I feel comfortable at 800.

There are a lot of people that lob lead, but don't truly have the ability to make the shots at the ranges they are shooting. There are some guys with a ton of natural ability that can do it with less practice than me. Also, once you get to a certain level, it seems like you can get back there, or close, in a condensed time-frame with a lot of shooting volume. The guys at the top of the long range competitive circle and the guys that take long range hunting very seriously shoot as a lifestyle. It requires a massive time and financial commitment for the average person. The idea of going to the local range and shooting 100 rounds/month to reach 1000 yard hunting competency is not realistic.

This is great stuff, thanks. I appreciate you putting numbers to it, there's too many people saying you needs "lots of practice" to be good at "extended range" without defining either one. Monthly/annual round count would be interesting information to include with the cold bore challenge.

I'm looking to be absolutely confident on deer within 300 yards from most field positions and under time constraints. 400 on elk in good conditions. I think those are reasonable goals based on the time/ammo I can realistically commit.

I am planning to hit up an NRL one-day hunter match this year. Otherwise, my practice is mostly hanging an 8" plate in the mountains and setting up realistic shots.