Mike, I agree. I take many hunters in for elk each year. Last year this was from a 13 yr old girl to a 74 yr old man. They often use my rifles. I understand your points well. And we know all circumstances are different. I find it much less confusing to dial both windage and elevation and instruct to hold for a center reticle hold right where we want the bullet placed. I don't care for counting over one two or 3 lines or even having to hold between lines like a 1 1/2 or a 1 1/4 moa hold. That is where I see the problem. I feel it can get equally confusing, counting and holding in between lines, as dialing. I doubt you or I would have that problem but as you mentioned earlier a novice or in the heat of the moment errors could be made with either method. All this said, we take no fast shots for game. If adequate time is not allowed we pass and keep hunting. I even had the 13 yr old dry fire several times first. Results were a one shot elk kill at 601 yards from a rifle she had never shot.
I also understand your reasons for holding off in a timed competition. Being under the clock is much like buck fever and encourages error. A rushed shot on game induces pressure from both the clock and the buck fever. Thus the reason I make it clear to all when hunting there is no rush. If we don't get the shot we find another to shoot. Practice and adequate time to execute a long range shot is best, even if the practice is a only few dry fire rounds before the kill shot.
What I was eluding to with distances, a 1500 yard shot could easily have a wind hold to the side of a reticle. (talking practice here) For this where you may need a 6 plus moa windage hold. I would much rather dial windage here, like I do for all first round shots. Then if a follow up is needed hold off the small amount of correction and send it. In this instance as long as you spot your own shot what power you are on makes zero difference even with a SFP scope. If you viewed the miss to be one line left or right simply hold the correction one line left or right and send it. Reticle calibration has been eliminated so I do not need a FFP. This whole scenario would be much different at 500 yards where a simple 1 or 2 moa hold for wind would be much more doable. Thus my point that distance matters with method used.
I offer this not to debate. Rather to offer a method used by many that hunt long range. What we do was generated for hunting and used by some of the best long range hunters know to this sport. I post these examples so readers either novice or advanced can decide which method will work best for them whether it be competition or hunting.
Thanks for you reply.
Jeff