Is 500 yards a long shot?

[hibernation]

We often forget that missed wind call or "flyer." I find most people have really short memories.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless target

 

[Maxhunter]

I just got back from DIY Barbary sheep hunt in NM. We spotted the sheep at 743yds. We snuck into 246yds. Like Justin Davis stated mainly being a Bowhunter you can cut the distance considerably in most situations.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Lying prone in a field with an unlimited PRS rifle and shooting a 5" circle at 500 yards has nothing to do with shooting a deer at 500 yards. It does show that there are a lot of people who will go on YouTube and show that they don't actually know their abilities.

That might be the stupidest shooting “challenge” I’ve ever seen lol.

 

[Maverick1]

 

[Maverick1]

 

[Justin Crossley]

Sir you will win 9 out of ten times but you will also encounter one every now and then that has shot a lot and knows it is not the arrow but the Indian that is the killer. Sometimes people get hunters and killers confused

Your numbers are way off. No, one out of ten hunters can not reliably hit a 10" circle at approximately 500 yards in hunting conditions without a rangefinder or rangefinding reticle. In fact, it's doubtful that 1 out of 100 could do it.

If you're saying you know a single person who, without a rangefinder, can reliably judge distance and the wind in field conditions and also hold over accurately with a standard duplex reticle, I want to meet them and learn from them.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Sir you will win 9 out of ten times but you will also encounter one every now and then that has shot a lot and knows it is not the arrow but the Indian that is the killer. Sometimes people get hunters and killers confused

More like 9,999 out of 10,000.

 

[esorekim05]

500 is absolutely a long shot. That doesn’t mean that it’s unethical or wrong for someone that is capable of making that shot to take it. Many people including myself overestimate our ability to hit things at any range. If you don’t think 500 is a long shot go read the cold bore challenge threads and see how many of us missed one or both shots.

Agree - I think videos from backfire and eric cortina show well how hard it is.

Ofc there are many times the first shot doesn’t hit the vitals and you still get the animal (follow-up shot or hits in the spine, neck, liver or descending aorta) but heart/lung hit probability is way lower than almost everyone believes.

Cortina’s challenge shows this is true even with people who shoot a lot are laying prone w bipod, with a 15lb PRS style gun, plenty of time, and a stationary target.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Big_wals]

View attachment 991031

I see nothing wrong here. He has obviously learned how to use his third eye for shooting, something more of us should strive for. This allows you to consistently kill deer out to 500 without using a rangefinder or dialing your scope turrets.

* edited because I accidentally replied to another post at the same time

 

[C Bow]

Your numbers are way off. No, one out of ten hunters can not reliably hit a 10" circle at approximately 500 yards in hunting conditions without a rangefinder or rangefinding reticle. In fact, it's doubtful that 1 out of 100 could do it.

If you're saying you know a single person who, without a rangefinder, can reliably judge distance and the wind in field conditions and also hold over accurately with a standard duplex reticle, I want to meet them and learn from

Your numbers are way off. No, one out of ten hunters can not reliably hit a 10" circle at approximately 500 yards in hunting conditions without a rangefinder or rangefinding reticle. In fact, it's doubtful that 1 out of 100 could do it.

If you're saying you know a single person who, without a rangefinder, can reliably judge distance and the wind in field conditions and also hold over accurately with a standard duplex reticle, I want to meet them and learn from them.

I was trying to be kind and I do not know anyone

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

From a bench at the range, OK.
Hunting....too many variables (wind, light, my human factors). My limit is around 400 yds or so. I have killed an antelope that was 505 yards verified with my range finder. When I was younger, I'm 84 now, my aged human factors didn't effect my shooting as much.

 

[Mike Islander]

Long shot for many. I know a hunter I wouldn't trust past 300. Me!

 

[hibernation]

This year a buddy of mine arrived at our Wi deer camp. He bought himself a new rifle over the summer that he was going to be hunting with. He produced 3 boxes of ammo and asked me which of the three to use. One was subsonic and the other two had a 50 grain weight difference. I asked him which he sighted in with, he didnt recall, but said he had it really dialed in. Asked him to be a bit more specific on what he meant by dialed in. He said he put a paper plate at "something like 60-70 yards" and put most of the rounds inside of it. I did pick an ammo and get his scope sighted in then had him take a few prone practice shots at 100 which were all on the plate but certainly not grouped.

Next day we were mid day scouting and found a ridge in a cut we wanted to check out. We parked my general and walked up there, I brought my rifle and he left his behind. We spotted some does at around 300, they were moving and I wasnt planning to do anything. He picked up my rifle and took aim at them standing offhand, I asked him what he was doing and he replied he was going to shoot one of them. He didnt know I not only didnt have a round in the chamber but the mag was in my bino pouch. They started running off and he tried to take the shot at them moving. Obviously nothing happened.

This unfortunately represents far too many people. Not necessarily in the specific level of inability but in how much he over estimated it. A 300 yard shot offhand on a moving target with a gun he had never fired a single round through when that would have been an absolutely impossible shot for him on is own rifle shooting prone.

500 is a reasonable shot for some, its not for others.

It would not be for me right now under hunting conditions. The mechanics of taking the shot would be ok prone and likely sitting supported. The wind call would not be, I just have not had enough chance to shoot at that kind of range to develop that skill where I live. Ranges dont come that long.

One of my goals this summer is to find some cuts I can shoot in and start shooting more at much longer ranges.

This is the problem when people say "only shoot at distances where you're confident". Some people have all the confidence in the world and zero experience behind it.

 

[khuber84]

"Just goon a send it......."

Larry Enticer
2019

 

[Deadspace]

The more I shoot the more I realize how much I suck at it. I don’t like to shoot past 400 in the field no matter how stable I am. It seems like that’s about the distance where Murphy shows up and rodeos begin.