JUST ONE HUNTER’S HUMBLE OPINION

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So the reason people shoot at ranges beyond reason with time of flight more than half a second is to be successful at killing an animal, sort of the prize for missing work or not being home? I hunt to hunt. Hunting is MY time. Killing the animal is secondary. I have passed up shots at perfectly fine animals simply because I didn't want my time in the woods to be shortened.

We will get your trophy for the Highest and Most Ethical Hunter of the decade in the mail shortly Fred.

 

[FredH]

We will get your trophy for the Highest and Most Ethical Hunter of the decade in the mail shortly Fred.

Cool what kind of trophy are you looking for?

 

[Seeknelk]

Dude flat out-ethiced the shit out of everyone else!

 

[Kaleb]

So the reason people shoot at ranges beyond reason with time of flight more than half a second is to be successful at killing an animal, sort of the prize for missing work or not being home? I hunt to hunt. Hunting is MY time. Killing the animal is secondary. I have passed up shots at perfectly fine animals simply because I didn't want my time in the woods to be shortened.

Yes the reason people practice at any distance is to be successful. Let’s be careful not to set that distance based on our own skills or personal preferences.

 

[FredH]

Yes the reason people practice at any distance is to be successful. Let’s be careful not to set that distance based on our own skills or personal preferences.

Practicing at distance is not hunting. If you are shooting at any animal where the bullets time of flight exceeds half a second you are risking wounding the animal. If you are shooting in a wind you can't predict within 4 mph over the entire distance of the shot you are risking wounding an animal. If you are shooting far enough that your bullet will drift in the wind more then 2 inches per a wind of 1 mile per hour you are certainly risking wounding an animal. Shooting at steel or paper is fine. Turning hunting into target practice is not. I personally don't feel a bunch of gadgets should be depended on to make clean kills. Getting closer is much more respectful to the animal than thinking "This is a good place for a rest".

 

[coyotekilla]

So its the age old argument the archers say the long range guys wound too much game, the lr shooters say the archers do... they both say your traditional east coast levergunner can't hit the broadside of a barn...

As for technology, as soon as man learned to tie a rock to a string the game was on. As tech evolves, so does hunting... now we are taking predators at impressive distances in the dark...

Moral of the story, get out, buy your tag, and hunt how you choose, tech or not its an unbelievable experience.

 

[BlackHillsShooter]

I'm 64, a big woods hunter. Moved out west and have learned to shoot far. Really far but my personal limit on game is short of what my rifles can do. I think I recently said something like this to a shooting friend, I'm 100% at 400 yards at the range but I'm going to try and get closer to an animal. A mind set that probably comes from big woods hunting most of my life where you are literally within 50 yards most times. It took solid work to pull those hunts off and has become important to both my hunting experience and justification for considering myself a hunter.

I've hurt animals and lost them. It sucks. Without the capability to make a good kill I would have given up hunting long ago. I'm getting closer if I can and it's simply because the personal reward for success is much higher. Seems that's what the OP is getting at. Try not to miss out on that part of it.

I wouldn't say that I've become a better hunter after moving west but by definition I am definitely a better sniper.