Why?

[hereinaz]

It's not unethical to shoot at a moving animal inside 200 yards. Flat out running at 200 sure, but walking, or trotting along - not an issue at all. Why would it be unethical? If can't hit a walking deer in the lungs at 200 yards, got no reason to be out there.

I'm not a long range shooter - don't have the opportunity, furthest shooting range I have local is 250 yards. I can shoot about an inch at that distance if me, the gun & ammo are up to it that day. That's about as good as I get with my equipment, amount of time, money, and energy used.

That makes at least point. If you are competent for the shot you take, then its ethical... if you aren't competent, then don't go out or limit the shots you take.

I shot my cow bison on a trot at 150ish. It was a simple clean shot. Three other hunters took shots and missed or didn't wound them at the same range on a trot broadside. The only other two hunters to take a cow out of the herd got them standing broadside. A couple hunters didn't take shots, ethical decision for them.

There were four different kinds of hunters, IMO there...

 

[Rich M]

That makes at least point. If you are competent for the shot you take, then its ethical... if you aren't competent, then don't go out or limit the shots you take.

I shot my cow bison on a trot at 150ish. It was a simple clean shot. Three other hunters took shots and missed or didn't wound them at the same range on a trot broadside. The only other two hunters to take a cow out of the herd got them standing broadside. A couple hunters didn't take shots, ethical decision for them.

There were four different kinds of hunters, IMO there...

Exactly.

IMO - I've got nothing against folks shooting long ranges - either you know where the bullet will hit or you don't. If you don't know, you don't shoot.

Shooting an elk at 800 yards or a trotting bison at 150 - folks need to know their limits. No way would I try to shoot the elk 1/2 mile away but we'd for sure be eating bison backstraps that night.

Part of my comfort in shooting moving stuff is that I'm also a bird hunter and trap/skeet shooter. Swing and shoot is not a big deal - swivel at hip, keeping the gun moving is the key.

 

[Flyjunky]

Exactly.

IMO - I've got nothing against folks shooting long ranges - either you know where the bullet will hit or you don't. If you don't know, you don't shoot.

Shooting an elk at 800 yards or a trotting bison at 150 - folks need to know their limits. No way would I try to shoot the elk 1/2 mile away but we'd for sure be eating bison backstraps that night.

Part of my comfort in shooting moving stuff is that I'm also a bird hunter and trap/skeet shooter. Swing and shoot is not a big deal - swivel at hip, keeping the gun moving is the key.

That's all I was trying to say. It's just getting tiring hearing about people who rail long range being unethical but don't bring up any other circumstances.

I've worked range sight in days at the range...what a circus. People who can't even shoot a decent group from a bench at 100 yards and to think of these people taking any kind of shot in the field scares the crap out of me.

 

[Rich M]

That's all I was trying to say. It's just getting tiring hearing about people who rail long range being unethical but don't bring up any other circumstances.

I've worked range sight in days at the range...what a circus. People who can't even shoot a decent group from a bench at 100 yards and to think of these people taking any kind of shot in the field scares the crap out of me.

It is a good point - lotsa guys do think a moving target is unethical and that they need to be still (for the first shot anyway). It is all about a person's abilities.

I can't imagine working the 100 yd range at any club. Wow - the things you've seen! "shudder"

 

[wind gypsy]

That's all I was trying to say. It's just getting tiring hearing about people who rail long range being unethical but don't bring up any other circumstances.

I've worked range sight in days at the range...what a circus. People who can't even shoot a decent group from a bench at 100 yards and to think of these people taking any kind of shot in the field scares the crap out of me.

Those sight in days are depressing. I made the 5 minute drive to a “public sight in day” at a private range rather than drive an hr to my normal range this fall. It was astonishing. At one point there were 2 other guys on the line with me. One couldn’t get in 18”x24” paper with his 300 WM after getting on paper at 25. The other twisted the turret housing right off the scope tube trying to adjust his zero.

It was mandatory to have a club member inspect your rifle and ammunition to make sure they were compatible before shooting. This is because of mishaps on past sight in days.. it gets scary out there.

I have a buddy who doesn’t own a rifle but borrows one from me to sit in a treestand with us for a weekend a year. He’s shot less than 20 rounds through a rifle but I bet he’s still better than lots of folks out there..

 

[Rich M]

It was mandatory to have a club member inspect your rifle and ammunition to make sure they were compatible before shooting. This is because of mishaps on past sight in days.. it gets scary out there.

Wow! Very scary.