[Dave Bulla]

Okay.

Been reading a post on another forum about long range shooting on animals using a bunch of high tech equipment lately. There was a topic about long range hunting that mentioned a video clip where someone shot an elk at 890 yards. I hadn't seen that particular clip but I have seen a video by I think Hart Custom where guys were shooting deer out to 1000 yards. They were using some big wildcat cartridge bench rest gun that weighed about 40 lbs mounted in a vernier adjustable shooting stand on a portable bench rest and a military optical rangefinder that was about 4 ft long and looked a bit like a bazooka. They had a laptop computer and a ballistics program that told them exactly how many clicks to put on the scope for a dead on hold. One deer was shot by a young girl who probably couldn't have even held a normal deer rifle without a rest of some sort. She never touched the gun other than the trigger.

Pretty cool shooting but, I got to wondering. Which do you admire more?

1. The person who has the skill and ability to make a difficult shot out to 400 or 500 yards while actually holding and firing a rifle without aid other than say a natural rest, sling, stick, knee etc.

Or

2. A person who totes a bench rest, laptop, range finder, lead sled etc into the woods along with a 40 lb bench rest gun and shoots a deer at close to 1000 yards?

I have to ask, where is the challenge, the thrill or the satisfaction in that? For that matter, where is the skill?

I'm of the opinion that I admire the first guy more.

I believe that while I love a challenge, I prefer a challenge that relies on my own shooting or hunting skills. I'd rather impose a limit on my equipment such as open sights or bowhunting that forces me to get closer or hunt harder than one that requires me to buy a bunch of gadgets to shoot farther. A challenge that makes me become a better shot or a better hunter rather than one that requires me to buy a gadget. One that requires practice, effort and dedication to learn a skill and doesn't come in shrink wrapped plastic packages.

So, what say you all????

 

[broom_jm]

I say this is a pot that has been too often stirred, already. Some will hunt, some will shoot and everyone has their definition of each. I admire people who are comfortable with who they are and the decisions they make.

The only two deer I shot this year were with a bow and arrow...I like to hunt and get close to what I am hunting, as that is what I derive excitement and satisfaction from. However, I also enjoy shooting well and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when I've made a long and/or difficult shot. For me, personally, I limit my range based on 2 criterion:

1) MPBR for the cartridge/gun I'm shooting. This varies, but can be anything from 75 yards with my grandpa's 44/40 to 325 yards with my 270 Winchester.

2) Whatever I have practiced for, so I know I can be accurate at that range, is what I am comfortable shooting. With a bow and broadhead arrow, that is 30 yards. With a modern rifle, I practice mostly at 100 yards and not enough at 200 and 300 yards, so I actually limit my range to about 200 yards, these days.

With all of that being said, your first comment about shooting 400 or 500 yards with only an improvised rest is, in my estimation, to invite failure. In closing, I will only add that I have tremendous respect for a rifleman of exceptional skill, but a good deal more respect for the game animals I pursue.

 

[Dave Bulla]

broom_jm,

Sorry about stirring the pot, I'm pretty new here and was not aware this had been discussed.

However, I am curious about peoples opinions. And I'd like to state up front that I hate seeing people tap dance around the PC police and worry about what others think. We're talking opinions here and what we as individuals admire. What others think about our opinions does not matter in this post. Just as their opinion is personal, so is mine and so is yours. Lets all feel free to make our point but lets keep it respectful. It's completely possible to be respectful without having to be PC at the same time.

Think of the question in this way, if you could learn from shooter number one and develop your skills along that line of personal ability or from shooter number two and follow the extreme technological assistance route, which would you prefer for YOURSELF? Which hunting situation would give you more personal satisfaction? Do you get more thrill from the hunting aspect or from the pure marksmanship side?

 

[mattsbox99]

"Hunting" like that would be illegal here unless you were medically certified handicapped. The bottom line is that its not hunting, its not a challenge, and its not ethical. It is highly irresponsible too, potentially slinging bullets at an unknown target.

 

[kdub]

AAAAAAAAAAARGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is this argument EVER going to die a natural death?

It has been posted and wasted so much bandwidth on the board that poor ol' Marshall, the board owner probably has to borrow from the bank to continue this service!

All you folks with questions like this - please - search the Archives for previous threads and read to your heart's content on the pro's and con's posted in them.

Thread locked.