I would like to share my story about some hunters shooting long range.
My father took me over to where he works (a very large quarry). There are 8 huge wide open fields that have hills on either side. I have never been over there so I was excited to go. I took my 7mm rem mag and some shooting sticks and was gonna try hopefully for a long range shot. I had 3 fields in my view and my longest shots were about 500 yards. As the day started out, about 3 other hunters moved in overlooking the same fields about 400 yards to each side of me. I saw 2 does down in a thicket that were in front of the one hunter, he was using a bi-pod and a high powered rifle, he shot 4 times at approxamatly 300 yards and missed. An hour later the other hunter to my left had the same type of situation 3 more shots and no deer. Finally in the evening, the hunter that fired in the morning had a doe in the thicket that he promptly unloaded 4 more shots at and again he missed. Now I know for a fact that 2 of these 3 "volleys" were taken at deer standing still. I could not believe the complete and utter lack of ability at these guys to harvest deer that were standing still. I told my father that I appreciated him taking me, but I dont think I will be returning. All of his co-workers are about the most non shootingest bunch I have ever seen, and I dont feel safe being out there. Oh well it beat working I guess
be surprised at the folks who know very little about ballistics and then try these kinds of shots, these are our average hunters, thats why the experts say 300 yds is the absolute maximum for "average hunters"
RR
What I really get a kick out of are "hunters" that come into our shop and buy something like a 30-378 and want us to sight it in for them.[&:] We go to the range and sight in at 100 yards. When we ask them where they want the impact to be at 100 more often than not they tell us "dead on at 100".
They buy a rifle capable of having a +-3" point of impact out to 350 yards and zero their rifles at 100 yards. And they wonder why they miss everything they shoot at.
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I usually always sight my guns at 100 that have target turrets on them. That way, I can use the turrets for my range fairly easy. Now, with say my 308, I sight it 1.5" high at 100 so I am 1.5" low at 200. With my 7mm08, same as the 308. Why, cause I feel comfortable with 200 yard shots. But with my old 300RUM I sold recently, I kept it at 2.5" high at 100, so I was hitting about zero at 250. I havn't decided where to put my STW, yet so it is dead on at 100 with target turrets.
Wow, Moss, you didn't help those boys out with thier shots?
I was a hunting guide for quite a few years. As I stated on another post, not one hunter out of ten can hit a deer at 300 yards with any consistancy. A deer is a pretty small target at 300 yards and very little error in range estimating or the slightest wiggle will cause a miss by yards at that range. Most hunters can connect at 200 yards most of the time on a still target with a good rest. I would be suprised much more if the average hunter could hit a deer at 300 yards than if they couldn't. This is just the plain hard fact.
I was a hunting guide for quite a few years. As I stated on another post, not one hunter out of ten can hit a deer at 300 yards with any consistancy. A deer is a pretty small target at 300 yards and very little error in range estimating or the slightest wiggle will cause a miss by yards at that range. Most hunters can connect at 200 yards most of the time on a still target with a good rest. I would be suprised much more if the average hunter could hit a deer at 300 yards than if they couldn't. This is just the plain hard fact.
I agree, I had a tough time freehanded (kinda leaning on my tree) shooting last week 90 yards. There was alot of limbs and twigs in the way, but still waited until I had a little 6" patch to shoot thru. I did connect. But I have learned the hard way in Canada that 500 yard shots are tough. Too many varibles with wind, elevation, shooting uphill, downhill.
I still yet have had the oportunity to be in my tree stand, with my nice gunrest, and have a deer run in front of me 300 yards. Usually they are right up on me within 100yards. But if the opportunity comes upbroadsided, I will take the shot.
I see alot of us are in the thinking that the average Joe cant shoot a deer at 300 yards. It still just amazes me that this is true though. I have to honestly admit that I dont shoot at our 300 yard range as much as I should, however I have taken deer at 280 and 340 yards, and taken a groundhog at 368 yards. I do not think that shooting with a good rangefinder, shooting sticks and the right ballistics info that a 300 yrd shot is difficult. As long as its not super windy, a 300 yard shot to me is challenging, but very very doable. Today I really really wanted to say something smart to these guys, not only are they taking shots that are unethical but they are ruining the hunting for the rest of us that can make those shots.
I practise regularly out to 500 yards and use a laser rangefinder.With a good fieldrest I actually find it quite easy to consistantly place bullets well inside the kill zone of a deer at 300 yards.That being said,I have seen manyshooters at our rangethat have fired several times off of a benchrest to hit the silhouettes at 200 meters.Many fired several times at the 300 meter silhouettes before giving up without ever hitting one.
We speak of long range in here so.....
