Fredrmef

Okay, In NO way did my guide say...... I plan on having you take a 500 yard shot. I am sorry if I led you all to believe the guide even mentioned 500 yards. I put in 500 yards in, on my own. Would I take a 500 yard shot? MMMMM, if there was no wind, the shot was very clear, the Bull standing broadside, and I have no way of getting closer without being seen, and I had a very steady rest, absolutely. I also will put in some time behind the rifle and I am well aware that many situations can go wrong and often due on long range shots.

Would I be willing to work much harder and wait for the oportune shot, yes... Would I still want to know the ballistics out to 500 yards, whether I was willing to take a 500 yard shot or not... YES, What if I took a 200 yard shot, and the bull is hit hard but can still run uphill away or downhill away from me, and my next clear shot is at 500 yards.. Wouldn't you want to take that shot on a wounded animal to put him down....... Wouldn't you want to know that the bullet is going to drop 29 inches at 500 yards and you should put the crosshairs about a foot over his back so it drops right into the body and knocks him off his feet.

I believe very strongly in knowing the ballistics of your rifle and in fact taping the ballistics chart to the butt of the rifle so that you are aware of the bullets abilities when you are out there hunting. I am also aware of the wind shift, while I do carry a range finder, I do not carry a windometer and have to use my best guess with wind speed.

I have taken over 30 animals lives in my life, from Whitetails to Muleys, to Elk, to Antelope, etc.. I have never lost an animal and do not intend to start ever. 3 years ago I took a shot at deer with my bow at 20 yards, I never found the arrow and never found any blood and never found the deer after 2 days of searching, I have not bow hunted since that day and I am not sure if I would unless I could practice every single day. I know that the deer was never hit because it had only one horn on the left side and I shot it during muzzleloader season a week later, but that feeling never left me, the possibility that I could of wounded that animal and not recovered him.

Thanks for the ballistics information, I will use it in good faith.

Kevin

ir655

If you were in NC I would let you use my "range", it goes out 500 yards easy. That way you would know where you were placing it for sure!

jroot

i don't think i'd feel right paying a guide to get me a shot at anywhere around 500 yards.

i think on average the longest shots i see taken are generally within the 300-350 yard range, anything more and people tend to miss quite frequently.