RE: Hunting With A .50 Caliber BMG?
Long range hunting has become the craze as of late because of articles like these and other TV shows.
If yourefer The Best of the West TV show, you will see much shooting skill andlittle hunting skill. They sometimes try to take the longest shots possible without even trying to stalk the animal. Although it is sometimes amazing the shots they connect,I think the overall message being sent is that it is cool to go out and shoot at big game at 750+ yards.
Here is a scenario I saw in BOTW Promo. The first animal they shot was an elk at 743 yards across two canyons just before dark. What if he misread the wind and gut shot, or leg shot the elk. That bull could have ran for hours with no time for a fast recovery because (1) They were two canyons away (2) It was nearing dark.
Although they attach many disclaimers talking of many hours of practice with completely accurized rifles and optics to match. I think they miss the point. Hunting isn't about how far away you shoot an animal, it is how close you can get to an animal to make an ethical kill. No matter what, the chances of merely wounding an animal greatly increase the further away you are.I have heard of too many people go out thinking they have what it tkaes to make shots like that and end up filling animals full of holes because of the many variables they fail to realize likeenergy loss and actual wind speed.
Remember, the only animals they show are the quick kills, they don't show the wounded animals.