WTG, RR,

Let's get something straight here - not everyone on this forum spends the money or time on the range that it takes to become a CONSISTENT long-range shooter, nor does everyone on this forum have access to facilities beyond 300 yards.

If you look around this forum, you'll find lots of experience levels. I read posts from quite a number of guys who probably scrape and scratch just to be able to buy one of the less expensive package rifles - and just to be able to participate. The more this community talks of specialized shooting, the more financially alienated these people are going to be, not to mention the more contentious it's going to become (just look where this has gone). You don't need a $2500 rifle and scope, the newest "super-most-extreme-short-magnum", wind doping equipment, rangefinders, GPS, a reloading bench, or an ATV to hunt these days, regardless of all the marketing hypehunters have becomesubject to.Start with the basics, learn, and over time most of us accumulate enough skill and "toys" to try something like "long-range hunting" if that's what we want to do. RR described the process quite well, I believe.

When you promote long-range shooting, consider the group who'll read your post. There's a .338 Edge video running around on the net right now that I've heard more than one "average" hunter at work talk aboutwanting to do the same thing. Most of them can't hit a target NOW at 300 yards. So, to them it's now just a "simple"matter of buying a new magnum rifle, a Leupold VX-1 instead of the old Simmons they're using now, a box ofammo at the Wally World, and maybe a spotting scope. Start saving, boys.

Any wonder why I worry about cripples? WTG said it himself - cripples happen at short range too.And unfortunately, the guys I know who are most liable to cripple game at short ranges are also the ones most intrigued by the .338 Edge .wmv and by posts on forums like this about long-range shooting, especially if it "might" give them an advantage over the rest of us come hunting season.