Lively discussion you guys have going here. The issue of showing long shots is a good one to hash out. I have a little insight as someone who has hunted with, shot with, argued with, laughed with and known John B 45 for many years.
I spend most of my precious free time chasing critters with a recurve, but on occasion I get a chance too rifle hunt a bit also. I know it seems odd to most folks when you talk about consistantly hitting with hunting accuaracy at over 500 yards. My last experience with John and one of his rifle set-ups was a couple months ago. During a mid-day break while rabbit hunting, we decided to do a little target shooting so we headed to the truck and traded in the .22s for a 7mm.
After measuring the crosswind at 15mph, ranging our target at a little over 850 yards and making the proper adjustments according to Johns data, 4 different shooters put 5 consecutive shots in a group that would fit nicely in a deers vital area. It' s not magic. It' s a combination of knowledge and accurate rifles properly set-up. That display of accuracy is normal for John' s set-up.
Showing kills at longer ranges does need to be handled carefully. I think as long as the emphasis is put on staying within the ability of you and your equipment, and it' s clear that it requires the right tools to be proficient at long range, it can be done with a quality result.
Regardless of where a hunter sets his or her personal effective range, I can tell you this: Confidence in your equipment is a huge factor making clean kills. If you are carrying a rifle that you KNOW you can hit with at 500 yards, your confidence at 200 yards is off the charts. What John is doing does not require above average shooting ability. I am a perfect example of that. It does require some knowledge and the proper equipment.
To paraphrase something John said while discussing this same topic once; Challenging hunts with uncertain outcomes are great, challenging shots with uncertain outcomes are not. John has gone a long way towards minimizing the latter. Now, what was that comment about bowhunting I saw few posts back?
