Muley
I recently took a Buck Muley at 450+. the only way that can happen is by setting your equipement up for long range.I am a retired marine and shot not only competition but sniper.
1. find a bullet or handload a bullet your gun likes and shoots groups less thana inch at a 100 yard
2. find a scope with the magnification you are comfortable with. a 36x scope picks up every move , concider no more than 12 or 16x---use target turrets
3.shoot at each range from 100,200,300,400,500 and know were the bullet strikes at that range and set dials to that range or draw up a range card
4. realize you limits , not everyone can shoot at ranges exceeding 400+ yards . if you accuracy limit is 350 or 400 dont push it and wound a animal.
5.make sure your caliber can do what it needs at that range you want to hit. a 270 wont have the energy to put a elk down at 500 yards that a 7 mag will etc
if i can be of any help let me know

This is a suggestion of how to get started. You say you are an excellent shot to 400 yards. This is very long range for most already. When I had an itch to try shooting beyond 300 yards these are the steps I took.

1. I tried many handloads until I had an honest 1/2" grouping load. The rifle I used was a custom 280 Rem. with a 25-1/2" barrel. I was using 140 gr. Nosler Bt's.

2. I sighted my rifle 3" high at 100 yards. I moved the target to 300 yards and fired a 3 shot group. I was nearly 5" low. I adjusted to be zero at 300 yards.

3. I moved the target in 50 yard increments and fired groups. I made the necessary adjustments and noted them so I could return my rifle to 3" high at 100 when I was finished. This took several range sessions and didn't happen in one day. It actually took several weeks. I watched the weather and when a calm day came around is when I did my shooting. I can't dope the wind and really didn't try.

Doing what I did gave me some confidence in myself out to 550 yards. I have a laser range finder so that I will know the distance. Also, as a side note I did the shooting on my own land with no one there to give any distraction. I still will only shoot out to 350 yards at a game animal if the conditions are right. Where I hunt this is a once in a lifetime shot. The farthest I've actually shot at a deer was 228 yards. The shot was a clean kill. I once shot a coyote at 303 yards in Texas on a hog hunt. I would consider shooting at a varmint at 500 yards but certainly not a game animal. I'm sure their are a few that can shoot 500 or farther with great results but I wouldn't chance wounding some of the magnificent animals that we hunt. Being a hunter means that you use your skills to stalk close and make clean kills. I understand that there are times when you cannot get closer. For me that means to return another day and resume the hunt.

i would say get into reloading and to the range and start practicing and at the range you are comfortable at shooting until you can hit a 1.5 "to 2.5" grouping and then move your target back 10 to 25 yrads at a time. and just remeber that your shot should take 45 sec to a 1 min shoot at a time.

Muley First you need to own a rifle that will meet your needs. Next you need a bullet that will perform on long yardage for the animal you intend to hunt. And the most important, quality practice at and beyond the yardage you intend to shoot. Different positions, temperatures and wind conditions. When you can hit your target from 50 yards to 500 yards consistantly you are ready to try your luck. At yardages beyond 350 or 400 yards (depending on caliber and bullet) your biggest challange is to convert wind estimation into hold off.

Muley69, I'm not an expert on the subject but I saw this video advertised on a show called "The Best Of The West". It was a long range shooting video called Beyond Belief and they give some clips of it during the show. I haven't picked it up but it looked interesting as they explained their system and demonstrated it as well. One guy dropped an elk at like 760 yards on a hillside that was way out there. These guys are based in Wyoming and I do enjoy the show as they seem like they hunt hard and show some public land hunts where they take some nice animals. Here is the link to their website where it shows their video and some more info from one of the hosts of the show...

http://www.thebestofthewest.net/

Shooting Host - John Burns
Custom rifle builder and long range shooting instructor. John will share his knowledge of long range shooting and handgun hunting with our viewers.

Due to the tremendous response to the longer than normal shooting we sometimes do on “The Best of the West” I thought I should add some information to our web site to help out our viewers. A lot of you want more nuts and bolts type technical information on the show but it is hard to delve into this type of thing in a ½ hour television show format.

In an effort to satisfy our viewers we are building a set of videos that will explain all the things we do to prepare ourselves and our equipment to be ready for the chance of a lifetime. This three-volume set will be the most complete reference of its kind ever produced and we are really excited about it. The scheduled release date late summer 2004, before hunting season.

We are also releasing a new video that is a compilation of many hunts that ended with a successful long-range shot. This video is a great tool to learn what is possible with the proper equipment and training.

In an effort to start providing you, our viewers, with the information you have been requesting I have posted a few articles on the subject of long-range game shooting. While not meant to be the definitive work on the subject I hope it helps to give you a place to begin in your efforts to extend the range you can humanly harvest game.

Good Luck and remember to never take a shot at game unless you know, from past performance, you can make it.

I am a beleaver that takes more skill to shoot 20 yards that to shoot 700 yards.So if you want to improve your hunting try not shooting till it gets UNDER 50 yards.

Now that said I shoot a 300 win,I live in montana [land of the big guns]. Most of the guys I know use guns like 30/378 340 wb and 416 rb. NOT one of them shoot there guns over 400 yards BUT they all say they can kill a elk at 700. I do shoot at targets out to 600 yards I run 200 or more shells though my gun a year shooting dogs ,fox and targets few shoots at elk hehe

2 years ago two friends and I where walking out of hunting 3 bulls came up the hill to the north of use.We ran around the hill to try to get a shot there was a very deep gut .one guy was shooting a 30/378 the 2nd was using a 340 . I tooled them there was there chance to show me that long shoot they wouldnt shoot started to give me crap I grabed a tree and shoot. Droped the bull in its tracks. It was 702 yards.This shot was 400 yards farther than any shot I ever took. My point is KNOW your gun shoot it a lot is way better than having a gun that you cant buy bulets for and dont shoot.

I am sure i will get crap for the 700 yard shot,wouldnt have shot if all would have not been perfict.

Iron Ranger: What you are talking about is exactly what I was referring to. 1068 yard shot on a coyote and they dusted it in its tracks, awsome. I watched them jacking targets 7-800 yards like nobodys business. I disagree with some who feel a long range shot is unethical. If you are skilled and competant and know you and your rifles capability, there is no reason you cannot take a clean long range shot. There are people out there who can make better shots at 700 yards, then others at 100 yards. In my original post I was clear that it was not my goal to get on here and brag about the distance I shot, rather, having the skills to increase my effective shooting range is my goal.

Muley69, I know what you mean. In MN here, most of my shots have been from 20 to 100 yards or less for as long as I've hunted here. Now, I've started hunting some western states and want to learn to shoot the longer distances in case the opportunity presents itself and to have confidence in the shot. That's about it. I love sneaking on all game and trying to use the land to get as close as possible and definitely prefer the close shot but I think you also need to practice at longer ranges so that you are ready if you decide to take a longer shot to know where that bullet is going to go.

It is amazing to me that there are so many long range shooting experts on this board. To think that every one shooter in a thousand with the necessary skill would just magically appear here of all places.
I hunted the west for over 30 years and never had to take a shot beyond 350 yards. I thought that was plenty far. If'n you can't get closer you ought not shoot. If you miss the vitals, can you hit the animal again before it gets out of sight? Will you know if you hit too high, too low, or too far back? I think not!

As I stated in my earlier post, I'm not an expert on the subject but just passing along information. I've always been one to want to get right on top of game and most of the elk, deer, turkeys, etc have been up close and personal. I also think that it doesn't hurt to be prepared so that if the need arises that you can take a longer shot and do so with more confidence. I'm not advocating longer shots but like to prepare for any hunt I go on.