RE: is this really hunting?
 

To each his own I say, as long as it's legal and you're enjoying yourself. I personally "bowhunt" for the up close, intimate aspect of this sport. I learn much about my quarry from these close encounters. You get to studytheir habits, body language andnoises they make. This can't be done at hundreds of yards away, in my opinion.
I never the less, respect RR's shooting skills. We need to stop beating up on others who don't hunt the way we do.[:@]That's why we live in America, freedom of choice. Again, as long as it's legal, hunt the wayYOU choose.;)

RE: is this really hunting?
 

I respect someone that can successfully take shots at long ranges, but I absolutely do not consider it "hunting".

I seriously question how many deer are wounded and lost by shooters taking such long shots, and I am confident the shooters will say none. I will never believe it either. There is too much margin for error for something not to go wrong at least sometime.

RE: is this really hunting?
 

I would bet that RR has more knowledge and skill in his respective interest than most of the guys bashing him here have in theirs. I know I'm one of them and thats what bothers me, not the fact that he's good at what he does. And I would be willing to lay money that the amount of deer wounded or lost in LD hunting is probably close if not the same as bowhunting. Think about it.

RE: is this really hunting?
 

A agree with this, and the difference is I could easily hit a deer at 60 yards with a bow if I knew the range, I wouldn't even need a 60 yard pin. And this is because I have practiced it and know I can make that kind of shot if I really wanted to. There is no way in heck I could hit a deer at 1000 yards with a rifle. I'm just not that good and don't know my rifle that well. I think all these people that think 500 yard and out shots are easy should try it sometime. Most of the people I meet can't shoot that well at 100 yards off from a bench with a gun vice.

Why is it ok to shoot a varmint at 3 or 4 hundred yards but not a deer? Hunting is what you make it there are no set standards, as long you are within your states hunting regs. Nothing says you have to get as close as you can to your quarry to kill it. I mean some hunters use dogs to tree or corner the animal to kill it. Others use dogs to flush or point at the animal to kill. We sit in stands and wait to ambush the deer. None of these are what most would consider true hunting, or at least not what you are referring to. Like I have always said before, those that like to bag on other hunters for not doing it the same way as they do can always be criticized themselves. You want to impress me, run one down on foot and kill it with a rock or stab it to death with a knife.

Believe me if the Indians or settlers had the equipment to do what we can do they would be doing it. And don't think for minute they didn't "cheat". They did what they could in order to eat. Even if that meant running animals off from a cliff. And it was actually quite common for people to take long shots on game a hundred years ago, with a lot less effective equipment than we have. And also if you go back 50 or 60 years and take a look at how people hunted acceptable ethics were MUCH lower and people didn't criticize other as much. Everybody likes to put Fred Bear up on a pedestal, but he is one of the most unethical hunters I have seen, at least by todays standards.

I will comment on how I actually feel about this practice in the original thread in the deer hunting forum, rather than one started simply to flame someone in the bowhunting section.

Paul

RE: is this really hunting?
 

It appears xXxrory7xXxgot his big spoon out and most are going for it.

Ethical ? What's his kill percentage?

What's worse a guy that can make the shot at 700 yds or a bow hunter tha say's "it was the only shot I had" or " my max range is 30 but he was a brute so I took the shot at 35 yards" or some of the other stuff we here on the page?

RE: is this really hunting?
 

Same thing with a home made long bow and arrows right?

I seriously question the number of deer wounded by guys shooting long ranges with a bow look at all of the things that could go wrong, I guess no one should shoot over 30 yards with a bow or maybe it should be 20 yards.



Something tells me that Ridge Runner has been completely dedicated to his type of hunting longer then the origianal poster has been walking the earth.

Let's look at the simalarities.
[ol][*]Wind, you better know how to shoot with both to make this happen.[*]Aniamal moving, I wonder how much longer the time of impact is on a bullet and arrow at 60 and 1000 yards.[*]Paractice both require alot of practice and there are people like yourself that will tell you to keep the 60 yards shot on the range with a bow becasue too much can go wrong.[*]Hunters abilty.[/ol]

RE: is this really hunting?
 

That is my point. Deer are being wounded and lost, but we will only hear about the ones that are found.

As I said before, I respect someone that can make shots at long ranges (I absolutely do not have that ability), but I will never consider it "hunting".

RE: is this really hunting?
 

One could then say that taking a shot at something thats so close(15yds or less) isn't hunting either since its so close, the deer dont have a chance. Not arguing with you just putting it out there. And again I only bowhunt, never even hunted deer with a gun.

RE: is this really hunting?
 

Ok how many threads have we read about bow hunters wounding 2 out of six on here and people say stuff like" keep your head up it happens" or "don't let these guys bother you that are telling you to get to the range." etc

as far a s the wounding deer and not knowing it are you implying that RR wouldn't follw up on every shot?

RE: is this really hunting?
 

Is it really hunting?

I could list a whole bunch of things and just about everyone could find something on there to say no too.

What the saying about removing the staff from your own eye first?