RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

Since you asked for an opinion I would have to say that is not something I would do and call myself a hunter shooting game animals at ranges over 500 yards . I' m sure all your shots will be one shot kills ,but I also realize you can edit anything and show only the good parts of it, so what does that prove . I' m not saying it can' t be done because I shoot targets out to 1000yards ,I' m just saying that is not in my opinion what I would call a hunter , a shooter yes and a good one at that . Good luck with your show .Halcon

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

I have been into a few debates on this topic in a few firearms related forums. Regardless of the ethics involved, the main problem I have with it is one of safety. It violates one of the basic firearms safety rules. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it. Many times they do not connect with their first shot at the 800 to 1,000 yard range due to wind and other factors etc... They use this shot to gain data to make the following shot. I feel you should not even pull the trigger if you are not sure of where the round is going to impact. There may be another hunter near his animal stalking it or maybe a bowhunter nearby. At that range, you don' t know. Shooting on a rifle range at 1000 yards is fun to watch, but it is a controlled environment where there is a backstop and safety officials.

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

I think alot of folks look at this from a " Could I make that shot?" perspective. If they cannot then they cannot believe that others can do it in a consistantly repeatable manner. That fact is what separates luck from skill in my mind.

If the person doing the shooting can repeatedly make those shots under those conditions then I see no problem with that type of scenario. However, if the shooter just got plain lucky and does not regularly practice at that distance then I do not think it is a good idea to promote that type of scenario as something that every hunter is capable of participating in.

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

First any hunter has to know there limits. Secound I agree with subsonic, 1000yds. is a long way and there is a possibility that another person is in the area. I believe there are enough so called cowboy hunting shows(no offence to real cowboys) we need to have shows that show safety and responsibility. Another thing how do we really know that all the shots were 1 shot kills, the last I new you could edit tv shows.
With that said if you are going to put a show with long range shots on tv you need to explain to the public that it takes alot of practice to make these type of shots.

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

If you can hit an eight inch circle 10 out of 10 times at 1000 yards, go for it. I must admit that I am a bit skeptical. On second thought, I am very skeptical.

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

I am not in agreement with this show featuring the long range shots mentioned. I will admit it would be interesting to see, but we have enough " Quigley' s" out there without glamourizing the unthinkable by many.
Taking shots at 1000 yards is idiotic in my opinion from a safety factor. And then to suggest that they use the first shot for " ranging" purposes is ludicris. What happens when the animal doesn' t drop? What happened to the spent round? Did it gut shot the animal, or did it lay open the spine or another part of the animal, giving it subject to disease??

500-1000 yard shots should be made at silouettes, not a live animal.

It is also a fact that most unbelievable shots that are made, were not made at the range specified.

Shows like this leave the hunting community wide open to negative opinion by others, and encourage idiots to try these ridiculous shots. I understand that these shots are made by experts in the shooting field, but, where is the sport in it?? Slinging a chunk of lead 1000 yards can be a disaster to anyone in a hunting situation, whether they are an expert or not. It also takes the sportsmanship out of the hunt. If this is what we are going end up idolizing, we might as well give a high powered rifle to anyone and say " Go get' em!" There is no woodsmanship, no hunter' s skill in the stalk, no reason to know the ways and traits of the game being hunted, and no reason to learn it, period. Why would there be?? Anyone, with very little time and no experience, can get within a 1000 yards of anything, no matter how cautious the animal. If this is what the next big thing or craze is in the excitement side of hunting, or what it takes to get someone excited about the hunt, it is time I hang it up. Because sooner than later, someone will regret doing this.

Here is another question, where is the knock down power at these ranges?
I am no rifle expert, but I do know that things slow down greatly at these ranges. And the drop rate could be magnified and completely different from round to round if the proper ammunition is not used. Add this to the human error factor, and then tell me that this is a reasonable shot.

I know that alot of people have made an incredible shot on an animal. But if we were to sit back and think about it, I bet most of them would realize that the shot should not have been made.

If you want to impress me, knock a siluoette down at 1000 yards.

If you want to depress me, screw up on a 1000 yard shot at an animal.

Which likely will happen first??

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

Thanks for all the input, guys. I will try and answer some of the questions asked.

Brokenrack,

I agree, long range or short range the animal doesn’t care. They would just as soon not be shot at all.

Russ otten,

We will explain the work required to be able to hit at longer distances. That’s a part of the show. We will not be exclusively long range by any means.

I used an iron-sighted revolver hunting antelope and whitetails this year. The long range is just something that happens once n a while although we practice it a lot.

Kodiakhuntmaster,

Thanks for the input. Sorry but we don’t have any shotgun hunts on film but we do have some handgunning (my favorite way to hunt).

Subsonic,

Actually we do know exactly what is around the animal. The reality of such shot is the area has to be open to be able to see very far. Most situations are what we call cross-canyon shots with a safe backstop in the event something goes wrong.

All distance are measured with laser rangefinders so I am either a bald face liar or things happened as reported. No mistaken or guessed at ranges.

I have a standing bet: For a proper amount we will recreate any shot we have on video. Hit or miss, winner takes all.

I never said we used any “ranging shots”. We fully expect to make the first shot the only shot.

If we had to edit out much footage because of missed shots we would not be able to get enough footage to make a show. It just plain costs us real money to blow an opportunity by taking shots we cannot make regularly. We don’t ever fire what I refer to as “Hopers” (I hope I make that shot).

Keep up the response. It helps us decide what we are going to do.

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

Dang, no shotguns? I' ll bet you don' t even have any traditional archers either... Oh well, the handgun hunts are neat anyway[&:].

I know you guys that make these shows practice alot. So I see no problem with the occasional long shot. That' s what specialized calibers like 7mag and such were made for.

Good luck with the new show.

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

kodiakhuntmaster,

We do have some traditional archery. Long bow and cedar arrows even.

John

RE: Long Range Shooting at Game Animals
 

i will try and watch it. i see nothing wrong with long shots. just as long as u bring the animal down. if ur gun will bring em down at the range you are going to attempt a shot there is nothing wrong with it.