Long range hunting?

[Alta]

I don't buy that argument, because if I did....if any of us did....then we'd have to first admit that the easiest and fastest way to dispatch an animal is with a gun. That article talks at length about "responsibility to hunt ethically and that includes quick, assured, humane kills". Once again, there is no doubt that a gun does that faster and more assuredly than a bow, so to adhere to this thought, we have to give up bowhunting or be a hypocrite.

It's just another article telling other people what they should do and using a bunch of bull**** example to try to justify it.

I disagree there. I think one can ethically and humanely kill using a bow, rifle and muzzleloader (if I didn’t I wouldn’t hunt or use one of those methods). I also have a personal limit for each of these different methods based on my proficiency. I also don’t buy it as telling others what to do but giving advice as a way to think about it. Ethics is obviously a personal decision but one we all probably think about it. Means something different to everybody and there is no right or wrong answer.

[meshmover67]

This thread is worthless without pics of long range set-ups....

[curtintex]

I disagree there. I think one can ethically and humanely kill using a bow, rifle and muzzleloader (if I didn’t I wouldn’t hunt or use one of those methods). I also have a personal limit for each of these different methods based on my proficiency. I also don’t buy it as telling others what to do but giving advice as a way to think about it. Ethics is obviously a personal decision but one we all probably think about it. Means something different to everybody and there is no right or wrong answer.

Semantics. I agree that one can ethically and humanely kill using any weapon. However, there is no way that you can argue that a bow at 30yds is as lethal as a 30-30 at 30yds. More variables with a bow. If you're looking for the easiest way to dispatch an animal, it's a gun....period.

[BigJimmyRustler]

Semantics. I agree that one can ethically and humanely kill using any weapon. However, there is no way that you can argue that a bow at 30yds is as lethal as a 30-30 at 30yds. More variables with a bow. If you're looking for the easiest way to dispatch an animal, it's a gun....period.

or maybe a Suburban

[Alta]

Semantics. I agree that one can ethically and humanely kill using any weapon. However, there is no way that you can argue that a bow at 30yds is as lethal as a 30-30 at 30yds. More variables with a bow. If you're looking for the easiest way to dispatch an animal, it's a gun....period.

I'm not looking for the easiest or most lethal way to dispatch an animal (and didn't read the article that way). Dead is dead. I'm looking at how can I humanely and ethically kill an animal with the skills that I possess (main point being not wounding an animal). For me, I won't take a bow shot over 20 yards (because I'm a new bowhunter and am only confident to that distance). The criteria being that if I let an arrow or bullet fly and do my job am I confident that I am going to kill this animal and not injure it. Another person might have that confidence out to 50 yards, 100 yards, etc. (the yardage doesn't matter). The same thing with a gun. What yardage am I confident in that I am going to be able to put down that animal (again the yardage doesn't matter). There are people who can shoot a gun at 1000 yards more accurately than I could shoot a gun at 300-400 yards no doubt.

I particularly liked this portion of the article: "If we know this can’t be answered in yards, then the answer lies in intent. If your intent is to hunt the animal, get as close as possible for a sure shot within your maximum-effective range, with a concern for a high-probability, safe shot, you’re hunting. If your intent is to see how far you can hit a live target and/or best your last performance, you’re shooting."

Again it isn't about yardage but but about my skill set and intent. Using the above example if my maximum yardage is 20 yards but can easily get to 15 yards to have a better chance at a kill then I should try to do so because it increases my odds. Same thing with a gun. Everybody's yardage is different.

Also, if somebody thinks the article is garbage then fine too. I linked to it because I found it an interesting way to think about the situation and thought if another person struggles with these topics, how to communicate ethics to their child (what I am working on now) or another they are teaching to hunt they might find it a useful way to think about the topic. That is all.

[Radar]

Semantics. I agree that one can ethically and humanely kill using any weapon. However, there is no way that you can argue that a bow at 30yds is as lethal as a 30-30 at 30yds. More variables with a bow. If you're looking for the easiest way to dispatch an animal, it's a gun....period.

Yes sir, that is correct. Unfortunately some folks don’t see it that way.

[Trevor73402]

This thread is worthless without pics of long range set-ups....

Guns or ranges?

[Dale Moser]

Semantics. I agree that one can ethically and humanely kill using any weapon. However, there is no way that you can argue that a bow at 30yds is as lethal as a 30-30 at 30yds. More variables with a bow. If you're looking for the easiest way to dispatch an animal, it's a gun....period.

30-30s Is a trash round. Creedmore kills'em 4.2 times deaderer, bro...

[Trevor73402]

I do not recall the exact yardage on these, but I know pretty close. I’d have to check the notes on my older phone to see. The first one was around 780-ish and the second one was 825-ish. At the time, those were my longest kills on deer.

**I know this will ruffle some feathers also, but both of those deer, as well as all my deer, were shot with match/target bullets that everyone says aren’t made to kill deer.

[flywise]

I cant believe some people still think ethics is a thing in hunting......
Goodness people, it's not ethics...its " I feel like doing it so I'm going to do it".

Kill stuff, call it what you want. It does not matter.
Canned hunt for a 200" deer
Taking 50 yd shots on deer and 80 yd shots on elk
1200 yd shots with a gun.....who cares anymore

[curtintex]

I cant believe some people still think ethics is a thing in hunting......
Goodness people, it's not ethics...its " I feel like doing it so I'm going to do it".

Kill stuff, call it what you want. It does not matter.
Canned hunt for a 200" deer
Taking 50 yd shots on deer and 80 yd shots on elk
1200 yd shots with a gun.....who cares anymore

Sarcasm duly noted......I'm gonna play devil's advocate....because I like you. If you're really mostly concerned about ethics, then why don't you hunt with a gun? There is no doubt that it is a more sure way to kill a deer. Get it into 20 yards and kill it with a slug gun or rifle. No chance of dropping, jumping, wind, etc. I think I can answer it for you.....the challenge. You're willing to take the risk, whether you want to admit that there is one or not, because of the challenge of killing with a bow. I don't know, but maybe some people are as adept at 1000yds with a gun as you are at 30yds with a bow. I'm not, but maybe some people are.

[curtintex]

30-30s Is a trash round. Creedmore kills'em 4.2 times deaderer, bro...

Maybe, but the skinny-jeans that come with the Creedmores don't fit me right.

[bphillips]

Yea I don’t understand doing it on purpose. I would love for any rifle shot to be inside 100yd but still like to be able to hit way out there IF that’s what it takes. Sometimes it’s the only option but not the majority of the time

[flywise]

Maybe, but the skinny-jeans that come with the Creedmores don't fit me right.

To answer your question....I put hand corn at about 15 feet from the base of my tree or 20 feet from my brush blind on the ground. I like them real close so I dont screw up. Typically when I shoot them they have no idea they have been shot.
I like you tooooo

[Huntingfool]

Since this is “my thing”, I’ll bite.
I agree it’s not for everyone. Not everyone should be doing it. However, it’s not some type of super sniper mystical voodoo that many people try to make it out to be.
Is it “hunting”? That’s to be decided by the person doing it. A lot of what people on here do could be debated if it’s really “hunting”. Not a lot of hunting involved in sitting in a box blind over a corn feeder and protein feeder waiting for the deer to come in like cattle when the feeder starts spinning. Before anyone jumps on the “ethical kill” soapbox, let me remind you that we had several threads just on opening day on here telling stories of deer that couldn’t be found due to poor shots (inside 35 yards). Untold countless others that didn’t get posted.

Again, I don’t think it’s for everyone, but I don’t think it’s for others to judge either. You need to do what works for you and stay in your lane. I’ll shoot 1-2 deer this next month between 700-950 yards and I’m fully confident that they won’t go 50yds, if they leave their own tracks. Just because someone else doesn’t have the ability to do this, does not mean I shouldn’t be allowed to.

I respect your post - it is honest. What has always concerned me is guys who see somebody do it on TV, go try it once or twice and think they are good at it, and then try to shoot an animal at 900 yards.

The thing that worries me is this - simple physics. It is the law of nature that the further you try to move an object from point A to point B if becomes more difficult due to gravity, wind, vision, extended delay in how long it takes an object to travel, etc.

This is why in football, for example, the percentage of short passes completed versus long, down field passes is not even close. Reason?? The longer the distance the higher the probability of outside forces affecting the flight.

So even though things are factored in when someone is long range shooting (wind, drop, etc.) the distance can open the door for a higher probability of error which in turn can lead to higher chances of a poor shot on a live animal.

I admit that I am old school. I have had 200 yard shots that I literally got out of my blind and went through the brush in order to get 100 yards for the shot - and I have hunted for 60 years and know how to shoot.

So at the end of the day I do not argue there are experts who can lower the odds of a bad shot but it is also a fact that the error rate increases with distance no matter who is pulling the trigger