12-YEAR-OLD MAKES STUNNING 1,376-YARD SHOT ON BIG BULL ELK

[Karl Blanchard]

Absolutely spot on Idaho. Well said.

[Stein]

What are the odds of a first round hit in the vitals at that distance in those conditions?  20%, 10%, less?  If one is ok with that, they are saying they realize there is an 80% or greater chance they will either miss or put a bad hit on an animal and are comfortable with that.

They don't say what bullet, Gunwerks manufactures 7mm Rem Mag in ELD-M 180 grain, so let's pick that.  I'll guess 3100 fps.  10 mph drift at target is 82", so for every 1 mph your wind guess is wrong, the impact moves 8"!  Measure 10mph and the cumulative to target is actually 15, you are off 40" and that would be a pretty accurate guess.

You can calculate everything but wind.  Unless the wind is zero (which it never is), there is no way to take a 1,376 yard shot with any reasonable expectation your first shot will hit.  You measure at your location, look for clues between you and the target, make a guess, plug it in, send one and see where you missed and then adjust.  It's just the way it is, it's not a first shot game.

Ethics are personal and we can argue about that, but it's just not accurate to say maybe the person could make a first shot hit a high percentage of the time.  It's not about practice or equipment, you just can't make those until someone invents forward looking LIDAR that is small enough to mount on a rifle.

[bigdub257]

What are the odds of a first round hit in the vitals at that distance in those conditions?  20%, 10%, less?  If one is ok with that, they are saying they realize there is an 80% or greater chance they will either miss or put a bad hit on an animal and are comfortable with that.

They don't say what bullet, Gunwerks manufactures 7mm Rem Mag in ELD-M 180 grain, so let's pick that.  I'll guess 3100 fps.  10 mph drift at target is 82", so for every 1 mph your wind guess is wrong, the impact moves 8"!  Measure 10mph and the cumulative to target is actually 15, you are off 40" and that would be a pretty accurate guess.

You can calculate everything but wind.  Unless the wind is zero (which it never is), there is no way to take a 1,376 yard shot with any reasonable expectation your first shot will hit.  You measure at your location, look for clues between you and the target, make a guess, plug it in, send one and see where you missed and then adjust.  It's just the way it is, it's not a first shot game.

Ethics are personal and we can argue about that, but it's just not accurate to say maybe the person could make a first shot hit a high percentage of the time.  It's not about practice or equipment, you just can't make those until someone invents forward looking LIDAR that is small enough to mount on a rifle.

Well stated! Couldn't agree more.  Way too risky considering all of the variables, especially on a live animal.

I just watched that video again and maybe it's just me, but that kid didn't seem to be very excited about his kill. I guess everybody reacts differently.  Like I said before, to each his own.

[BULLBLASTER]

It is very impressive to me that people on this thread know exact specifics of that rifles ballistics yet they werent there or even know where this particular shot took place.

[Dan-o]

I'll chime on once more, since I already said why I don't like the situation.


First, the young man appears to be a terrific marksman.   I have no doubt he is highly skilled, and he shoots great equipment. 

I also 100% agree with what Karl brought up about people missing well inside of 200 yards.   It happens a lot.  A LOT. 

I guess I just think that a person need a "high likelihood of success" to take a shot.   Whether that is a bow, and you're confident to 20 or 30 or 40 or 80 yards.

Or a muzzleloader to 50 or 100 or 200. 
Probably dont want me to get started on how many incompetent muzzleloader folks I've seen that can't hit the kill zone at 50 yards.   

Or a high power rifle at 100 or 1000 or 2000.   

Bottom line: 
1.  An ethical kill shot should ALWAYS be the expectation.
2.  Ability varies GREATLY.... as does practice time.
3.  Regardless of weapon type, you can choose to confine yourself to ethical shots with high probability of kill and recovery.......  or not.   
4.  I dont expect perfection from my friends or hunting partners, but I have quit hunting with a guy or two who simply miss and main too much. 
5.  1300 yards with a 7mm.  Holy crap!  Congratulations young man.   A ton of practice went into that shot.  Not on my best day.  :-)

[Igor]

 At the end of the day the kid kept his composure after a miss and then  made an awesome shot. Carry on!           

If he had missed 3,4,5 times before the kill shot, would you still be high-fiving him?  Or does he just get his Mulligan after one miss?

[Jonathan_S]

Would be interesting if all hunters had to pass the Master Hunter proficiency test before they could use that means of harvest.

I'd rather suck wax fruit than subscribe to anything related to the MH program.

[dvolmer]

There should be a law against this type of "hunting". Whatever happened to clean kills? He missed the first shot. Tells you that shot should never have been taken. There are so many factors at play on a bullet traveling that far that it is ridiculous to take a shot like that. Shame on his dad for encouraging this type of bad behavior.

I agree!  You also never know with all the editing what really went down.  If it is so far that you miss it completely on the first shot, what's to say the second shot is in the butt, Lower leg, guts, etc.  I'm not against some long range shooting (I don't participate in it myself.  400 yards is my max) but this is just a little to much if you ask me.  But who is asking me???

[Bob33]

Given that the boy has the same last name as both the founder and CEO of Gunwerks, I took it as sort of an infomercial. "So easy to shoot an elk at 1300 yards with our guns that even a 12 year old can do it."

[idaho guy]

 At the end of the day the kid kept his composure after a miss and then  made an awesome shot. Carry on!           

If he had missed 3,4,5 times before the kill shot, would you still be high-fiving him?  Or does he just get his Mulligan after one miss?

 
No
I’m not high fiving him for 1 miss either  I think dan o is right the expectation should be for an ethical kill shot no matter the circumstances. I have never seen a long range shot on the internet that wasn’t criticized by a bunch of people for some reason or another. No one here knows the circumstances leading up to the shot or the actual conditions like wind, ballistics etc. Maybe he makes that shot in the same conditions regular 9 out of 10 times on steel. Is he less ethical than the guy who barely hits a pie plate at 100 shooting a deer at 200? I don’t think any of us are so perfect in every shot we take that we have the right to be the judge and jury on others shot choices. That’s all I am saying. Actually one more thing it is irritating when people say long range hunting isn’t hunting it’s just a different way of hunting and requires a different skill set. I would never take that shot but it doesn’t mean I get to be the ethics police. I see the major problems with long range shooting done the wrong way too. Like I already said I see both sides of the issue.The expectation should be an ethical shot based on that person’s ability and equipment not what we declare as ethical based on our limited abilities or just some belief we have.

[huntnfmly]

The kid has a older sister 16 I think who is a really good shot as well
They also build a 800yrd muzzy

[Wanttohuntmore]

Missing happens at all ranges.   Personally I wouldn't shoot at elk or deer at that distance due to too many variables.   I love target shooting to 1500 and bow shooting to 100yds.  That said I missed my biggest bull at 11 yds....    it haunts me.   Regardless,  shooting that far at elk probably shouldn't be encouraged.   I'm sure all the videos of maimed elk or missed elk are not shown...  it would hurt their whole business model.

I've seen a lot of hunting videos of guys making really terrible shots at much closer ranges that get neatly edited too though 

I was referring to the Gunwerks business model,  not the "Bob and Hottie" shows.  They can get away with a lot more inconsistencies and still keep their audience.

[Goshawk]

Congrats all around, just remember there's a big difference between long distance shooting and hunting. 
Somebody taught their son how to shoot long range.
I taught my kids not to make eye contact and keep their faces down till the bull looked the other way then draw back the bow...  Unto each their own.

[sjhgraysage]

I would be impressed by a stalk that closed the distance to under 200 yards and then killed the bull. Not this video.

[jdb]

Would be interesting if all hunters had to pass the Master Hunter proficiency test before they could use that means of harvest.

I'd rather suck wax fruit than subscribe to anything related to the MH program.

i don’t agree with the long range shot but I agree with that statement!!