How many of you are planning to shoot a deer over 300 yards?

[Doublelunger]

Yup, I agree that a lot of folks are shooting long range these days. I think it's due to both technology and the abundance of easily accessible information on it. I'm confident shooting deer elk at 6-700.

[b23]

Revaluated again that there was no way I'd get to him. I had to walk away.

The younger me almost let my enthusiasm get the better of me on a decent size bull.  It wasn't a super long distance shot, just under 650yds, but well within my comfort zone.  He had no clue I was watching him there was nobody remotely near where we were and I had plenty of time to set up.  In my head I was practically notching the tag but, most likely because I did have so much time to set up for this, I started thinking about the reality of retrieving it and started really evaluating how I could reasonably do this by myself.  The more I thought about it the more it became evident to me this would be a really bad idea and I let him walk.

I almost prefer shooting long to up close because animals typically react different once they're shot but my first thought is always how well can I retrieve this animal in a reasonable time frame

[boneaddict]

Revaluated again that there was no way I'd get to him. I had to walk away.

The younger me almost let my enthusiasm get the better of me on a decent size bull.  It wasn't a super long distance shot, just under 650yds, but well within my comfort zone.  He had no clue I was watching him there was nobody remotely near where we were and I had plenty of time to set up.  In my head I was practically notching the tag but, most likely because I did have so much time to set up for this, I started thinking about the reality of retrieving it and started really evaluating how I could reasonably do this by myself.  The more I thought about it the more it became evident to me this would be a really bad idea and I let him walk.

I almost prefer shooting long to up close because animals typically react different once they're shot but my first thought is always how well can I retrieve this animal in a reasonable time frame

Idabooner used to say “if you shoot an animal there you better just take your salt shaker and fork because you are going to have to eat him there.”

[baldopepper]

One of my concerns with some of the long range shots is those who don't go check after the shot.  Most of us know that a fatally wounded animal doesn't necessarily drop in his tracks or sometimes even show obvious signs of a hit. Better be willing to go up that ridge or across that canyon and check unless you're absolutely positive you missed.
.

[dvolmer]

Hypothetically, if they made it illegal to use any magnifying apparatus above 4 power, restricted possession of firearms in an atv, and no baiting during hunting seasons would you still go hunting?

. I would vote for that in a heartbeat!  ATV’s should be used to retrieve game at best.  Hate them things. Nothing worse than having guys ride all over the place chasing deer and noisy. Just an extension of road-hunting. No need to bait in my opinion and never have.  4 power scope would be a small inconvenience but I used one on my 30-06 for about 10 years back in the 80’s-90’s. Shot just as many deer back then as I do now.

[ghosthunter]

Hypothetically, if they made it illegal to use any magnifying apparatus above 4 power, restricted possession of firearms in an atv, and no baiting during hunting seasons would you still go hunting?

. I would vote for that in a heartbeat!  ATV’s should be used to retrieve game at best.  Hate them things. Nothing worse than having guys ride all over the place chasing deer and noisy. Just an extension of road-hunting. No need to bait in my opinion and never have.  4 power scope would be a small inconvenience but I used one on my 30-06 for about 10 years back in the 80’s-90’s. Shot just as many deer back then as I do now.

 

[blackveltbowhunter]

I'm not.

  300 yards is long ways, about a hundred yards farther than I am currently comfortable shooting and well out of distance my targets should be aware I am within a hundred miles.

   At the same time I don't pretend to understand the limits of others or wish to impose any restrictions on them.

[baldopepper]

Hypothetically, if they made it illegal to use any magnifying apparatus above 4 power, restricted possession of firearms in an atv, and no baiting during hunting seasons would you still go hunting?

. I would vote for that in a heartbeat!  ATV’s should be used to retrieve game at best.  Hate them things. Nothing worse than having guys ride all over the place chasing deer and noisy. Just an extension of road-hunting. No need to bait in my opinion and never have.  4 power scope would be a small inconvenience but I used one on my 30-06 for about 10 years back in the 80’s-90’s. Shot just as many deer back then as I do now.

 

Kinda like "the old days" which so many wish they'd seen, but seems like maybe they really wouldn't have liked them.

[fishngamereaper]

That's all we need is more rules....


Can we get rid of inline muzzys and compound bows to..

[Bob33]

Hypothetically, if they made it illegal to use any magnifying apparatus above 4 power, restricted possession of firearms in an atv, and no baiting during hunting seasons would you still go hunting?

I miss those days. Before rangefinders became available 300 yards was a long shot because it could be 200 or 400 yards. With 30-06 ballistics that difference could result in a missed or wounded animal. At 300 yards a 3x-9x or even fixed 4x scope was sufficient.

Doubling the distance one can shoot quadruples the shooting area. A circle with a radius of 600 yards has four times the area of a circle with a 300 yard radius.

[mountainman]

Hypothetically, if they made it illegal to use any magnifying apparatus above 4 power, restricted possession of firearms in an atv, and no baiting during hunting seasons would you still go hunting?

I miss those days. Before rangefinders became available 300 yards was a long shot because it could be 200 or 400 yards. With 30-06 ballistics that difference could result in a missed or wounded animal. At 300 yards a 3x-9x or even fixed 4x scope was sufficient.

Doubling the distance one can shoot quadruples the shooting area. A circle with a radius of 600 yards has four times the area of a circle with a 300 yard radius.

Good point!

[baldopepper]

In 25 years these will be the old days for many of the younger hunters.  They'll talk about the days when you used those adjustable scopes, how you used to use spotting scopes to see animals because you actually had to see em to shoot em, you actually drove around on those bumpy old quads and sxs, they'll talk about how there were public places you could hunt and buy out of state licenses for a couple grand or less.  They'll hate the use of heat seeking bullets that can be laser guided from miles away, They'll complain that too many hunters sit in their office and kill game they want entered in the record book just using their communicator, they'll bore their kids with tales of their good ole days and how hard hunting was back in 2024. If you'd have told me when I was twenty how hunting would change to what it is now, I probably would have scoffed just like most reading this now are.

[dvolmer]

In 25 years these will be the old days for many of the younger hunters.  They'll talk about the days when you used those adjustable scopes, how you used to use spotting scopes to see animals because you actually had to see em to shoot em, you actually drove around on those bumpy old quads and sxs, they'll talk about how there were public places you could hunt and buy out of state licenses for a couple grand or less.  They'll hate the use of heat seeking bullets that can be laser guided from miles away, They'll complain that too many hunters sit in their office and kill game they want entered in the record book just using their communicator, they'll bore their kids with tales of their good ole days and how hard hunting was back in 2024. If you'd have told me when I was twenty how hunting would change to what it is now, I probably would have scoffed just like most reading this now are.

I doubt there will be much left of hunting for the common guy in 25 years. What I have seen in decline in Washington State in the last 25 years cant be duplicated and still survive.  Wyoming max preference points will be at 44 points (good luck getting in on that!).  The way they are preaching on this CWD, all the deer, elk, moose, and antelope will have died and be gone and half of the hunters would have died of CWD when it jumps to humans or so they say if you truly believe what the biologists are saying on how it is spread.