hunting or shooting

11 May 2002, 19:07

fredj338

hunting or shooting

I was talking w/a hunting buddy of mine about this & thought I would throw it out for discussion. He has a friend in Montana that shoots his elk every year from a fixed position across a canyon. The range is known to be from 500-725 yds. He shoots a 7mag from a rest & apparently hits the elk but always has a tracking job of up to a mile. He usually hunts late in the season when snow is on the ground.
My thought, is he really hunting or just shooting elk? If he is going to "hunt" this way, shouldn't he up-gun to something that can put the animal down in less than a mile? I'm not condeming his approach, it's just not my style.

[This message has been edited by fredj338 (edited 05-11-2002).]

12 May 2002, 03:38

BER007

fredj338,

For me it's benchrest long distance shooting.

What is hunting pleasure in this???

That remind me my shooting range

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BER007
Keep the faith in any circumstances
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BBER007@HOTMAIL.COM

12 May 2002, 04:15

Yukoner

Fred,

Even though I, personally, don't have a problem with that style of hunting, I would call it long distance shooting. Matter of fact, I would like the oppertunity to do that once or twice.
Hunting is a skill that you get better with experience and practice. Same as shooting or any other skill that you endevour.
Shooting game from a fixed possition at long range, you are using skills of shooting and skills of patience. They both are skills that are used in hunting but lack in skills of stalking and in depth of knowledge of your quary which are are equally important skills of hunting.
The most important skill required in this case would be shooting. If you were using all your hunting skills and got up close, shooting skill becomes not so important.

I hope I made some sence out of that.

Daryl

[This message has been edited by Daryl D (edited 05-11-2002).]

12 May 2002, 04:22

<Eagle Eye>

Well, what you descibe is the same method that most hunters in the USA hunt deer. They sit in a tree stand and snipe them. What ever works I guess.

12 May 2002, 04:29

Arild Iversen

I tend to agree with 007 on this one.
Mostly because I have never hunted such long ranges, but also because it reminds me to much of my sniper training in the Army.

For me hunting is much more than killing an animal. It consist of hiking, glassing, spooring, stalking, outsmarting and then killing the game cleanly.

I donï¿½t succed every time, a broken twig or a shift in the wind direction might be the difference between success and failure.

But sitting on a fixed position, bench shooting game at 500 to 700 yards is not my cup of thea.

We have the equvivalent where I live, farmers shooting their red deer and roe deer on the hayfields from the barn door.
They collect their bag every year, but hunting ??? No !! Its more shooting / butchering the way I see it.

But by all means...itï¿½s a free country, and they are free to employ any killing technic they like, as long as it within the law, and I can hunt the way I prefere.

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Arild Iversen
~ Ad spes infracta ~

12 May 2002, 15:18

p dog shooter

Unless your hunting with a spear your shooting them no differants if you shoot them at 50 yards or 2500 yards except you have to be a better shot at 2500. I would not call sitting in stand waiting for one to come by any more hunting then shooting them far away. After you have killed them with a bow at feet instead of yards any rifle gives you the advange.

12 May 2002, 15:25

W. Wilson

quote:
Originally posted by Eagle Eye:
Well, what you descibe is the same method that most hunters in the USA hunt deer. They sit in a tree stand and snipe them. What ever works I guess.

Your're right, that probably is the most used method. While I realize that some don't view that much as hunting, one of the main reasons is that is probably the safest way, esp. in the more populated areas.

12 May 2002, 15:49

parshal

[QUOTE]is he really hunting or just shooting elk?QUOTE]

Well, if he's out there for meat does it really matter if it's hunting or shooting? Personally, I'm going this year for nothing more than the meat as it makes quick and tasty dinners when bird hunting each weekend!

14 May 2002, 10:37

JBD

When I hunt our western states, which I do every year, I will use the spot and stalk method. It is my favorite technique. But in the thick eastern forests it is a different matter. I have been hunting for forty years and I can't sneak up on a good buck over a carpet of fall leaves. If you guys say you can then more power to you. What I usually see when I try that is the south end of a north bound deer. I hunt thick cover because that is where the good bucks usually are and use an open sighted handgun or bow. I also usually go up a tree.

14 May 2002, 15:49

fredj338

Again, I am not falting his style, I have occasionally sat on stand, but not often. If he is going to shoot at that range, 500-700, wouldn't you pick something that would arriv ew/ a bit more "thump" than the 06 or 7mag delivers? I think I would be reaching for a hot .30mag or .338. It's obvious rifel weight isn't a problem, so recoil could be held to tolerable levels.
For me, I like to get as close as I can, not because I can't shoot, it's just playing the game differently.