I like the idea of long range hunting but I don't do it. I might shoot at a coyote at long range however as long as there was a backstop. That's the only animal I would do that to. Well maybe a crow. I have never had a wounded crow make an effort to get away.

If it bothers you, go on home and put on a dress.

There is a few Hunters and riflemen that can take 300-400+ yard shots as cleanly as the normal hunter can at 250-300 yards.For these people,yes it is OK to snipe as you put it at Elk that far out.I've seen it done to many times with better accuracy and results than some shots at 200 yards from Novices at Hunting not shooting,Hunting.

One has to know his limitations and that comes from actual experience taking these shots up and down hill and over stumps at a moving or still target.Some can and others can't.

Just my opinion.............Jayco.

I believe it depends on the individual circumstances. For example, I have only shot one moose at 300 yards, and the rest much closer. But another hunter who could shoot farther than I can, may not necessarily be limited to 300 yards.



For example, there is a Canadian fellow who hunts from a tree stand with a .338 Lapua. Sometimes he kills his moose close, but some others are killed at or farther than 500 yards. The difference is that he can shoot accurately out to 800 yards, while I practice up to 300 with my .338WM. We both are "meat" hunters. He hunts from a stand on the edge of a very large open field, while I hunt from a small blind on the edge of a smaller field. From a blind all I have to do is to pick the right spot through the riflescope, fire my rifle, and let the bullet do the rest, while he does the same thing from his tree stand.

Animals live inside a series of concentric circles that form a series of safety zones around the individual animal, or the herd. If you, the hunter, are in the outermost circle, the animal doesn�t see you, hear you, smell you, and doesn�t know you exist as a threat. That�s because you aren�t a threat because you are too far away.

The inside circle of safety for the animal, is detection of a threat, panic, and flight.

I�ll skip the circles in between and the nuance of animals laying still in cover and letting the threat walk by. I think everybody will get the point.

I�m sure somebody will point out that if the animal can�t detect the hunter, the hunter can�t detect the animal. That�s wrong; we have a technological advantage. I have watched deer and elk through my spotting scope, and had I jumped up and down, and even fired my rifle, they would not have detected me and known I was there.

We call it hunting. We have rules, in the form of laws, and of ethics, individual acts that do not rise to the level of law, but are self-imposed.

We call it fair chase; that is the controlling ethic of our sport; we put ourselves in the field with the quarry and give them a fair chance to make us look slow and stupid.

Is it fair chase, to set up a Bean Field rifle, then snipe at animals from outside their safety zone?

That�s shooting, not hunting.

Oh goody! Another hissing contest between two types of hunters with holier than thou attitudes. This is just what the Antis love, guys. Enjoy yourselves.

I can't. You're wearing it. Actually, I could care a whole lot less what people like you think.

"Hunting" Webster defines it as "The pursuit of game" Do it the way you want! Ethic or what is more challanging is another discussion. If you are after game and kill it with a knife at 3' ot 1000 yards its all the same.

For me its not, but at this stage in my life, I'm less inclined to question the ethics of others who choose to do this. In my opinion this is an example of us using technology to overcome an animal's natural ability to preserve its life.

as per mr. jack o'connor, here are some "rules" for long-range hunting. i believe that they can be agreed on by most of us here, even the long-range hunters!

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a long-range shot should never be taken if there is a reasonable chance of getting closer.

a long-range shot should never be taken if the rifleman feels doubtful of his ability to make a good, solid, well-placed hit.

a long-range shot should never be taken if the hunter cannot get into a solid position - prone with a sling, from a rest, etc.

a long-range shot should never be taken at any dangerous animal - a brown, grizzly or polar bear, a lion, a tiger, a leopard, a cape buffalo.

a long-range shot should never be taken at an unwounded, running animal.

a long-range shot should never be taken if the animal shot at can get out of sight so quickly that it would be difficult to ascertain the effect of the shot.

a long-range shot should not be taken if the range is so great that a hold on top of the shoulders will not drop a bullet into the chest cavity.

"these rules may seem ultra conservative to many, and i must admit that there have been times when i did not follow them myself. however, the more i hunt and the more i see others shoot the more convinced i am that they are wise and sensible rules and if they were universally adopted the number of game animals that get away wounded to suffer and die would be greatly reduced."

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the question then remains, what defines a long-range shot on a game animal?

i believe that each hunter has to make an honest evaluation of his own abilities (not the rifle's) and let his moral and ethical judgement guide his choice when the game is sighted.

This post is about as off the wall as it can be and if you are the RogerK I know than I would expect it from you. I dont know how many animals you have hunted but as from someone who bow hunts, A deer 100 yards away from my tree stand does not detect me so is it right for me to say anyone that shoots a deer with a rifle at 100 yards is shooting not hunting? Give me a break. Two years ago I shot a deer 3 yards away with my bow on the ground I was setup in some brush and she walked by at 9 feet and I shot and killed her and she never had a clue I was there so I wasnt hunting? A hunter is not supposed to let the game he is hunting know he is there and if you want to play the game Hi I am here mr deer now we both know I am here you better put the rifle down get a good pair of running shoes chase him down and bite his neck until he is dead. Now is that hunting or was it unfair because you had Nike Air Jordons on when you ran after him?

Clarification: I don't think of 400 yards as long range. I'm thinking more in terms of Bean Field rifles that put the shooter outside the distance where a deer or elk will panic and run. My personal max range is 300 yards with a solid rest and no cross wind. If I can get that close, I have to see if I can get a bit closer.