What do you consider an "ethical" distance for shooting big-game?

[bsa1917hunter]

Just to let you guys know something about my feelings on hunter "ethics", I'm way more offended by those road hunters that all barrel out of a pickup to get pop shots off on elk. The hunters that have no idea of what or who may be in the trees behind said elk. Those guys sent countless rounds whistling through the trees and wounding who knows how many elk and almost taking out my elk hunting partner and myself with stray bullets. Those are the kind of "hunters" I despise, if you want to start talking hunter "ethics"...

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Does anybody ever question why I always focus on keeping and maintaining a good zero??








Or is that kind of lost in the translation?

 

[x2ndxall]

Does anybody ever question why I always focus on keeping and maintaining a good zero??

Uh... no, probably not?
What do I win?

 

[joken]

I killed a Buck at 412 yards in eastern WA a few years ago. I went back and ranged it the next day. It was the first time I recall hearing the bullet hit the animal.

 

[turq]

Nice shooting bsa1917hunter , about the 9.6 how much larger than a 35 Whelen.
I once pasted backers for the National Hunter Benchrest competitors, those guys could shoot. At 300 yards the perfect score of 25X was just amazing!!!
Again nice shooting bsa1917hunnter.

 

[The Heretic]

Depends on the gun, the game, the terrain/environment, and the hunter.

I personally would not take a shot beyond 2-300 yards around here, and only then if the game was standing real still and I had practiced at that range and was confident in my rifle, the ammo and my capability.

Others more skilled, I am sure could easily double that within the right conditions.

 

[Howard1955]

Nowadays, the biggest consideration I have is how to get the beast home, processed, and in the freezer. My son-in-law is a giant, so I'm planning to call on him next time I need help. Kinda hoping last year's bear will show up on our place again this year.

From my front gate to the edge of our field is 600 yards, but I doubt that I'll shoot anything but targets at that range. Thinking of setting up a few blinds on the place, and just waiting for the beasties to come to me.

 

[TTSX]

Ethical, I think, has a lot to do with competency. If, for example, you can't got the broad side if a barn with a 12ga... Maybe don't hunt at all. If you can hit paper sometimes at 200, don't shoot at living things past 100. If you're a trained killer and you've done... Things.... At 1000yds, well... I'm not here to tell you anything about anything

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Nice shooting bsa1917hunter , about the 9.6 how much larger than a 35 Whelen.
I once pasted backers for the National Hunter Benchrest competitors, those guys could shoot. At 300 yards the perfect score of 25X was just amazing!!!
Again nice shooting bsa1917hunnter.

Thanks! The 9.3x62mm uses a .366 diameter bullet, so its not much bigger than the Whelen.

 

[MrRob96]

Ethical distance? Probably second cousin before you're in weird territory.

 

[Koda]

I dont have a problem with long distance hunting shots.
I have a problem with target shooting on game...

Long distance shots become unethical when you take shots you havent practied at.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Well said Koda.

On another forum there was a jerk bragging about putting a arrow in a deer around sixty yards away and still slinging arrows at that gut shot deer.

 

[ProdigalSon]

Personal skill is up to the individual to evaluate, but there are obvious mathematical limits. Assuming, for example, you have a consistently 1 MOA rifle/ammo combination, and an average deer's vital area is ~10" across, any shot longer than about 1000 yards is ALWAYS unethical because even with everything performing as planned, animal doesn't move, no wind, you still have an average shot easily landing outside the vital area.

 

[Koda]

Personal skill is up to the individual to evaluate, but there are obvious mathematical limits. Assuming, for example, you have a consistently 1 MOA rifle/ammo combination, and an average deer's vital area is ~10" across, any shot longer than about 1000 yards is ALWAYS unethical because even with everything performing as planned, animal doesn't move, no wind, you still have an average shot easily landing outside the vital area.

And this mathematical limitation is magnified when you consider that most hunting rifles out of the box are not 1MOA.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

And this mathematical limitation is magnified when you consider that most hunting rifles out of the box are not 1MOA.

Yep, then you have guys thinking a single 3 shot group represents the accuracy of said rifle as well... This can be extremely detrimental thinking and add to poor ethics/judgement... Let alone a lot of rifles don't seem to be zeroed properly as we can all attest to seeing target pics posted of improperly zeroed rifles. I'm talking posters showing off a group that is 6" low and 3" to the left, for example... But hey it's a nice 1/2" group...

 

[Used To Hunt]

If you shoot long range at least once a month and track your cold bore shots, at the distance you plan on shooting, then the skies the limit. But those aren't the people that other hunters worry about.
Edit: you must practice shooting off stumps, bipod, pack or whatever hunting conditions will be. None of this led sled stuff I see all the fudds zeroing with before modern rifle deer.

 

[HB of CJ]

Depends. I have not shot at garden varmints at night using cheapo Russian nite vision because the target could NOT be positively identified. Is it a skunk or a fox? Could not tell. For us Foxes were good guys. Skunks bad guys. Same with snakes. Sometimes hard to tell a rattle snake from a bull or garter snake. Lots of times I did not take the shot.

I ONCE did not take a deer shot because the doe walked past me. About 20 feet. I did not really need the meat. Also did NOT have a doe tag. Just watched her amble off. She never smelled me also. But the reality was that if I had even slowly raised my USGI M1 Carbine barrel up she would have been gone with the wind. Situational for sure. All depends.

 

[x2ndxall]

Assuming, for example, you have a consistently 1 MOA rifle/ammo combination, and an average deer's vital area is ~10" across, any shot longer than about 1000 yards is ALWAYS unethical

1 MOA, although often suggested as such, is not some magical, lofty achievement. I'd consider it a starting point, with .35 as a goal. Unless you're hunting brush with a 30-30. 1 MOA would be great there.
I figure 8" for deer just to keep things ethical.
I can consistently put 10 consecutive rounds inside 5" at 1000 meters, so I'm not terribly worried about a gut shot. The guys I shoot with can do the same, some of them will put 25 rounds inside 4".
So again, blanket statements don't work. Different ranges for different folks with different equipment and experience.


Why do I have the feeling that everything's already been said?

 

[x2ndxall]

If you shoot long range at least once a month and track your cold bore shots, at the distance you plan on shooting, then the skies the limit. But those aren't the people that other hunters worry about.
Edit: you must practice shooting off stumps, bipod, pack or whatever hunting conditions will be. None of this led sled stuff I see all the fudds zeroing with before modern rifle deer.

Except the zeroing part. You want perfect conditions and perfect stability when zeroing.

 

[RMc]

You have a 60 yard shot at a large trophy buck, the buckhorn sights of your 38 WCF lever action are lined up and you are ready to launch a 180 grain bullet with a case full of FFFg. Is it ethical? Why or why not?