Long range ethics

Is long range (500 yrds +) hunting ethical?

  • Yes

    Votes: 37 37.0%

  • No

    Votes: 63 63.0%
  • Total voters
    100
  • Poll closed .
PrairieHunter said:
Just wait until we are shooting lazers from drones.

I am expecting to see "hunts" being done from the comforts of home, no matter where you live. Just imagine sitting at your computer back home in Texas/Florida/PA/etc as the guides in Colorado take the drones out and release them. Then the guides start flying the drones around looking at animals as the computer estimates score/price and allows the hunter to watch everything on the computer screen and choose is he wants to engage the animal with the lazer and kill/buy it.
Click to expand...


Yup, that's exactly my point. Better to draw a line in the sand BEFORE we get there. Once it is possible, it will be unstoppable. Witness what has become of "archery" and muzzleloaders, not to mention everyday centerfire rifles.
 
Straight Arrow said:
With satellite imagery and retrieval by RC helicopter right to your driveway or favorite sausage processor.
Click to expand...

Not too many years ago, people in TX were selling "hunts" on line. Where you actually hunted on line. A loaded rifle with camera was set up on a servo motor system over a bait pile and you sat at your computer - wherever and used a joystick and mouse to shoot a buck of your choosing. After the shot, someone in TX got a call and went out and picked up and processed your buck. Somehow, that went away before it caught on. It will be back.
 
I think there is more to it that just having the skill to hit your target at range. With most calibers, when you start talking about 1000 yard shots, the bullet flight time is over a second. That is just way too long to be confident in your shot. Even if you bullet goes exactly where you want it, the animal can move a long way in the time it takes your shot to get there.

Additionally, once you get to the range that the animals can't sense you or don't care about your presence, it becomes unethical. Getting up on a high spot and kerpunging a critter that has no ability to perceive you as a threat isn't sporting.
 
SherpaPhil said:
I think there is more to it that just having the skill to hit your target at range. With most calibers, when you start talking about 1000 yard shots, the bullet flight time is over a second. That is just way too long to be confident in your shot. Even if you bullet goes exactly where you want it, the animal can move a long way in the time it takes your shot to get there.

Additionally, once you get to the range that the animals can't sense you or don't care about your presence, it becomes unethical. Getting up on a high spot and kerpunging a critter that has no ability to perceive you as a threat isn't sporting.
Click to expand...
do you realize how far most animals' can perceive you as a threat, farther than most people should be shooting,,,,
 
300stw said:
do you realize how far most animals' can perceive you as a threat, farther than most people should be shooting,,,,
Click to expand...

I've walked straight at pronghorn in the open without cover, went from 500 yards to 250 and they didn't budge, walked up to 150 on a herd of elk, 75 on a mule deer buck that had me pinned at 200. There are certainly exceptions and everyone, including myself has spooked animals over a mile away, but in my experience breaking the 300yrd barrier isn't that hard.
 
I enjoy all the generalizations being thrown around. Maybe it's time to bring up millennials.
 
BrentD said:
Not too many years ago, people in TX were selling "hunts" on line. Where you actually hunted on line. A loaded rifle with camera was set up on a servo motor system over a bait pile and you sat at your computer - wherever and used a joystick and mouse to shoot a buck of your choosing. After the shot, someone in TX got a call and went out and picked up and processed your buck. Somehow, that went away before it caught on. It will be back.
Click to expand...

It caught on enough that Arkansas and Oklahoma (two states I hunt yearly) outlawed the practice of “remote” hunting.
 
I happened to have this conversation with a local game warden and a sheriff's deputy just prior to last hunting season. We were pretty much all on the same page that the average sportsman really has no business shooting at game beyond 300 yards. I have BDCs and always practice out to 500 yards, but in more than 25 years of hunting Montana I doubt I've taken more than 6 or 8 shots beyond 300 yards. Longest was around 400 on an antelope and about 350 once on a mulie; all my other "long" shots past 300 were probably within 325. Especially if you're willing to get down and crawl, you can almost always close the range on an animal some. I've read it in a couple of different places and think it's a good rule of thumb to restrict yourself to the range at which you can put 3 out of 3 shots into a paper plate from field shooting positions.

On the other hand, if you're a retired USMC sniper with a .338 Lapua Magnum mounting a Nightforce scope that cost more than my first three cars combined, have at 'er.

But for the one-box-of-shells-per-year Average Joe, no.
 
Cav1 said:
I happened to have this conversation with a local game warden and a sheriff's deputy just prior to last hunting season. We were pretty much all on the same page that the average sportsman really has no business shooting at game beyond 300 yards.
Click to expand...

You know, there are a lot of Lake Wobegons where everybody is above average.
 
std7mag said:
To answer Greenhorn's question, NO!!
But you can relax as most of those seem to reside in PA.

To answer the poll. I think Rzrbck summed it up nicely. There are those that are competent, and would be ethical for them.
Click to expand...
Central Pa I'd have to agree with that.
 
Mallardsx2 said:
I would be willing to be my paycheck that 90% of the people on this forum could not hit a pie plate at 400 yards under a normal hunting situation.

I will double down on that and say that 60% of the people on this forum could not hit a pie plate while rested on a bench with sandbags at 400 yards 2 out of 4 shots.

These numbers may in fact be low. I'm conservative and giving a handful of people on here the benefit of the doubt.

People think just because they have a cds dial means they can shoot an animal at almost any distance.

They can shoot at a mile if thats what they would like to do. But I dont think they should be shooting at an animal that far.

That is all I am going to say on this topic.
Click to expand...

I think you would lose your paycheck...repeatedly
 
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