Thread: Long-range hunting: is it sporting?

Then how far is too far?
As said above too many people with limited practice/ equipment / knowledge try to beat the latest shooting distance from the mate/ magazine/ now TV and Internet shows.
Once I talked to a guy who was telling me how he was using his magnum rifle to shoot deer at 500 or 600 yards.
I asked him what brand off rangefinders he was using? " nah, I don't need any of these " was his answer.

And with the increased used of Facebook , forums ...etc to show how great one person is, often not showing how the hard work was done to get there, it becomes a simple shortcut in the mind of the watcher: ie , go to the shop , get a rifle/scope/ ammo, sight it in and good to go. For the distance shoot , some might buy a rangefinder and/ or just aim high...
What I just said here, is illustrated by the number of people coming to hunting thinking that within a few hours walk in the bush they ll nail their first deer and bring back home the bacon. As it doesn't not happen often like that, and after a few unsuccessful trip they hang up the rifle and abandon the idea of hunting.and their rifle is for sale on trademe.

Same brain shortcut applies to those who want to tackle long range shooting and get the idea or told that a magnum rifle is the way to go. Fine, they buy that big loodenbloomer and some get a bit of a shock at the recoil. For those who don't persevere, the rifle is on trademe with a short rounds count.
And a good number of us know how many rounds it can take to sight in the thing, develop a proper load , verify ballistic tables on the terrain, practice with it, practice with it again, shoot a few things, and if we fail once rethink the whole process again( if you are ethical that is ;-)

I believe that if a distance of say 30 m for bowhunting and 150 to 250 m for rifles was recommended to the beginner or the average hunter ,it was that beyond those ranges there was great risk of wounding and lousing game.i know technology has evolved and allows us to reach further, fine, shoot to within your ability and know when to say "STOP, I won't take this shot because it is not right and I might wound the animal". Doing otherwise is criminal, unrespectfull and unethical .

I think we also engage into hunting ( or fishing/ skydiving/ racing...whatever floats your boat)for the sensations it brings us.
If I pick up my bow this year for the roar, it is because I don't get those sensations with a rifle anymore.
I use a rifle to put meat on the table, or shoot at a distant varmint or print small groups on a paper target or make ring a gong.
But again, for me, it does not bring the level of sensations that I get when I am close to an animal with a bow.

Each to their own, and KNOW your limits. The game we chase deserves it.