Thread: Nice 12Stag at 744y 6.5 - so am I unethical now guys?

Ok, I’m sticking my neck out sharing this, and no I’m not Bunji reincarnated lol.
On my roar trip I opted to hunt the open lands due to some health restrictions I’m working through. Even tho I was desperate to go deep into the bush and try my luck with a stag I’ve been after for 4years now. So I set up on a nice platform and glassed across to the next top through 80 odd deer to see if there was a stag worth taking, after about 40min one popped up on the skyline, I roared a couple times and he came towards us at a good pace, he then stopped and turned broadside. I ranged it at 744y, dialed up and waited for the calm amongst the odd gust that was coming through. Stag put his head forward and I had a straight line from neck right through chest line so I figured if my mate missed calling a gust on the other ridge and the Bullet drifted a little left I’d still drop the stag. So I aimed dead centre on the neck, good steady rest and calm after sitting for 40min. Boom. Watched the impact hit mid neck where I aimed and saw him collapse without a flinch. There’s loads more to the story but I’ll let some comments come through before I write part 2… to be continued

If you have practiced shooting at that range and are confident then I guess it's all good.
Also a 6.5 what???

If it was me it would be unethical. I havent got the gear or experience to shoot that range. 300 would be my max.

Well done the 6.5 is more than capable as long as the shooter is.

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As above, if you e practiced at those ranges on confident of shot go for it. Only thing I’d say is if the knife is on bullet impact the shot was nearly too low to be an effective quick kill. Good on you, still got to walk there and recover the bugga though.

Before I decide on the ethics of the shot, please tell us what was your plan in case it took off with a missing lower jaw?

Originally Posted by Bol Tackshin

Before I decide on the ethics of the shot, please tell us what was your plan in case it took off with a missing lower jaw?

Really ?? Just give credit where it is due . If he ranged it , Knew his drop and was confident there is fuck all unethical about it . Well done

@Nathan F - really. There are too many things that you can't control at that distance. Flight time alone is enough that a step by the deer could have resulted in a wound.

A second shooter on hand, ready with an instant follow up shot is commonplace - albeit to keep the hunter safe - when hunting things that can bite back. Also, if the area is accessible to drive to where the animal last stood to track it... I'm sure you get the idea.

If it was me, I'd make sure there was a plan to dispatch the animal cleanly. A great trophy to be sure, and one Scott can be proud of!

Sorry guys I should have done less baiting lol. Guess I was a little board at home with a cold. So I’ll give part 2 before I break up some friendships lol.
part 2.
I was shoot slightly up hill and the pic wasn’t square on so shot looks a little low but was pretty central to the shot angle. I’m using a Truflite built 6.5/06ai with 147 (yes guys target projectiles) doing 3140 from memory, might be a tad faster but I loaned my device with my data to a mate. I shoot this spot a few times a year for the last decade or so. My practice distance leading into the hunt was 820y range finder adjusts for atmospheric conditions. I regularly shoot about a cell phone size 3 shot group at that range.
My plan for a follow up shot was simply reload and fire again. At that distance suppressed things don’t really move much and being way out in the open you can see where things go if you need to do a follow up shot. On the same trip I culled a further 10 hinds and yearlings from 450 to 715y, most over 600y to be fair. All but 2 dropped writhing a couple steps of where they were hit. Mostly they were DRT. One hind ran down hill 20y before she collapsed. I needed one follow up shot on a hind at 610, first round went a little far back. 2nd DRT. Station manager had asked to sort 10pm daily per stag. 1080 drop due right where they feed out from this month.
I’ll add part 3 tonight about how I’m ticked off with my bush hunting ‘up close and personal’ 50y shooting buddies and the possible ethics debate right there

Nice work! Only you can judge the ethics of the shot as you're the only one who knows the full context.

Steven Rinella said something along the lines of 'If you're surprised to have hit it then you probably shouldn't have tried the shot in the first place'. It is a great way to think about any shot as it has nothing to do with distance, energy, wind drift, bullet performance, etc. Can apply equally well to a marginal shot through a tiny hole in thick bush less than 20 metres away, or a thumper of a stag at 744 yards.

Again, great work! It will be interesting to hear the rest of your story, including what you are comfortable with sharing about the health limitations as there's often useful information in your experience that might help others.

I think you already know the answer to your question Scott. If you thought the shot was "unethical" Im sure you wouldn't have made it. Thats the answer.
You made a clean humane kill. End of story.

(NB: Posted this before I saw your fuller explanation. Nothing changes)

Originally Posted by Scott Cowan

Sorry guys I should have done less baiting lol. Guess I was a little board at home with a cold. So I’ll give part 2 before I break up some friendships lol.
part 2.
I was shoot slightly up hill and the pic wasn’t square on so shot looks a little low but was pretty central to the shot angle. I’m using a Truflite built 6.5/06ai with 147 (yes guys target projectiles) doing 3140 from memory, might be a tad faster but I loaned my device with my data to a mate. I shoot this spot a few times a year for the last decade or so. My practice distance leading into the hunt was 820y range finder adjusts for atmospheric conditions. I regularly shoot about a cell phone size 3 shot group at that range.
My plan for a follow up shot was simply reload and fire again. At that distance suppressed things don’t really move much and being way out in the open you can see where things go if you need to do a follow up shot. On the same trip I culled a further 10 hinds and yearlings from 450 to 715y, most over 600y to be fair. All but 2 dropped writhing a couple steps of where they were hit. Mostly they were DRT. One hind ran down hill 20y before she collapsed. I needed one follow up shot on a hind at 610, first round went a little far back. 2nd DRT. Station manager had asked to sort 10pm daily per stag. 1080 drop due right where they feed out from this month.
I’ll add part 3 tonight about how I’m ticked off with my bush hunting ‘up close and personal’ 50y shooting buddies and the possible ethics debate right there

Haha yeah that was a little baity for sure! Great performance out of your 6.5/06AI though! That's heading towards 264 Win Mag and 26 Nosler territory! And the 147 Eld-M is a bloody good choice for deer sized critters way out there as your results illustrate.

Good shot, nice stag.

Those really are the best potato chips. Good crunch, perfect amount of flavour.
Nice stag.

Would you take the same shot again?

Good on you, @Scott Cowan - you got me thinking about whether I would have taken a shot. Given part 2, it seems to tick the ethical box.